22/12/2009
SEL CEO writes in The Guardian
Social Enterprise London CEO Allison Ogden-Newton writes in today's Guardian blog in response to recent criticism from Unite.
Her response is the culmination of several correspondence between Allison and Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive of Thid Sector Chief Executives body Acevo and Tony Woodley, Joint General Secretary of Unite.
She argues that "it is odd that social enterprises and charities have fallen out with Unite", as "the third sector has a great deal in common with the union movement". She suggests that "in truth, both the third sector and unions are united in our rejection of the use of public services for private profit", "which... makes Unite's attempt to lump us together [with the private sector] crude and inaccurate".
She concludes that whilst "there is still plenty to debate over how we best involve the third sector in public service delivery... our motivation and our fitness to serve is beyond question. What we need to be successful is a little help from our friends. But with friends like Unite, who needs enemies?"
Click here to read the full article, and here to read Allison's regular blog.