Key Takeaways
- Unison’s new general secretary, Andrea Egan, has declared that the trade union will end its support for the "destructive right wing of the Labour party"
- Egan has criticized Wes Streeting’s handling of the resident doctors’ dispute and called on Keir Starmer to act on Palestine solidarity campaigners’ rights
- Unison is on course for a collision with Streeting and Labour over its approach to industrial action and the Middle East
- Egan’s comments suggest Unison may take an approach closer to Unite, led by Sharon Graham, which has been pressing Labour to stay closer to leftwing values
- The change at the top of Unison leaves Starmer facing concerted pressure on the left from key trade unions
Introduction to Unison’s New General Secretary
Andrea Egan, the newly elected general secretary of Unison, has made it clear that the trade union will be taking a different approach under her leadership. In an article for the Guardian, Egan criticized Wes Streeting’s handling of the resident doctors’ dispute, saying it was "simply unacceptable for a Labour politician to describe striking workers as morally reprehensible". This blunt remarks indicate that Unison, a leading union for health and social care workers, is on course for a collision with Streeting and Labour more widely over its approach to industrial action and the Middle East.
Egan’s Criticism of Streeting and Starmer
Egan’s criticism of Streeting’s handling of the resident doctors’ dispute is not the only indication of the new direction Unison will be taking. She also called on Keir Starmer to "act now" to stop Palestine solidarity campaigners having "to starve protesting for their basic rights", in reference to the prisoners on hunger strike. Furthermore, Egan suggested that a Labour leadership contest was likely in 2026 and warned against the party backing Streeting, saying that swapping Starmer out for Streeting or anyone else from the right wing of the party would be no solution to the gigantic challenges facing the country.
Response to Egan’s Criticism
In response to Egan’s criticism, Streeting’s spokesperson said that Streeting is a Unison member who has delivered for Unison members, introducing the first ever fair pay agreements for care workers and ending the use of wholly-owned subsidiaries for outsourcing staff. However, Egan’s comments suggest that Unison may in future take an approach closer to Unite, led by Sharon Graham, which has been pressing Labour to stay closer to leftwing values. Egan said in her article that putting members first doesn’t mean relegating or turning away from politics, but it does mean bringing Unison’s support for the destructive right wing of the Labour party to an end.
Implications for Labour and the Trade Unions
The change at the top of Unison leaves Starmer facing concerted pressure on the left from key trade unions. Labour recently struck a compromise to water down its employment rights bill, which passed through the Lords this week, after pressure from the right and business groups. The government agreed for workers to qualify for protection against unfair dismissal after six months, instead of the current two years, despite day-one rights being a Labour manifesto pledge. Unions agreed to this climbdown alongside the lifting of the compensation cap for unfair dismissal. The TUC has praised the bill for banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, bringing in sick pay for all, expanding parental and bereavement leave, repealing Tory anti-union laws, ensuring union access to workplaces, and establishing a social care fair pay agreement.
Future of Labour and the Trade Unions
It remains to be seen how Labour will respond to the pressure from the trade unions. Labour Together, a group that helped support Starmer’s leadership, has circulated a discussion paper that suggested scrapping many of the regulations in the recently passed bill to help boost the economy, while floating a new system of employment insurance alongside easier hiring and firing. A Labour Together spokesperson said that the paper was a provocation for private discussion about how to build a political economy centred on technological change and innovation, and that the Employment Rights Act is the best way to give workers much more security now. However, Egan’s comments and the change at the top of Unison suggest that the trade unions will be pushing for a more radical change in approach based on the Labour movement’s core values.