General Secretary Election 2022
The post of General Secretary is the most senior in Accord, it is effectively the union’s Chief Executive Officer. The responsibilities of the role include:
- Having overall accountability for the efficient and economic running of the union
- Having overall accountability for the union’s membership and finance
- Having overall accountability for the union’s staffing
- Having overall responsibility for the union’s communications
- Working with the Principal Executive Council (PEC) to carry out the instructions of members as voted on by delegates to biennial delegate conferences
- Advising the PEC on industrial relations and other strategies
- Leading the union’s negotiations with employers
- Meeting regularly with the union’s workplace representatives, advisory committees and other representative bodies
- Liaising with TUC, other trade unions and Government representatives on issues such as employment law, equality and health & safety
- Acting as the union’s spokesperson to the media and other external bodies
The law dictates that all union general secretaries must submit themselves for re-election at least every five years. To comply with this requirement, there must be an election for the position of general secretary of Accord before 2 October 2022.
The PEC has authorised an election to take place and the Regulations made by the PEC in relation the nomination period are set out here.
In accordance with The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, the PEC has appointed Civica Election Services of 33 Clarendon Road, London, N8 0NW as the independent scrutineer of the election.
The PEC has nominated the current General Secretary, Ged Nichols.
The PEC is inviting any suitably qualified members who also wish to stand in the election to submit a nomination and CV using this form to the Independent scrutineer [email protected] before 5pm on 31 July 2022.
The PEC will approve any member to stand as a candidate, provided that member:
- has been a member in good standing for a period of no less than two years as at 31 July 2022
- is nominated by a minimum of 100 individual members of the union
If a ballot is required, the PEC will publish further Regulations to govern the conduct of the ballot and a timetable within which a full postal ballot of eligible members will take place.
A formal notice of when any ballot will take place will be emailed to all members by union headquarters and published on the union’s website.
In such a ballot, each member entitled to vote shall be allowed to do so without interference, constraint or undue pressure, in secret and, so far as is reasonably practicable, without incurring any direct cost.
If no other nominations are received by 31 July 2022, Ged Nichols will be returned as General Secretary for a further five-year term.
Any queries should be referred to the Independent Scrutineer,
Alex Lonie at
[email protected]
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