Lambeth Unison, the diaries. Arrival

It all started when I was redeployed to Lambeth from the LSPU (London Strategic Policy Unit) in 1988. The process of shifting the 200 staff to the 8 participating boroughs was rather complicated and it involved us having to go through interviews followed by written tests. I do not recall NALGO objecting to us having to go through these difficulties at the time although I know that I objected and stopped tests for a reorganisation when I became a Convenor two years later.

Myself, Kienda Hoji, who later on became one of the most legendary Chairs of the Branch, arrived sometime after April 1988. I don't think we were greeted with hostility by the NALGO branch but the reception was rather wet. Lambeth NALGO was facing a huge crisis at the time with Linda Bellos trying desperately to work with the unions and appease those in her own party who were openly hostile towards her. I knew Bellos from my work with the LSPU as she was the Chair of that body. Margaret Hodge was the Secretary. Lambeth NALGO had, at the time, more than 5000 members.

It is worth mentioning that prior to our arrival there was resistance from the HR section who did not think it was right for us to be taken in, this is despite the fact that our contracts contained clauses that made it clear that in the event of abolition we would be assimilated by one of the 9 boroughs participating in the post GLC body. So there was a lot of hostility from the HR side and not much interest shown by NALGO. The only people that were helpful were Peter Woodward and Amanda Baird who were, at the time, Convenors in Lambeth. Mike Waller, the then Branch Secretary, persuaded the Branch to work with the plan and proved to be helpful at the end. I did not know Jon of the Rogers at the time so no idea what his position was on this. The LSPU were, to start with, seen as outsiders by the Lambeth branch. This of course changed dramatically with me and Kienda standing for election to positions and rising within the union structures, but this was a struggle and we had to fight and challenge negative attitudes and perceptions.

At the end the complications with us being redeployed were resolved with Linda Bello's intervention. She instructed officers in Lambeth to get on with it (in that special Linda Bellos assertiveness that she was famous for) so we were 'allowed' to have the interviews and the tests after Linda put her foot down.

I think the incident and the events around it which took two months to resolve shaped the way I would view and see the union and those in management positions. It made myself and others who came with me, more suspicious and more determined to be involved at the front of any fight that could have affected our future. I was in my twenties at the time so the unstable period taught me a lesson. The lesson was simple, don't sit around waiting for others to determine your destiny, take control and be involved with a union that is, at the end of the day, yours