Unison backs PR - and so do UCU & Prospect
Last week, Unison voted to oppose First Past the Post and support Proportional Representation at its National Delegate Conference.
The result simply would not have happened without such an amazing and enthusiastic group of delegates and volunteers making the case at every opportunity - or without Unison members around the UK lobbying their branches and regions to support the motion.
You can find the motion text here.
It’s been a great month for trade unions and electoral reform. While Labour for a New Democracy is primarily focused on Labour affiliates, two more unaffiliated unions also adopted pro-PR policy at their annual conferences: UCU (representing academics and other workers in higher education) and Prospect (engineers, scientists and professionals in a range of sectors).
Unison becomes the sixth Labour-affiliated unions with policy in favour of electoral reform - with a seventh, CWU, carrying out a review of its policy on the issue. Step by step, we're getting closer.
Read/watch the media coverage below - and if you’re a Labour member please table our 2022 conference motion at your CLP!
UNISON vote to back PR hailed as “huge boost” by electoral reform campaigners
By Elliot Chappell
“Delegates at the UNISON conference voting to back proportional representation has been welcomed by electoral reform campaigners, who have hailed the commitment from one of the largest unions in the UK as a “huge boost”…
Professor Rob Ford discusses Unison’s decision with James O’Brian
LBC
Professor Rob Ford (University of Manchester) joined James O’Brian on Monday 20 June to discuss the implications of Unison’s support for PR. It comes a week after Rob’s article on LabourList explaining why British trade unions would do well to back electoral reform.
‘Huge boost’: UNISON vote to back proportional representation
By Jack Peat
“UNISON members have voted to back proportional representation in a move that has been described as a “huge boost” by electoral reform campaigners….”