It has been my privilege to represent Scottish District (NALGO) and Scottish Region (UNISON) nationally for 30 years.
First you put me on to the Women’s Committee, then the inaugural Local Government Service Group, then in 1997 on to the NEC.
I’m pretty sure that only two people in Scotland have a longer record of attendance at National Delegate Conference than I have and I can name them – John Stevenson (Lothian Region and City of Edinburgh) and of course Mike Kirby (Strathclyde Region, Glasgow City and of course now Scottish Secretary), but I am still a lot younger than both – and the one without grey hair.
I have always been proud of the role Scotland plays in the union, taking forward radical policies that have shaped the political agenda and modernised our union to make it fit for purpose.
I have always felt that in Scotland we dealt with things in a comradely manner and respected collective responsibility when decisions are taken. That’s the way things should be.
And as an NEC member my role was always not to put forward my personal views (if you haven’t guessed I’m a Socialist and Feminist) but to represent the decisions and policies taken by Scottish Council and be accountable for that. Happily there were very few occasions when my personal view and Scottish policy differed.
I might no longer be a UNISON activist but the Labour movement won’t be getting rid of me. And you have not quite seen the last of me as Lil has invited me to the next Scottish Council.
Thank you for the trust, friendship and comradeship I have enjoyed in the best region of the union for many years.
Jane Carolan
Thanks from Scotland
There is an interview with Jane in the pre-conference briefing that is also on the website. In that, John Stevenson writes…
“Jane Carolan has always been true to herself, consistent in the convictions she holds and accountable to the members she serves. She is a tireless campaigner for socialism and feminism.
“She has never been afraid to take responsibility and articulate the difficult issues. You will never be in any doubt about her views on a subject but you will always be able to debate it with her.
“There’s not many like her left and UNISON will be the poorer without her.”
New NEC members
With Jane Carolan and Naomi Junnor standing down this year and Gordon McKay elected to the UK Healthcare seat, members in Scotland re-elected Davena Rankin (Glasgow Caledonian University) and Maggie Cook (Falkirk – unopposed) and elected for the first time, Kate Ramsden (Aberdeenshire), Stephen Smellie (South Lanarkshire) and Jim McFarlane (Dundee). They will take up post at the end of Conference
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