‘She tried to dismantle us’: Former Unite Community chair backs Dubbins

Unite Community (UC) is the Unite union’s section for unwaged people and Unite’s most politically active section.

Its national chairperson for over five years has told UC members they should “give their head a massive shake” if they’re considering supporting incumbent Sharon Graham in the Unite general secretary election.

Kerry Wilks said this because, among a list of reasons, Graham tried to “dismantle us” and her appalling record means Unite needs “massive change”.

She wrote on Facebook:

Anyone who knows me will know I am so passionate about Unite Community.

I’m just going to say it any member of UC supporting Sharon Graham needs to give their head a massive shake.

She has attempted to dismantle us.

She takes credit for the work our members & Coordinators do.

She lies and says investment, where is it?

We waited and fought for a National Lead for over 2 years our previous NL was band 10 now its a band 8.
Our Coordinators now have dual roles.

Regional Coordinators are not being replaced, NW especially with Sheila Coleman for the past 3 years.

She has never met our Regional Coordinators in the 5 years she has been GS! Imagine another employer doing that?

People might dismiss Unite Community but we are an unique sector within a trade union, who supports industrial disputes and social injustice, whether is DWP or bus passes.

Simon Dubbins for General Secretary, we need a massive change in the union, someone who thinks about every member not just the sectors that suit her agenda.

Oh I know my stuff I was the National Chair of Unite Community for 5 plus years up until last year.

UC has about 20,000 members. Unite general secretary elections generally have very low turn-out of about 12%. In her 2021 win, Graham received fewer than 47,000 votes.

Unite nominations earthquake

Dubbins shocked Graham’s camp in the nominations phase of the election by winning almost twice the number required to stand in the general secretary election. Even more importantly, he won many of Unite’s biggest branches in sectors that strongly supported Graham in 2021.

Skwawkbox’s exposure of Graham’s plan to close UC already meant that Dubbins was likely to have the backing of many UC members, even though she u-turned, at least publicly, after the exposure. Wilks’ comments may well bring even more on board.

Additionally, Unite’s environmental campaigners are likely to turn away from her after Unite ordered the Community section not to support a climate day of action.

Graham silent on Palestine

Graham has also outraged opponents of Israel’s genocide and Britain’s collusion in it.

She has been almost invisible on the issue of Palestine but has been highly vocal advocating for a bigger UK arms industry.

She has also opposed protest and direct action against genocide and illegal war. This has included suspending Unite’s affiliation to Stop the War because of its anti-genocide protests.

Behind the scenes, she has been accused by disgusted members of blocking activists from supporting the anti-genocide movement on behalf of Unite.

Anti-union union boss

Despite running Unite, Graham has repeatedly been accused of using appalling, anti-union tactics against workers employed by Unite, leading to several strikes. In many cases, these tactics have been seen as Unite’s attempts to protect her husband, Jack Clarke.

Clarke is the target of much of the industrial unrest among Unite staff.

Soon after her accession in 2021, Graham created a new Bargaining and Disputes Support Unit (BDSU). Outside of the union’s usual procedures, Clarke was appointed to run it. The appointment was made despite Clarke being on a final warning for bullying and misogyny.

As striking workers picketed against Clarke, Graham’s faction staged counter-demonstrations against them and attacked their reps.

Explosive admission

Dramatically, Unite’s lawyers admitted to Skwawkbox that the union had destroyed evidence that workers had gathered against him. This did not stop further complaints and strike action from workers in his new fiefdom, with almost all the women working under him quitting.

Dubbins, by contrast, has spoken out consistently against Israel’s genocide and against Unite’s disengagement from wider politics to suit Graham’s narrow ‘workplace only’ agenda. He was suspended as Unite’s international director after refusing to cancel a pro-Palestine fringe event at a Labour conference.

Dubbins: ‘Stop hiding, Sharon’

Graham avoided union branches and declined to debate Dubbins at any hustings event during the nominations phase, angering many, including allies, by sending weak proxies instead.

Last week, Dubbins publicly challenged Graham to stop hiding and face him in an open debate in front of members.

Now it seems that union members and activists, even among Graham’s former core supporters, are waking up. Ballots in the contest will be sent out from 14 July, with a deadline of 11 August for the receipt of member votes.

Waking up

Graham’s record for the past five years, and her avoidance during the first election phase, have seen a number of, even her former die-hard allies and supporters, call on members to support Dubbins. This week, Steve Hibbert — a long-time exec member who campaigned for Graham in 2021 — said this week that he needed to “put right my wrong” and asked members to vote Graham out.

With this seismic shift underway, Graham’s camp will worry that Wilks’s confirmation of Graham’s plan to shut down UC could be decisive.

Featured image via Peter Harbour/ Yorkshire Live