Andrea Egan Elected General Secretary of Unison, Promises New Direction for Britain's Largest Union
Andrea Egan has been elected general secretary of Unison, Britain's largest union, becoming the first ordinary member to lead the organisation. Egan has vowed to end Unison's historical support for politicians perceived as hostile to union interests, specifically citing health secretary Wes Streeting's attacks on resident doctors. She plans to expand the union's 'organising to win' strategy initiated in 2021 and establish a strike-ready conference aimed at developing new organising methods.
Egan aims to reverse Unison's record of industrial underachievement by leveraging the union's size and resources to secure better pay for public-sector workers. Politically, she commits to defending working-class interests through internationalism, including support for the Palestinian freedom struggle and opposition to war, urging Labour leader Keir Starmer to act on Palestinian solidarity.
Describing Streeting as representative of Labour's right wing, Egan stated that Unison will no longer support that faction, although the union will continue engaging with the health secretary while defending members' rights. She characterised her election as a collective victory for ordinary members and pledged a democratic renewal with members at the centre of decision-making.
