The candidate application and nomination period opens today (Monday 13 January) for UNISON’s NEC elections 2025, which take place over the next five months. It will remain open until 5pm 14 February.
Throughout its structures, UNISON is a lay member led union, and the national executive council (NEC) is the union’s senior decision-making body. It is re-elected every two years.
Between conferences, the body directs the union’s policy and campaigning priorities – taking important decisions on things like pay negotiations and industrial action.
The NEC is made up of representatives elected from all of UNISON’s regions and service groups, as well as seats for four Black members, two young members and two disabled members. Since women make up roughly two thirds of the union’s membership, two-thirds of the seats on the NEC are reserved for women and 13 seats are reserved for low-paid women.
UNISON strives for representation from every corner of the union’s membership and you could be one of those representatives. You only need to have been a full member since 11 September 2024 to apply to be a candidate.
Some seats come with further eligibility criteria (you can find full details in the NEC election procedures). For example, to apply for a service group seat you must work in that sector, for a young member seat you must be aged 30 or under for the entire length of the two year term on the NEC or those applying for low-paid seats must earn less than the new 2025 cut-off rate.
You can find the application form here.
Once you have applied, to be eligible for election, candidates must also receive nominations from two branches or self-organised bodies relevant to your seat. To find the full details of nomination requirements, eligibility and the timetable, read the NEC election procedures.
Ballot papers will start being sent to eligible voting members on 21 April, with the pack containing a pre-paid envelope for members to return their ballot. Votes must be received by the scrutineer by 21 May. The results will be announced on 11 June.
The article NEC election candidate applications now open first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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