Andrea Egan has been elected as the general secretary of Unison, the UK's largest trade union, in a result that could signal a shift away from Labour. Egan, a leftwinger expelled from the Labour Party in 2022, won nearly 60% of the vote, ousting incumbent Christina McAnea, who has close ties to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Egan, a social worker with decades of union experience, was expelled from Labour after sharing articles from Socialist Appeal, a banned organisation. She has promised a comprehensive review of Unison's relationship with Labour, raising the possibility of reduced donations or even disaffiliation, following the lead of Unite.
In her victory statement, Egan said: 'This result means ordinary Unison members are at long last taking charge of our union. We will put faith in members’ decisions and stand up to any employer, politician or cabinet minister who acts against our interests.' She criticised the government's welfare cuts, immigration curbs, and reduction of winter fuel allowance.
Prime Minister Starmer congratulated Egan, saying he looked forward to working with her, while thanking McAnea for her 'outstanding contribution'. However, the left-leaning group Mainstream warned the result shows 'the government has fallen out of step with its mainstream'.
