URGENT UPDATE: EXTENDED BALLOT DEADLINE

The General Secretary 2026 election ballot deadline has been extended to Friday 3rd July 2026.

In what was supposed to be the last week of the ballot for NIPSA General Secretary, many members are still sitting without a ballot paper to exercise their democratic right to cast a vote. I was also informed today that a member only received their ballot paper and no election addresses.

Although the NIPSA leadership has issued out a notice to all members through Branch Secretaries citing the disorder last week as a possible justification for member’s not having received their ballot papers, I find that hard to believe. Ballots were issued on the 5th June, today is the 19 June!! How can anyone have confidence in this election? Will every member get a chance to cast a vote within the set timeframe? Where does the responsibility lay, especially when a member doesn’t receive a ballot?

The current NIPSA leadership, and the 25-person governing body (the General Council), who agreed the election process are clearly out of touch with reality. The NIPSA Establishment knowing how trade union elections are run in Northern Ireland should have known of the possible constraints due to the issues around delayed postal deliveries across Northern Ireland as there have been multiple news articles/social media comments highlighting the issue very recently and over the past year. Anyone on a galloping horse would know a second-class postal ballot while there is known delivery issues would be a problem. But what sticks in my mind was when I was President asking for the likes of risk registers to be put in place to the bemusement of the current senior NIPSA leadership. This underlines my case for urgent root and branch reform of NIPSA and its processes.

The last General Council with a 5% return rate was a clear sign of serious issues with postal ballots, the NIPSA senior leadership missed this. Every member should really consider, if they missed this, what else have they missed? It also has to be said that the low turn-out is as a consequence of the NIPSA leadership being out of touch with the membership at large who feel completely alienated from their approach.

Let’s be clear, the Royal Mail postal delivery issues are not down to the fault of postal workers, but the failed operating model of a private enterprise that puts profit for shareholders over the needs of the public. Time and time again we have seen the detrimental effects of privatisation of public services.

This also highlights why the introduction of The Good Jobs Bill to the floor of the NI Assembly is extremely important. Part of this bill will transform how trade unions conduct elections, paving the way for online election facilities that will resign the archaic postal ballot system to the past in a modern digital world of today.

NIPSA needs a General Secretary with a modern vision rooted in the reality of what is happening on the ground, not a puppet of the past.

If you have not received your ballot paper by next Thursday morning (25 June 2026) please contact NIPSA Membership on 02890 661831.

Every NIPSA Member’s Voice Should Be Heard, Every NIPSA Vote Counts