Unite NEC elections: Grass Roots Left 'Reclaiming Unite for the members’.

Urgent: Re: Unite NEC elections: 'Reclaiming Unite for the members’.

If your Unite branch meets between before the 13th July and you are in either the 'General Industries' or 'Food Drink & Tobacco' sectors.................

Please nominate David Beaumont and Mr B. Gill [commonly know as Raj].

Details of both Grass Roots left candidates below. 

David Beaumont. [Email address david@grassrootsleft.org ] Seeking your Branch Nomination for the coming NEC election Servicing and General Industries seat.

Membership number 30163927 Branch Hounslow and Feltham LE/1404m

I have been a member of Unite and its predecessors for 30 years.  I am an ex-member of the Labour party; I have never been a member of any other political organisation.  I am a founding member of 'Grass Roots Left', a broad Left organisation in Unite that wants to return the union to the members, out of the clutches of the few well paid bureaucrats who run it like their family business.

We are the only Left alternative to the small 'broad Left' private club named 'United Left', which conducts business from the top down and is, to all intents and purposes, simply a general secretary supporters club.

If elected I will fight from the inside to make the union more democratic and accountable, and supportive of workers in struggle.  In particular I will oppose the closing down of branches, and instead demand more branch democracy and grant branches more control of our union, not less. The real key to reclaiming our union is the election of officers rather than appointment by the bureaucrats, only Grass Roots Left supports that.

A democratic, bottom up instead of top down union is needed to stand up to the Con Dem government and oppose austerity for the poor and wealth for the tax dodging rich.

I am branch secretary of Hounslow and Feltham branch and have been for about 15 years. My previous lay posts in the union include treasurer of London region.

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Mr B. Gill [commonly know by my nick name as Raj]. Seeking your Nomination for the coming NEC election ‘Food Drink and Tobacco seat’

Membership 15437016 / 1393 Hotel Workers Branch

I have been an active trade unionist for more than 30 years continuously, since my early 20’s. My earlier years were spent working for Ford Motor Co for 12 years where I was a member of TGWU 1/1231 Branch during which time I was elected as a Senior shop-steward and H&S Rep.

I was made redundant from the motor industry as were 10,000’s others and I took a job in the Security Industry for G4S where I worked for 21 years. This sector was unregulated, with long hours and low pay and became a union rep and Branch Secretary and help improve TC's. After I was victimized there I had to leave the Industry.

I have accompanied members at hearings in B&Q, IKEA, TESCO, ASDA, and gave representation to workers at food preparation and packing company called Bakkavor as well as advising catering staff at Harrods and Restaurant Associates and Pizza Express etc

Currently I dedicate my time to helping low paid workers in Hospitality sector that included brand name companies such as Guoman, Thistle, Hilton and other Hotel Chains.

I support public sector workers fighting to retain their pension’s provision and am involved in a campaign to stop the merger of NW Hospital Trusts and in defence our NHS. I believe Bankers who abuse the system should be punished and sent to jail.

I believe we have a duty to protect the old and Disabled workers, and all Remploy factories kept open and no cuts to DLA benefits.

In order to fight austerity we need a united front, between private, public and all our communities.

If I am successful in achieving the required number of nominations I shall be standing as a Grass Roots Left candidate and will fight for:

· Members in the food drink and Tobacco industry and all other Unite members

· Retention and reinvestment of jobs in our industry and fighting to ensure no jobs are exported overseas.

·   Unite Officers to be elected by the members, not appointed.

·   Confronting anti-union and other unjust laws both UK and EU.

·   A fighting union not just campaigning, for jobs, terms and conditions and also at a political level for the working class.

•  Public ownership and keeping public services.

•  A General Secretary and other National Officers wages are pegged closer to that of members average earnings and not company Directors pay rates.

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL!

I ask for your nomination.