📣 UNISON young members’ Conference 2025
In November, our International officer Eleni headed to Brighton for UNISON’s National Young Members’ Conference. Here’s how she got on:
I attended the YM Conference in Brighton as first-time delegate. It was my first UNISON conference, and it gave me a real insight into how the union’s democratic processes work in practice. There were several significant motions on the agenda.
The SW Region sent 10 delegates and submitted two motions and, one of them, “Supporting Young Members Against Reform and the Far Right,” was, actually, the first motion in the order of business. It was encouraging to see such a clear and united stance against far-right rhetoric, which was described as fundamentally racist, anti-worker, and anti-union. The motion was carried with strong support, calling on the National Young Members Forum to:
- · Provide support and guidance to young members working in areas governed by Reform-led councils.
- · Support mobilisations and campaigns opposing the rise of the far right.
- · Promote trade unionism as a vital alternative to far-right populism.
One contribution that stood out came from a delegate who spoke in favour of the motion but highlighted the need to also reflect critically on the current direction of the Labour Party, particularly on immigration and trans rights, given the close relationship between unison and the party.
Furthermore, I attended two very interesting workshops about what young workers need to know about pensions, which provided accessible information to all members about a matter that concerns us all. The second workshop I attended was about working with international trade unions, which was in great alignment with my role as an International Officer as well.
Overall, I found the weekend in Brighton genuinely valuable. Meeting other young members, being able to vote, and contributing to discussions boosted my confidence in motion-writing and strengthened my understanding of democratic decision-making in the union.
