Thousands make political choice

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/thousan ... hoice.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thousands of members have exercised their new right to choose whether or not any of their political fund contributions are paid to the Labour Party.

Within days of members receiving a letter explaining the new option - which fulfils a promise made by the union's leadership during the recent political fund ballot - the popularity of the new preference exercise was reflected in a flood of responses which are now being processed at CWU headquarters in Wimbledon.
The new choice being offered, which also mirrors a policy decision made at last year's CWU Annual Conference, is highly significant, because previously the only way in which members could prevent a small percentage of their political fund contribution being paid to Labour, under the union's affiliation to the Party, was to opt out of making political fund contributions altogether.

That 'all or nothing' mechanism carried huge risks for the union's political campaigning, however, because under retrogressive Tory anti-union legislation, unions are only allowed to participate in even non-party political campaigning if the money used comes from a specially designated political fund.

The small but growing numbers of individuals choosing to opt out of the union's political fund because of the union's Labour Party affiliation were therefore unwittingly placing the CWU's crucially important cross-party political campaigning in jeopardy.

That fact was highlighted to members in the recent political fund ballot - along with the promise, that has now been put into effect, that a new mechanism would be set in place to enable members to contribute to the political fund - thereby safeguarding the union's political Voice - without having to contribute to the union's Labour Party affiliation.

Billy Hayes 2010 "Our political work is crucial," explained general secretary Billy Hayes. "There will always be different views amongst CWU members on parties and governments but the political fund ballot result proved we all agree that we need a strong political voice.

"We have kept our political voice, now let us all ensure it stays strong."

As such the CWU has now split its political fund account in two. One account - contributed into by those who support the union's political campaigning and who also wish to include the small financial support to Labour - stays essentially the same as it has always been.

The other account, however, provides a new mechanism for those who wish to support the union's political work, but do not want to pay anything towards Labour.

Kevin Slocombe CWU head of communications Kevin Slocombe concludes: "In last autumn's political fund ballot, members overwhelmingly recognised that it's crucial that the union maintains its political voice, and the choice now being offered to members reinforces that aim.

"Early indications suggest that many of those who have previously opted out of the political fund rather than contribute towards the union's Labour Party affiliation are now opting back in again now they know that every penny of their political fund contribution will be used exclusively for the CWU's own campaigning. That's a very positive development that actually strengthens the union, and I'd urge all those who have previously opted out of the political fund for political reasons to reconsider their position in the light of the choices now open to them to decide how their money is and isn't spent."

For more information about the options with regards to political fund contributions, and how these can be exercised, visit Labour Link.