Candidates in the Unite General Secretary election campaign have today received official confirmation of branches and workplaces that nominated them.
Ian Allinson, the only grassroots candidate in the election, received a total of 97 nominations including 21 workplace nominations.
Allinson said:
“This election is clearly a three horse race. The number of nominations I have is very impressive for a grassroots candidate”.
“The other two candidates are well placed in the union machine, Len McCluskey is the incumbent General Secretary and Gerard Coyne has been West Midlands Regional Secretary for fifteen years. Their campaigns have funding and resources to match.”
“We live in an era of political upsets – we should rule nothing out in this election. Gerard Coyne doesn’t seem to be quite the right wing threat that the press have been talking up.”
“My nominations have come from members who want to see a more serious fightback and workplace issues brought forward in the union. They come from members who want brave leadership on issues they care about, green jobs, defending of refugees and migrants, and improving equality and diversity within Unite itself”.
Yesterday Ian Allinson was on the picket line at his own workplace, Fujitsu in Manchester, as part of a national strike over job cuts, union recognition, pay and pensions.
On Saturday Allinson will join the #ourNHS demonstration in central London.