Unite Internal Memo 24 March 2024

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY AND THE CHAIR OF THE UNION
24 March 2024

To: All Unite Officers, Organisers and Staff.

Dear Colleague,

We are taking this highly unusual step of writing to you, to alert and inform you about a number of extremely troubling actions being undertaken by a tiny minority of individuals, inside and outside of our Union.

Some of these individuals are linked to the past leadership and a small number are linked to groups who want us to make decisions detrimental to our membership and their jobs.

So we can update you of the facts in detail, we have below listed the key areas for ease of reference.

BACKGROUND

You will already be aware that the General Secretary - from the day she announced her leadership bid, along with her intention to launch an independent KC inquiry into the massive overspend on the Unite Birmingham Hotel and Conference Centre, as well as the investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds within our Affiliated Services - has been subject to constant personal attacks. Indeed, many of you have raised concerns about the obscure website which has continuously tried to smear the General Secretary for the last two years. These attacks have increased further as the General Secretary has re-focused our Union on industrial work and stopped the flow of money to external organisations.

These attacks have for the most part been ignored, as they have largely been seen as irrelevant. However, the situation and the attacks have escalated and are focused on destabilising confidence in our Union. This will not be tolerated as it could affect our members. For example, the latest tactic has been the production of a fake Unite Financial Document - drawn up in the same style, font and layout of our actual reports - to try and fool people into thinking Unite has a declining financial situation. Indeed, the press at the weekend inquired about these fake documents, which were sent to them with the intention to harm Unite. These actions, whilst rather pathetic, can have impacts on our members' confidence in their Union. Albeit in the short term.

That is why we felt it important to lay out the most recent areas of misinformation, so you are able to know the correct position and our intentions going forward.

CLEANING UP THE UNION

You will be aware that we have had high level inquiries looking at alleged financial irregularities during the period of the previous leadership - one on the Birmingham Hotel and Conference Centre led by an independent KC and one on examinining misappropriation of funds relating to our Affiliated Services.

The findings have been extremely serious. Both inquiries now sit with the police, one with the South Wales Police and the other with the Serious Fraud Office. It is clear that some of those implicated in these inquiries are doing all they can to try to discredit the current leadership, in the vain hope that these inquiries will be swept under the carpet. No matter how many threats are given or bully boy tactics enacted, this will not happen. We will see it through to the end and those responsible will be made accountable.

As the evidence sits with the police, we remain restricted about what we can say but as soon as the findings can be made public they will.

Be in no doubt, that we will also be seeking legal recompense for any monies owed by individuals and / or groups / organisations identified.

Unite has already made key changes as a result of our investigations, including putting extra checks and balances in place to protect our subscribers' money in the future.

INDUSTRIAL FOCUS

Our industrial work has gone from strength to strength over the last two years. Since the General Secretary was elected, we have had over 1,000 industrial disputes, covering in excess of 200,000 Unite members - with a win rate of 82%. This has delivered over £430m back into the pockets of our members. Our membership has grown for the first time in our history.

Despite inheriting membership figures that included 32,000 members on union funded subs (essentially free) and dealing with a 50,000 loss in aviation and other areas during Covid, the work we have all put in collectively has recouped these losses and more. Furthermore, we recorded an additional 14,647 net membership increase in 2023. These are real membership increases, not the phony figures of the past.

UNITE PENSION SCHEME

There was a pension deficit of £14 million at the point of the General Secretary election in late 2021. Again this was dealt with by the newly elected General Secretary and we not have a very healthy final salary scheme.

STRIKE PAY

In the history of Unite we rarely spent much more than £1 million on strike pay per year. The average annual strike pay over the last two years has been approximately £19 million. The strike fund is being used to do exactly what it is there for - to defend workers. We make no apology for that. We are here to defend our members. We have very healthy finances, pushing up towards half a billion pounds. Workers know we will back them both industrially and legally. We will support our members by all and every means.

FAKE FINANCE DOCUMENT

Those with much to lose from the new way forward, including curtailing money given to outside organisations and the new industrial focus, have escalated actions by producing a fake Unite Finance Document for release on Social Media. Most recently appearing on social media. The document was headed "Unite Finance Report" and mirrored (down to the same font and layout) Unite's usual finance report style. This had the sole aim of discrediting the Union. It stated that the Union's financial position was in difficulty since the General Secretary election. This is untrue and is now being dealt with legally.

PALESTINE

Of all the means that have been used in these attacks, probably the most abhorrent is the attempted weaponisation of the conflict and the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians and the collective punishment of the people of Gaza.

Unite, through the General Secretary and the Chair of the Union and the Executive Council, was the first major union to publicly and unambiguously call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We were very clear. We have watched on with horror the bombardment and destruction of Gaza, and the unbearable terror, suffering and death of its innocent civilians. We have been unequivocal that the deliberate killing of civilians, hostage-taking and collective punishment are war crime and should be identified as such.

Unite has also donated £50,000 to Médecins Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders specifically to help the many victims of of this horrific conflict. Most recently the General Secretary has written to the Palestinian General Federaton of Trade Unions (PGFTU) affirming our solidarity after the horrific bombing of their Gaza headquarters which, alongside providing services to workers, was also functioning as a kindergarten and a bakery.

However, we cannot and will not endorse any organisation which decides unilaterally and without any discussion (let alone agreement) with the workers themselves, to support the targeting of our members' workplaces or their jobs. To be clear, this will not happen. No outside body, no matter what their political position, will be allowed to dictate terms to our Union and our members.

It is important to highlight here that it is a core principle of Unite that as a trade union the 'first claim' on our priorities is always the protection and advancement of our members' interests at work. It is very simple. Unite cannot and never will support any course of action which is counter to that principle. We are a trade union, not a political party or single-issue campaign group.

Therefore, there is no contradiction for a trade union to hold a position of solidarity with Palestinian workers, while at the same time refusing to support campaigns that target our members' workplaces without their support. Similarly, we cannot be expected to affiliate to organisations that actively work against our members and their jobs.

Examples include groups that look to build networks inside trade unions that seek to undermine the defence industry or demand the disbandment of NATO and AUKUS. Whatever anyone may think personally about those objectives is irrelevant. We are a trade union with thousands of members employed in the defence industry. It is the views of affected members that take precedence in a trade union. That will not change and nor should it.

Unite members have recently been attacked directly, been spat at and called "child killers". We cannot and will not endorse this.

2021 ACCOUNTS

There have also been false narratives circulated about the reasons we have not published our 2021 accounts. *So, let us be clear: the 2021 accounts are related to activity under the previous leadership.*

Indeed, the new General Secretary election only ended in late August 2021. The reason the 2021 accounts are delayed is due to the overspend on the Birmingham Hotel and Conference Centre. Following the discovery of what is a £60  million impairment on our accounts, we have had to undertake a complete re-audit. Not just on Birmingham - but of all expenditure. We have now uncovered financial irregularities relating to Unite's Affiliated Services - again related to the period of the previous administration.

So, we cannot sign off on the 2021 accounts until the auditors give us the go ahead. By contrast our 2022 and 2023 accounts are ready to release once 2021 is concluded. The Certification Officer is fully informed and is completely in step with the union on this issue.

LEGAL ACTION

Up until this point we have resisted taking legal actions against individuals and the known groups involved in these attacks. However, as this is could now detrimental to our members, we are now at a point where this can no longer be reasonably tolerated, and we are beginning proceedings.

ATTEMPTED WHIPPING UP

A number of employees have contacted us to say that they believe some individuals are attempting to whip up issues inside the Union on the back of innaccurate information. We ask that you check any information you get carefully, including its validity and the aim of it being circulated.

MOVING OUR UNION FORWARD

As we continue to move our Union Forward, there has been a significant step regarding Rule 6. Following the Rules Conference, only people who are elected representatives of workers from within a workplace(s) will be eligible to sit on our highest committees. This will ensure that decisions being taken are decisions that workplace representatives want the Union to take. This will be communicated in the coming weeks.

Friends, Unite is a Union we can and should all be very proud of. The work done by our Reps, Officers, Organisers and Staff has meant we are leading the way in fighting for the jobs, pay and conditions of workers. In politics, we are campaigning for workers and a fairer society, ensuring Labour does what it says on the Labour tin.

We have an important job to do. Our Union is an institution of over one million workers who rely on us every day, plus many thousands of others who rely on us to pace set and put a stake in the ground. It is therefore our duty to protect the Union. This we will do together.

Thanks again for all you do.

Solidarity

Sharon Graham
General Secretary

Andy Green
EC Chair