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General Secretary Election Regulations 2022

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Regulations for 2022 Election for General Secretary

The Principal Executive Council has authorised an election to take place and have made the following regulations under rule 16(a). 

  1. 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 decision of the Scrutineer on any matter in these Regulations shall be final.
  2. The PEC has determined that the PEC may itself nominate a candidate in the election and may issue notice of its nomination when issuing the timetable for other nominations to members. The PEC may nominate the incumbent any person whether or not a member of the union.
  3. The PEC has determined the timetable for the nomination process of other candidates as set out below. The President may vary the timetable in the event of any unforeseen circumstance.
  4. Any fully paid-up eligible member who wishes to seek election as General Secretary should self-nominate by submitting to the Scrutineer Alex Lonie at [email protected] notice of their nomination together with a CV using the form determined by the PEC and available on the union’s website: www.accord-myunion.org, to reach Mr Lonie before 5pm on 31 July 2022.
  5. If there are any self-nominated candidates then all self-nominated candidates and the nominee of the PEC will be invited to submit an election address of no more than 500 words, and a black & white photograph (together called the “election statement”). The election statement must be submitted through the independent scrutineer’s nomination platform by no later than 31 August 2022.
  6. The PEC has determined that to be eligible to stand as a candidate (other than the candidate nominated by the PEC): -
    1. a member has to have been a member in good standing for a period of no less than two years as at 31 July 2022, and
    2. will be required to be nominated by at least 100 individual members on a website that will be provided for this purpose during August 2022, in order for the nomination to be valid.
  7. Each member may only make one nomination for a candidate for the office of General Secretary.

Uncontested Election

  1. If no other nominations are received by 31 July 2022, the scrutineer will be required to provide a report in accordance with the 1992 Act, and the nominee of the PEC will be returned as General Secretary for a five-year term.

Contested Election

  1. If there is a contested election, a timetable for the election shall be determined by the PEC after consultation with the Independent Scrutineer so that such election shall be completed no later than 1 October 2022.

    Conduct of candidates, prospective candidates, members and complaints

    Conduct of candidates, prospective candidates, members and complaints

    The Principal Executive Council has made regulations under rule 16(a) governing the election of the 2022 election for General Secretary which include the following:

    1. Any complaint regarding the Ballot must be made by a member or candidate in writing to the Scrutineer prior to the announcement of the results. The Scrutineer may delay the announcement of the results pending investigation of the complaint.
    2. The Scrutineer shall investigate the complaint and if, as a result, the complaint is upheld, may declare the elections void or the election of any particular person void or any particular candidate disqualified.
    3. In addition, the Scrutineer may invalidate any vote, or any number of votes previously counted or include any vote, or any number of votes not previously counted, and thereby re-determine the results of the elections.
    4. No union funds or other resources may be used to support any candidate, nor may the union’s corporate identify or logo (or anything which in the opinion of the Scrutineer may be identified as such) be used in any material supporting any candidate(s). Accord’s own social media platforms may not be used for election campaigning.
    5. The Union’s membership database is not to be accessed or otherwise used for the purpose of identifying email addresses of members for the purposes of campaigning.
    6. Candidates must ensure that members should only be written to, telephoned, e-mailed, texted, or otherwise communicated with at their home or on private communications appliances if they are given a clear option to unsubscribe or otherwise to decline to receive any further such communications.
    7. Prospective candidates may, subject to compliance with the IT use policy applicable within the relevant employer, seek nominations by emailing members known to them at their workplace email address but should not use a member’s work email address to campaign as a nominated candidate, unless in compliance with the IT policy applicable to the employer of that member and with that member’s consent.
    8. No Accord employee (other than a nominated candidate who is an employee) should campaign, and no Accord employee may provide administration support using union facilities for any candidates or prospective candidates unless authorised by the President.
    9. All candidates and their campaign supporters should familiarise themselves with the provisions of the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
    10. If the Scrutineer determines that a candidate or his/her campaign is in breach of any of the provisions of paragraphs 1 to 10 above, they may be disqualified from standing in the election. There will be no appeal.

    Any queries should be referred to the Independent Scrutineer, Alex Lonie at [email protected]

    Election schedule

    Election schedule

    Election stage

    Date

    Notice of election given

    31/05/2022

    Period for self-nomination

    01/06/2022 to 31/07/2022

    If uncontested election, President receives report of Independent Scrutineer and result declared

    Within 7 days of closure of self-nomination period (no later than 07/08/2022) and no other candidate self nominates, or within 7 days of end of nomination period and no other candidate is eligible to stand as a candidate.

    Where potential candidate self nominates, last date to secure nominations

    31/08/2022

    If contested election

    Detailed election timetable to be determined by the PEC

    Ballot concluded by

    01/10/2022

    Role responsibilities & election information Self-nomination & CV form

     

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