Unions & politics

Trade Unions and politics

Struggle, not sops

The leaders of the 'Big Four' unions, Amicus, GMB, TGWU, and Unison - the trade-union 'mountains' - have recently made noises to suggest that they are about to go into labour. But so far they have not given birth even to the proverbial mouse. They have had private meetings to draw up an 'alternative' trade-union version of the Labour manifesto for next year's General Election - that is, proposals they want to put into New Labour's manifesto. So far not much. And not enough. By the time of the General Election, the Blair 'Labour' government will be eight years old. Through all that time it has...

FBU disaffiliates; CWU leaders duck the issues

The Fire Brigades Union conference has voted approximately five to one in favour of disaffiliating from the Labour Party. A formal card vote is still being counted as I write. The defeat of the union Executive's alternative proposal, to remain affiliated but open up the possibility of supporting some non-Labour candidates, was ensured by the members' utter frustration with being repeatedly let down by this once popular and reputedly left-wing union leadership. The decision, unfortunately, reflects frustration and disillusion more than any clear positive alternative direction. Meanwhile, the...

The "Big Four" start moving

The "big four" trade union leaders - Tony Woodley of the TGWU, Derek Simpson of Amicus, Kevin Curran of GMB, and Dave Prentis of Unison - have laid down their demands for the next Labour manifesto. They include a big council house-building programme and an end to the Private Finance Initiative. The unions' statement, adopted on 15 May and endorsed by ASLEF, CWU, FBU, GPMU and NUM as well as the big four, has not yet been published in full, and it is not clear what action the union leaders propose beyond private meetings and letters. For reports see the TGWU website , the Guardian , and the...

Labour-union link: False alarm for the CWU

Radio and TV news on 20 April claimed that the Labour Party had begun an "investigation" into the Communication Workers' Union (CWU), because its Scotland no.2 branch has decided to support the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP). CWU head office sources, however, say they have received no communication from the Labour Party about it, and the Labour Party press office told Solidarity on 21 April that it is "an internal matter for the CWU". Derek Durkin, secretary of the branch at the heart of the story, told Solidarity that he too had heard nothing from the Labour Party. "It is all fairly old news...

NUJ political fund defeat

By a London Freelance branch member The proposal for the National Union of Journalists to have a political fund has been narrowly defeated in a ballot of members: 53% voted no and 47% yes on a turnout of 28.6%. NUJ President George Macintyre commented: "The union will respect the result but will continue to campaign politically around issues that matter to members, and will hope not to face any legal challenge." The ballot fulfilled a decision of the 2003 Annual Delegate Meeting. The leadership of the union put a lot of effort into getting a yes vote, but were hampered by high profile...

RMT branch affiliates to "centre-left" Welsh nationalists

According to a posting on the Scottish Socialist Party's email list, the RMT's Wrecsam branch has voted to affiliate to Cymru Ymlaen (Forward Wales). RMT general secretary Bob Crow attended the branch meeting. Reports on Cymru Ymlaen such as this one from The Socialist , 15/11/03 indicate that it eschews any class politics and instead defines itself as "centre-left" and Welsh nationalist. This reinforces the need for the upcoming RMT AGM to define positive working-class criteria for the union's future political activities.

TGWU votes 75% to keep political fund

In a ballot result announced on 15 March, Transport and General Workers' Union members have voted to retain their political fund. 75 per cent voted yes in the ballot which unions are obliged to hold every ten years under a law introduced by Margaret Thatcher's Tory government. Tony Woodley, T&G General Secretary, said: "Unions are not just about the individual benefits to members, but about what we achieve through our collective voice. This vote is a sound endorsement of the political campaigning I see as crucial to our existence." "Today's vote will enable the T&G to campaign on the issues...

Bristol Rail RMT calls for conference on working-class representation

This is the text of a resolution submitted by Bristol Rail branch RMT to the union's forthcoming AGM, calling for a conference to discuss political representation for workers. The branch had previously submitted the same resolution to the union's Special General Meeting last month, where - unfortunately - motions from branches were not voted on. NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR WORKING CLASS POLITICAL REPRESENTATION That this AGM regards the Labour Party under its current leadership as the party of privatisation and neo-liberalism, support for the imperialist wars of the extreme right Bush...

FBU to follow the RMT?

The leadership of the FBU are preparing to follow the RMT into conflict with the Labour Party leadership, by proposing to next month's FBU conference a shake-up of the union's political activity. This will include a reduction in donations to the Labour Party, and a move which would return FBU policy to the position of the 2001 conference - with the exception that this time, the leadership will be proposing it, rather than fighting it. The conference agenda contains motions calling for disaffiliation from Labour, and it is in the face of these calls that the EC has agreed to put a "middle...

FBU leaders recommend funds change

The leadership of the Fire Brigades Union is to recommend cutting donations to Labour and might redirect funding to other parties. The FBU leadership states: The Fire Brigades Union should carry out a root and branch restructuring of its political work. So its national executive will recommend to its May conference. The move came at a special meeting of the 18-strong executive in response to calls to split from the Labour Party at the union's annual conference in May. They reflect the union membership's anger at Government tactics used during the 9-month long pay dispute and particularly...

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