The union’s national executive council (NEC) is elected by members to speak on their behalf.
NEC members are elected by all members of UNISON via a postal vote. Members elect candidates to represent their region and their service group. There are also additional seats for Black members, young members and disabled members.
As with all other UNISON elections, the union’s principles of “proportionality and fair representation” means that some seats are reserved for women and low-paid members, so that the make-up of the NEC fairly represents the wider union.
Elections take place every two years, with members receiving a ballot paper with a prepaid envelope to return it to an independent scrutineer (an independent person who checks the ballot is fair and counts the votes).
Results are usually announced around one month after the voting deadline.
Current membership
Cymru Wales region
Elizabeth Nolan
Mark Fisher
Sian Stockham
Eastern region
Mrs Sarah Crowe
Mr Robert Turner
Mrs Samantha Hemraj
Mrs Nathalie Birkett
Mr Christopher Tansley
Ms Emma Procter
Ms Liz Wheatley
Ms Helen Davies
Mr Amerit Rait
Ms Naomi Byron
Northern Region
Mr Edwin Jeffries
Mrs Helen Firman
Mrs Margaret McKee
Mr Alastair Long
Mrs Catherine McKenna
Mr Anthony Wilson
Ms Jane Wilcox
Ms Karen Reissmann
Mr Steven North
Miss Danielle Dolan
South East region
Mr Stephen Smellie
Dr Davena Rankin
Ms Kathryn Ramsden
Mr James McFarlane
Mrs Lyn O’Hara
Miss Jacqueline Berry
Mrs Antoinette Solera
Mr Daniel Sartin
Miss Abigail Holdsworth
South West region
Miss Rebecca Brookman
Mr Mark Wareham
Miss Jessica Powell
Ms Caroline Johnson
Ms Alison Dingle
Mr Stephen Jones
Mrs Mandy Buckley
Yorkshire and Humberside region
Miss Sarah Littlewood
Miss Greta Holmes
Mr Tony Wright
Community service group
Mr Kevin Jackson
Miss Saoirse Fanning
Energy Service Group
Miss Tracey Wainwright
Health Service Group
Mr James Anthony
Ms Claire Dixon
Ms Patricia Heron
Mr Gordon McKay
Higher Education Service Group
Mr Alexander J Nicoll
Ms Katherine Owen
Mrs Diana Leach
Mrs Andrea Egan
Mrs Jane E Doolan
Police and Justice Service Group
Mr Christopher Hanrahan
Mrs Maureen Lemarinel
Water, Environment and Transport Service Group
Mr John Jones
Black Members
Miss Manjula Kumari
Ms April Ashley
Mr Hugo Pierre
Miss Julia Mwaluke
Young Members
Kiera Hilder
Ms Lilly Boulby
Yorkshire and Humberside Region Reserved
Mrs Theresa Rollinson
Disabled Members
Ms Katrina Murray
Mrs Angela Hamilton