[Closed] Just opened my Unite4Labour letter

All I can say is I'm eternally grateful that my union concentrates on members' interests instead of filling the coffers of political parties.

If they don't take the fight to Parliament Flaperon, then they are not concentrating on their members interests.

And the more that can be achieved in Parliament, the less the need to take industrial action.

Every trade union should have a political fund so that it can engage in the democratic processes which provide the opportunities to secure improvements for it's members. And to defend existing gains.

Every great reform in the interests of ordinary working people during the 20th century, originated from the trade union movement - they all started off as a simple motion passed at a trade union branch meeting.

Having said that, obviously trade unions shouldn't waste their money by handing it over to self-serving New Labour careerist who couldn't give a toss about the trade unions or working people, and only care about their own fat arses.

I always refused to pay the political levy of union fees and only really joined for the legal cover

of course, if unions were to fairly represent their menbers interests as you might think they ought, then the conservatives could do jolly nicely out of them too... 😉

Ipsos MORI conducted a poll for the trade union UNISON between 12-14 June 2009. The headline voting intention figures from this poll, conducted among 1,252 British adults age 18 and over, show the Conservatives on 39%, Labour on 25% and the Liberal Democrats on 19% among those absolutely certain to vote in a General Election.

http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/poll.aspx?oItemId=2371

According to a poll by Populus, more than half, 52%, of Unite’s members thought Cameron was “up to the job” of leading the country, against just 42% for Brown.

The poll suggests the prime minister is failing even to shore up Labour’s core vote in the recession. More Unite members still intend to vote Labour than Conservative, but this lead has plunged from 26 points at the 2005 general election to three now.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5950443.ece

The poll suggests the prime minister is failing even to shore up Labour’s core vote

No, the poll suggests that Union membership does not give any meaningful indication of political allegience.

Left and right is becoming more an more meaningless the more we move towards a society that by and large is populated by people solely in it for themselves, so they will vote for whichever party they believe will deliver their priorities rather than what is good for the country as a whole.

Oh are unions supposed to represent the members political views? Unions are left wing and employees figure that left wing thinking is best for their jobs so they join right?

of course, if unions were to fairly represent their members interests as you might think they ought.....

Your point is a complete red herring Stoner.........as you well know.

The Trade Union Act 1984, requires all trade unions to ballot their members if they wish to have a political fund. The balloting and compliance of the legal obligations, are all very carefully scrutinised by the Certification Officer for formal approval.

There is absolutely no way that a trade union can use it's members money for political purposes without the explicit approval of the members.

But it's all academic anyway, as it's always been the case that if an individual is unhappy with the democratically arrived decision of the majority, they can simply opt out of paying the politically levy, and still remain in the union.

Im happy to have my herring kippered.

Since I also have absolutely no personal experience of the machinations of the Union movement (cant possibly think why), Im glad to have been corrected on their protocols.

Ta Gus!
😉

Tell you what TJ - why don't we have tick boxes on Union membership forms, saying

I would like my political levy money to go to the following:

[ ] Labour Party
[ ] Conservative Party
[ ] Liberal Democrats
[ ] SNP
etc.

Seems simple enough doesn't it, more than fair, what could be the possible objection?

Seems simple enough doesn't it, more than fair, what could be the possible objection?

Do you include all the parties available? BNP? UKIP? The Communists? Raving Monster Loonies? (Out of interest: how many political parties presented candidates in the last election?)

Left and right is becoming more an more meaningless the more we move towards a society that by and large is populated by people solely in it for themselves, so they will vote for whichever party they believe will deliver their priorities rather than what is good for the country as a whole.

Hasn't it always been that way? The working class voted Labour as it favoured them, middle and upper class Conservative for the same reason...

The big difference (as I see it) is that we've moved beyond purely ideological parties, the gap between the main political parties in most countries is getting smaller and smaller, more a case of emphasis than radical differences.

Don't most union give you the option to opt out of political donations? IIRC the UCU does.