With just twelve days remaining of the Unite general secretary contest, the union has failed to deliver ballots to any of its members in Gibraltar. Incumbent Sharon Graham has been heavily criticised for her treatment of union staff. Her rival in the election is Simon Dubbins, Unite’s international officer.
Unite say: ‘tough luck’
An email from the union to Gibraltar members blames Spanish postal services for the non-delivery. And it indicates that, even if members don’t receive ballots in time to post them back to the UK before the 11 August deadline, then tough:
Dear Member,
GENERAL SECRETARY ELECTION – GIBRALTAR BALLOT PAPERS INFORMATION
We are writing to members in Gibraltar about the delivery of ballot papers for the Unite General Secretary election.
We are aware that ballot papers sent to Gibraltar have been delayed. We appreciate that this is concerning, particularly given that the ballot closes at 12 noon on 11 August 2026, and we are sorry for the uncertainty this has caused.
All ballot papers for members with Gibraltar addresses were printed, enclosed and despatched as part of the scheduled ballot mailing which had provided for additional delivery time into Gibraltar. Our mailing provider has confirmed that the mailing was processed and handed over to the postal carrier without issue.
Since then, we have been advised of changes affecting mail services to and from Gibraltar. From 15 July 2026, international mail to and from Gibraltar is no longer being transported directly by air and is instead being routed through Spain by land and subject to new border checks. We understand that this has caused delays while the new arrangements are being implemented.
It is not only ballot mailing that has been affected. Local reporting in Gibraltar has also referred to wider delays affecting freight movements at the land frontier under the new customs arrangements.
We are continuing to monitor the position closely. However, the current legislation governing this election requires ballot papers to be issued by post and for members to be given the opportunity to vote by post. For that reason, the election arrangements must continue to operate within that statutory postal voting framework.
When you receive your ballot paper, please complete and return it as soon as possible.
We recognise the concern that members may have about the time remaining before the close of ballot. The position remains under urgent review and we will be in contact again with a further update.
Yours sincerely,
Simon Hearn
Returning Officer
A senior Unite official told Skwawkbox that they suspect a link between Dubbins’s strong international connections and the non-delivery:
No members in Gibraltar have received ballots. Anything to do with international officer being the other candidate?
Surely not.
Unite and Graham’s anti-union record
The election has seen a string of former die-hard Graham supporters call on members to vote her out – including the man who wrote her 2021 manifesto. These defections come on top of Dubbins’s unusually strong performance in the nominations phase, winning many of Unite’s biggest sectors and branches that previously backed Graham.
Despite running Unite, Graham has repeatedly been accused of using appalling, anti-union tactics against workers employed by Unite, leading to several strikes. In many cases, these tactics have been seen as Unite’s attempts to protect her husband, Jack Clarke. Clarke is the target of much of the industrial unrest among Unite staff.
Soon after her accession in 2021, Graham created a new Bargaining and Disputes Support Unit (BDSU). Outside of the union’s usual procedures, Clarke was appointed to run it. The appointment was made despite Clarke being on a final warning for bullying and misogyny. As striking workers picketed against Clarke, Graham’s faction staged counter-demonstrations against them and attacked their reps.
Most recently, Graham’s plan to shut down the union’s popular, 20,000-strong ‘Community’ section has been exposed. And she has been accused of letting odious Labour right-winger Wes Streeting and his team write an attack in her name on potential next chancellor Ed Miliband, to boost Streeting’s prospects under Andy Burnham.
Unite lawyer’s explosive admission
Explosively, Unite’s lawyers admitted to Skwawkbox that the union had destroyed evidence that workers had gathered against him. This did not stop further complaints and strike action from workers in his new fiefdom, with almost all the women working under him quitting and 90% of Unite’s HQ staff backing strike action.
The challenger and the hide-and-seek
Dubbins, by contrast, has spoken out consistently against Israel’s genocide and against Unite’s disengagement from wider politics to suit Graham’s narrow ‘workplace only’ agenda. He was suspended as Unite’s international director after refusing to cancel a pro-Palestine fringe event at a Labour conference.
Graham hid from union branches and declined to debate Dubbins at any hustings event during the nominations phase, angering many, including allies, by sending weak proxies instead. Last week, Dubbins publicly challenged Graham to stop hiding and face him in an open debate in front of members.
Any of these issues could and should be decisive in a union election with a history of low turn-outs. Based on recent history, Graham’s paid organiser team will be working hard to secure support for her – but members need to hear the voices of those who used to be prominent in campaigning for her and now see her as an ongoing disaster.
Unite has approximately 5,000 members in Gibraltar who now face being disenfranchised in this vital election.
Featured image via the Canary
By Skwawkbox
