Left win in UNISON

Andrea Egan, the left candidate, has decisively won the UNISON General Secretary election. It is a huge achievement by Egan and her supporters with implications for the whole movement. She is the first person not employed by the union to win the leadership, and she has done it against an incumbent. The result is an ‘absolute fucking disaster’ for Starmer. rs21 members in UNISON explain further.

Months of careful organisation and campaigning paid off as Andrea Egan was elected as the first left UNISON General Secretary (GS) in the union’s 32 year history. Supporters were jubilant, while a senior Labour source is reported as describing the result as an ‘absolute fucking disaster – a massive loss for Keir’ because UNISON has been such a reliable ally on the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC).

The result raises the prospect of UNISON, with around 1.3 million members working to deliver public services, taking a more robust approach to employers, the government and to Labour. In her victory statement Egan repeated her commitment to ‘stand up to any employer or politician who acts against our interests’ with the aim of transforming ‘our union, and with it the lives of public sector workers across this country.’ rs21 previously published an article by Ian Allinson outlining the industrial and political significance of the election.

Egan has spoken up against benefit cuts and austerity and in strong support of Palestine, trans rights and public ownership (from the water industry to the probation service). She has promised a comprehensive review of the union’s relationship with Labour, pledging to oppose attacks on workers’ living standards from any quarter; Labour, Tory or otherwise. Egan gained support by promising to take a social worker’s wage, rather than the usual £181,000 GS pay package. She will ensure the rest of the money goes to the Industrial Action Fund and There for You (UNISON’s welfare charity) to support members. 

The right are making much of the low turnout – just 7 per cent. Turnout in national union elections is typically very low, but this was lower than the previous election in 2020, reflecting UNISON’s failure to engage members under McAnea’s leadership. Digging further into the figures from 2020 and 2025 we can see:

• The electorate had increased by 37,600 (2.8 per cent) between 2020 and 2025.
• In 2020 there were two left candidates, whose combined vote was 55,602. Egan secured 58,579 – an increase of 5 per cent.
• In 2020 there were two right-wing candidates from the bureaucracy, whose combined vote was 78,350. McAnea’s vote this time was just 50 per cent of that, and only 62 per cent of her own vote last time.

So the left’s engagement with members increased slightly, but the right’s collapsed. This probably reflects several factors including McAnea’s subservient relationship with Starmer, a worrying level of member disengagement from the union, and UNISON HQ’s enormous capacity to bore members with huge volumes of irrelevant communications. Egan and everyone else in UNISON have a big job on their hands to engage members more effectively.

So where next? First, we should take a minute to enjoy this success. The left CAN win. We can win!

Still, Egan will likely find it lonely and inhospitable at the top. Most of UNISON’s top brass backed McAnea and support Starmer. The right has a majority on UNISON’s National Executive Committee (NEC), though some of these may switch sides now they see which way the wind is blowing. Many will try to straitjacket Egan by all means at their disposal. For example, UNISON is advertising for a new Assistant General Secretary (Chief Operating Officer) on £109,145, with interviews due to take place on 5-6 January 2026. Egan isn’t due to take office until 22 January. It would be a scandal if McAnea got to appoint Egan’s deputy on her way out.

Egan will need allies around her. She won’t be able to deliver unless we can create a lot of pressure from below to overcome the resistance she will face. That means not just contesting other forthcoming elections (such as for Service Group Executives, which open in January), but taking up and campaigning around the various issues in Andrea’s manifesto (and more) so that the right isolate themselves every time they get in the way.

Election rules allowed McAnea unlimited and unaccountable donations, but prevented members organised through Time for Real Change supporting Egan, who had to run a separate campaign. UNISON needs a well-organised left that has space for debate and campaigns on more than just internal elections. We need to support Egan but also maintain our independence. As General Secretary she will be under pressure to reflect existing UNISON policy and rules rather than challenging them. Activists will have far more freedom than the GS to criticise obstructive staff and lay (unpaid) officials.

Egan’s election sharpens the questions about UNISON’s relationship with the Labour Party. Some are arguing for a focus on fighting for UNISON policies inside Labour. While this would be better than the previous subservience, it isn’t enough. When support for Tories and Labour is collapsing, there is a risk that the far right will be the beneficiaries if we don’t build a socialist alternative.

We are naturally mindful of sundry banana skins. Yet the fact remains that this is a tremendous victory, opening the door for exciting wins ahead. 

For now, we extend our warmest congratulations to Andrea Egan. To everyone involved in her campaign – keep up the good work!