Jerry Hicks

Download Jerry's latest leaflet: CLICK HERE


Download Jerry's poster: CLICK HERE

Jerry Hicks a candidate in the election for the General Secretary of Unite, Britain's biggest union, today urged Labour MPs to nominate John McDonnell MP to be the new Leader of the Labour Party.

Jerry Hicks said "I welcome John McDonnell's commitment to a leadership debate based on the policies. I applaud John McDonnell's long-standing support for workers' rights, the trade unions and repealing the anti-trade union laws; a peaceful foreign policy, bringing our troops home, publicly owned services, progressive taxation, an emergency council housing programme, a living wage and civil liberties.

"I also welcome his determination that working people must not be made to pay for a crisis that is not of their making. He is the perfect alternative to the David and Ed the ‘Moribund’ brothers and the other candidates from Continuity New Labour. He also offers a genuine alternative to the Cameron-Clegg Government ."

Jerry Hicks believes that John McDonnell is exceptional in that he has support that reaches far beyond that of the Labour Party itself. Who would not now agree that had he [McDonnell] been on the ballot paper last time around enabling discussion and debate on the real issues instead of the Brown coronation, that the Labour Party would have been more electable and maybe still have been the government not the opposition.

Jerry Hicks, though not a Labour Party member, hopes that the Labour Party fields the widest number of candidates so that its members can make an informed choice and thereby re-establish itself to benefit ordinary people.

Jerry Hicks and Paul Holmes - who is standing for the General Secretary of Unison - held a meeting on 16th May in London in the aftermath of the May 6th General Election. With elections for the two largest unions in Britain taking place this year, film director Ken Loach attended to show his support for Jerry and Paul.

If you wish to help, want to know more, or make a donation please contact me by any of the following ways

Tel: 07817827912

Email: jerryhicks4gs2010@yahoo.co.uk

Or write to me at: 10 York Road, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5QE

For donations please make cheques payable to: JerryHicks4GS

For the attention of the Branch/Chapel and members:

From Jerry Hicks Unite member Bristol:

I write to you about the election for General Secretary (GS) of Unite which this time round will involve the whole union, unlike last year’s election for Joint General Secretary which was only held in the Amicus section.

As yet there is no definite date or timetable set for the election, though it is extremely unlikely to be held or even announced during the run up to the General Election. However it has to happen this year.

With the election for a single General Secretary ahead of us it’s worthwhile for a moment looking at where we are right now.

We are a year on from the election held in the Amicus section of unite and sadly, in my view we are in an even worse position than we were then. With the economy in tatters and our members in the firing line, the union continues to be run as a business and not a service.

Again and again member’s say they feel even more distant from the leadership and even more remote from decision making leaving them feeling both angry and vulnerable. Our members need and deserve a lot more from our union!

There is in my view a lack of clear, bold leadership in our union for which they, the leadership bear a collective responsibility for where we are and how we got here. They have either agreed with the decisions and direction of the union or have not being able or willing to change them.

Already a number of candidates have come forward though with the exception of myself, I am not an official or employee of the union, they are all senior national officials. Whilst I have no axe to grind with any other prospective candidate I believe they have become ‘part of the problem and not the solution’.

Given their positions they are more able to contact members or appear in the union publications.

Our campaign on the other hand is doing precisely what we promised and that is, involving and engaging, supporting and organising, with and for the members. These last few days and weeks especially, in that our latest leaflet which lots of our supporters have been taking to workplaces, is aimed at informing members of the GS election, the importance of it and where we stand.

For many this is the first they have known about it.

It will require sufficient nominations to progress and I do not underestimate that task. More of the same won’t do, members need and deserve a lot better than another false dawn. We confounded all the sceptics by coming second last time with nearly 40,000 votes and we believe that this time we can go one better.

We are in it to win it and we want to win it to be able to change the union. Where it’s good we want it to be fantastic, where its OK we want it to be great and where it’s wrong we want it to make it right.

Change from a ‘can’t do’ union to a ‘can do’ union, from a campaigning union to a fighting union, from a remote and distant union to an inclusive involving union where members decide and the union provides.

Not change in the form of top down dictates but change from below from the workplaces, branches, sectors and regions that will be given authority and independence over decisions and direction, change at the top helping to bring about change from the bottom up.

Some of the issues I stand for:

· Election of all officials.

· Repeal of anti union laws and when necessary confront them.

· A General Secretary on an average members wage.

· Members decide while the union provides.

· Mergers that make us stronger not just bigger.

· Prioritise: Public ownership: Pensions: The creation of one million ‘Green’ jobs.

· Public works programme, first 3100 jobs offered to blacklisted construction workers

· Make the ‘Peoples charter’ happen.

If you wish to and are able to help with the leafleting please let me know, in many places there are already small (or large!) groups of supporters organising themselves, let me know if you would like to be put in touch with others, by phone, email or meeting up.

If you agree with some, most, or the majority of what you have read, please would you consider supporting me in my campaign for General Secretary by way of an invitation for me to speak, by nomination at the designated branch meeting or by making a financial donation, details below.

I will be relying upon the generosity of individuals and the belief that collectively, when determined people come together ‘all things are possible’.

If you wish to help, want to know more, or make a donation

Please contact me by either of the following ways
Tel: 07817827912

Email: jerryhick4gs2010@yahoo.co.uk

Or write to me at: 10 York Road, Montpelier, Bristol; BS6 5QE.

Please make cheques made payable to JerryHicks4GS

All donations will be receipted, and a record of all transactions will be available for inspection. Please note that the new unite rule book does allow for donations to be made from branch funds up until to the time the election is called.

Press release: Press release: Press release: Sunday, May 09, 2010

Press conference and open meeting, Thursday 13th May 6.30pm University of London union, Malet Street, room 3e

‘Union election candidates unite against ‘public schoolboy Government’

Whilst Cameron and Clegg discuss working together and how to implement a ‘savage cuts’ agenda, Jerry Hicks and Paul Holmes are discussing how to lead the 2 biggest unions in a campaign to defend workers.

The leading candidates in elections for Britain’s two largest unions are joining forces today, Thursday 13 May, in a direct challenge to the new Government which is set to cut public spending and attack trade union rights.

Jerry Hicks, will be the only candidate that is not a national official of unite and is thought by many to become the first elected General Secretary of super-union ‘Unite’ and Paul Holmes, who is standing to replace Dave Prentis as General Secretary of public service union, Unison. Are meeting in London to co-ordinate plans to organise trade union resistance to any Government plans to cut jobs and freeze pay.

“Our unions face the fight of our lives,” said Holmes – Secretary of Unison’s powerful Kirklees branch in Yorkshire. Jerry Hicks added, “Now more than ever we need the unions to be led by ordinary workers who understand the day to day problems which union members face.”

Union insiders report increasing concern from senior officials of Unison and Unite that, following the result of the General Election, workers may reject officials seen as to close to the previous Labour Government.

This could see Jerry Hicks and Paul Holmes elected on a tide of militancy, reflected in the current dispute between Unite and British Airways.

ENDS:

Notes to editors:

(1) Jerry Hicks is seeking nominations in the first election for a single General Secretary of Unite, the UK’s largest trade union and biggest single donator to the Labour party. In last year’s election for joint General Secretary he (Jerry Hicks) came second to Derek Simpson, Mr Simpson will not be standing this time.

(2) Paul Holmes has been nominated by more than 50 branches of Unison in the current election for General Secretary of Unison, which has 1.3 Million members. Ballot papers will be issued from 17 May.

For further details please Tel: 07817827912