Branches Change Support Away From Weak Leadership

The final week for the NIPSA General Secretary Election is upon us and I urge all NIPSA members to exercise your democratic right and take a couple of minutes to complete your ballot paper and vote for true member-centred leadership and for change. Pop your ballot paper in the pre-paid envelope and into the postbox.

Be Part of History and For the First Time Vote for One of your Own. Real Leadership. Real Change.

Even though branch nominations where being lined up for the Broad Left-selected candidate weeks before the election was announced, I am grateful to all those branches that took the time to consider the list of potential candidates before making their selection and decided to support me, an independent experienced NIPSA member.

As General Secretary I will not be controlled by a faction / political party, or do the bidding of unelected outside groups, I will do what's in the best interest for all NIPSA members. I want to also thank those multiple branches that have now switched their support from my opponent to me after reading my election address and my transformation programme. They recognise the value in what I offer. They want real change and not just lip-service.

This election campaign has shone a spotlight on the bad planning, bad decision-making and pathetic excuses from the current weak NIPSA Leadership. It reminds me when I was NIPSA President and on Central Whitley, it was then I really saw under the hood. Instructions not to negotiate (that I rightly ignored) and where negotiation did happen it was poor at best and not in the interest of the members, a 3rd Deputy General Secretary post created to cover-up the mistakes and inexperience of other senior NIPSA leaders, cronyism, vexatious allegations from the Broad-left faction to stall and frustrate decisions that would benefit the whole membership and the list goes on.

Members need and deserve the truth. No more deception and no more false propaganda.

I would urge members to seriously reflect, is this what you want to continue for the next 5-years? Or alternatively, vote for complete transformation that is not just rhetoric but has my Transformation Programme providing the only roadmap for a way forward to return this union to a truly member-centred / member-led organisation. Members need to stand-up and be counted - Members have the power in this election.

I would have liked nothing more than to be in the position to welcome NIPSA's statement on the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) ban at Pride but the NIPSA leadership would have been better staying silent than the meaningless five-line tripe that they did issue that commits them to nothing. It was insulting at best and they have alienated every NIPSA member who is a member of the LGBTQI+ community and the parents and allies of our community. The question must be raised why the NICS Management feel they no longer need to consult with NIPSA on issues that affect members and even when they do it is seen as a tick-box exercise so they can tell staff and Assembly scrutiny committees that TUS were "consulted".

I would like to thank all those members who had the courage to contact me with their anger and disgust. It further cements the false support for members and it demonstrates that if it's not on the Broad-Left agenda then you may forget about any real support or action on the issues that impact you. Even my own branch which is Broad-Left controlled didn't even have the decency to issue the Branch Circular from this weak NIPSA Leadership to the members in my branch - the Broad-Left control of the NIPSA establishment and gatekeeping in Branches needs to stop immediately.

The NIPSA bulletin on the NICS pay award, that was due to be paid three months ago, was similarly rubbish. The most glaring part was how they had secured a commitment from the Finance Minister to prioritise public sector pay when a budget is settled. Firstly, it is much to late to talk about pay after the budget is settled. Pay awards should be negotiated and agreed before the first draft budget is submitted to the executive, and that allocation must remain in each subsequent draft budget if it was truly prioritised. Secondly, was this agreement in writing, signed by the Finance Minister? If not, its not worth the paper it's written on.

To the 90% of members who have disengaged, I urge you to consider re-engaging and help bring back true member-democracy to NIPSA. The first step is cast your vote. The next step is to ensure that every level of NIPSA is working in your best interests and not in the interests of a faction / political party. My door will always be open. Don't be silent and let this opportunity pass.

VOTE DÁIRE HAMILTON-TONER FOR NIPSA GENERAL SECRETARY