Individual Hackney UNISON members

Jane would like to thank the many individual UNISON members in Hackney who wanted to post on the blog but as it was an Islington election it wasn't appropriate.
But all the same Jane would like to thank you for your kind words.

A personal message from Jane Doolan

Dear Member
The election is now over and I have won with a 64.16% majority. This is consistent with the mandate I recieved in 1999.
It is a clear result and a mandate for the next year.

I would like to thank all of you who took part in this process and not just those who voted for me.

I have been extremely impressed with Mike Calvert's management of the campaign and the restraint and discipline exercised by my team.

This is the first time that I have directly contributed (apart from the video's) to the blog. This has been because of work committments.

I will be producing one more video and this will go on over the weekend.

I hope that you will take the time to visit the blog once more.

Many thanks

Jane Doolan
Branch Secretary
Islington UNISON
(In a personal capacity)

Many thanks for your support

We have the result:

Andrew got 186 votes or 35.84%

Jane got 333 votes or 64.16%

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Jane was therefore re-elected

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Jane thanks you all for your continued support

Re-elect Jane Doolan 2012 Steering Committee

Many thanks

Dear reader

We would like to thank you for reading our blog.
We hope it has helped to clarify where Jane stands on the issues facing our branch and why her record over 13 years is worthy of your vote and re-election.

We will be back soon

The Re-elect Jane 2012 Team

BME Staff miss out on promotion Reply to Islington Tribune article on Friday 13th April Edition

Letter from Jane to the Islington Tribune

Dear Editor

UNISON is not at all surprised by the findings of this review. For many years the Trade Unions have highlighted the plight of BME staff and the way they are discriminated against. Whilst the unions welcome staff forums the only way of tackling discrimination is through the Trade Union movement and UNISON's self organised groups. Nor are we surprised that staff with disabilities are targeted by bullying managers. It is particularly difficult for staff with a hidden disability as they are often marginalised by managers and sometimes treated with contempt.

UNISON operates a zero tolerance policy on bullying. In times of austerity it is sometimes all too easy for managers to believe they will get results by bullying staff. Whether or not such a tactic works. Bullying is wrong.

Bullying may in the minds of some people produce short term results but in the long term it damages the person being bullied, the bully and ultimately the organisation they serve.

Yours Sincerely

Jane Doolan

Branch Secretary UNISON

Bridge School Anti Academy Campaign launched

Jane and Rosemary attended the launch of the Bridge Anti-Academy Campaign on Wednesday 18th April.
There were well over 50 UNISON and NUT members present.

The meeting agreed on a public campaign, public meeting and to consider joint industrial action.

Members have volunteered to campaign and leaflet the local area.

Jeremy Corbyn MP has also given his support to the campaign.

Jane and Rosemary will be attending a meeting with representatives of the NUT and GMB with the head teacher tonight (Thursday April 19th).

Our position on Equalities

We respond to Andrew Richardson from HASS.

Andrew asks the following question:

"While personal experiences of oppression or hardship may aide the candidates in understanding these issues, I am interested to know what the candidates would DO to ensure equalities issues are addressed in an effective manner by the Branch?
What measures have the candidates taken/will take to promote gender equality, BME and LGBT representation at a Branch level?"

Dear Andrew,

Let us start at the very beginning.
Over many years, this branch has led work in this field both locally and nationally and that is work of which we are all naturally very proud.
Historically we have put these issues on the agenda of national delegate conferences, local government conferences and at a regional level and local levels.

Islington, in the 1980's was one of the first branches within the country to establish Self Organised groups (SOGs) and Jane was centrally involved at that time.

When this Branch was confronted by the Lilian Ladele case Jane supported the members in Registrars, along with the LGBT Group.

Our members were alleged to have harrassed Lilian Ladele because they objected to her refusal to carry out civil partnerships on the grounds that it conflicted with her religion because it amounted to discrimination against lesbian and gay service users and staff. Jane supported the re-establishment of the Branch LGBT group to give these members a chance to speak and put their side of the argument when management were instructing them not to raise these issues at staff forums or in the press.
Through the good offices of the LGBT SOG members were encouraged to and able to speak and campaign against the religious jusitification of homophobia.

Jane supports all our Self-organised Groups (SOGs) because they hold a vital role within the branch and nationally in the union, where they give members of oppressed groups not just a voice but a platform to campaign on in conjunction with Branch officers and the Branch Committee.

The fundamental difference between our SOGs and the Council's Staff Forums are that the Brasnch SOGs afford our members the opportunity to challenge management with the protection of trade union activity, something that the Staff Forums, as official Council bodies, do not.

Within the Branch, our work is continually monitored through a system known as the "Stephen Lawrence Action Plan". The Plan requires us to record the information related to all members we represent and their backgrounds ie ethnicity, gender etc. This system records all equality statistics within the branch ie the number of  staff being disciplined, the number of staff on sickness hearings and which equality strand they come from. All of this is systematically logged and is held confidentially.

Jane does everything that it is possible to do to  assist in the organisation of Self Organised groups. The Branch books rooms, publicises events, has allocated budgets to all of them.
The purpose of self organisation is precisely that.
It is about our members feeling empowered to organise themselves in these groups and feeling that they have a meaningful role to play.
Support is always given to assist the building of SOGs and to individuals within those groups. Jane has attended the BMG and women's group offering support and advice when needed.

Andrew R is absolutely correct when he says that personal oppression or hardship aide the candidates in understanding oppression. On this we agree 100%.

It has to be said that Jane understands issues of oppression and disability both as a woman and  from an ethnic minority, and as someone dealing with disabilities on an everyday basis.
Jane has had to struggle against the system on these issues and is well known as a fighter.

When the Welfare Rights Unit were up for review Jane involved Yvonne Blackwood, a black woman member in being the key organiser between the team based at Goswell Road, and the Branch officers.

Yvonne sent a message supporting Jane in which she comments:

"When I needed assistance Jane helped me. She encouraged me and signposted me. It was Jane and Cliffe (Obaseki) who told me about the BMG, about national delegate conferences and black members conferences.
Jane made me feel as if I could take on the world.
Jane pushed the agenda of self organisation in a really human way arguing for black women to become central leaders of the branch."

Jane is a woman, a mother and a carer. Jane is well equipped through her life experiences, her trade union and labour movement committment to be able to lead all the members of this Branch through the difficult times that lie ahead.

Message from John Philpott, Libraries Convenor

"We are very pleased at all the excellent work that Jane put in to prevent the Council introducing a Libraries Trust in this Borough.

Thank you for all that hard work and it should be put on the record how important your work has been in preventing this Trust."

New video link!

Jane has a new video up and running.
Please see

Union Democracy and Blogs

We have been asked on YouTube about comments being blocked from the blog and is this democratic and accountable?

To be absolutely clear: our blog is not a "discussion forum" but our chance to put our views of Jane and why we believe that UNISON members in Islington Local Government Branch should support her.

In that respect we put on it what we choose and will not respond to an attempt to derail us with side issues.

Trade unions are about members meeting together and making collective decisions, they are about leaders who can carry the entire membership with them. They are about the members putting their trust in the leaders they elect and knowing that they will do their best to defend their terms and conditions.

not those who can shout the loudest.

Trade unions exist as a result of the working class coming together to defend their own interests, and not the agenda of management.

jane has a track record of leading this branch, and our members, selflessly over thirty years. She knew when she became Branch secretary that her "career" was over but was not interested in elevating herself above the membership.

The issue in this election is what sort of Branch Secretary does Islington UNISON need?

We need an inclusive and experienced candidate. In the words of former Branch Secretary, Tony Madden (still a member of this Branch) with an active union membership of many years:

"As someone who has held the position being contested I can speak directly about what qualities I feel are needed to lead a trade union during periods of financial pressure and uncertain employment. The need for balance, measure, and an understanding of how members really feel is equally as important as to how to deliver campaigns which will fight and oppose government policy. What is needed now right now is experienced and measured leadership. A leadership that understands the need for action but which also has an understanding of what our members are facing. That is never solely about the larger political agenda, as they must face the pressures of today as well the battles of tomorrow. The successful candidate must be able to take our members on this journey.

Jane Doolan has been an active trade unionist for many years and has been at the forefront of many of the largest disputes this branch has ever seen.

That experience is needed right now and we will also need her experience and her leadership in campaigning. We will need her experience of communicating to members, to explain the need to be strong and to take action. We will need her to demonstrate those years of leadership and have the strength to take this branch forward on an unprecedented journey and demonstrate a true understanding what that means for members.

Anyone who knows Jane will know she is someone of true fighting spirit, someone who is courageous and someone who is responsible with and to the branch membership. She has shown those qualities in abundance both professionally and personally over many years.

However right now in April 2012 a choice has to be made and I firmly believe this is a time to trust to the candidate with proven leadership experience and I believe that is Jane Doolan and I urge you to vote for her."

We respectfully suggest that all of you who seem to think Andrew is the better candidate would do well to heed Tony's wise counsel.

If you wish to criticise Jane then we suggest you do so on Andrew's blog.