Political Fund Mangament Motions to CWU Conference

[Big Daz]

There are 19 motions before conference this year.

They range from keeping the link with Labour to reform of the link to outright severance of the link.

Setting up of a new workers party is also featured so is supporting individuals from other political parties who support CWU aims and values and policies.

Splitting the political fund into 2 separate funds is also on two of the motions.

Political fund motions are on the agenda for Tuesday afternoon of Conference week.

[k979aaa]

There are 19 motions before conference this year.

They range from keeping the link with Labour to reform of the link to outright severance of the link.

Setting up of a new workers party is also featured so is supporting individuals from other political parties who support CWU aims and values and policies.

Splitting the political fund into 2 separate funds is also on two of the motions.

Political fund motions are on the agenda for Tuesday afternoon of Conference week.

Yes i would agree to support other party's after all was not the labour party set up on the very same principle's for social justice and liberty and not least we forget unity looking after all not just themself's!.

[pickaname]

How about having no political fund and reducing the cost of subs?

[Big Daz]

How about having no political fund and reducing the cost of subs?

Impossible!!!!!!!!!!

The political Levy is a optional extra sub at 10 pence a week.

Just pull up a opt out form either from CWU website under the political rules section or from this site if dont wish to pay into it.

Its been this way by LAW for many many years.

[dvbuk55]

How about having no political fund and reducing the cost of subs?

Impossible!!!!!!!!!!

The political Levy is a optional extra sub at 10 pence a week.

Just pull up a opt out form either from CWU website under the political rules section or from this site if dont wish to pay into it.

Its been this way by LAW for many many years.

It's not impossible - just stop paying a political levy as a union and decrease the subs by 10p. Are we going to be paying the political levy when Labour are in opposition and not in a position to help us? Having said that they've done F All to help us whilst in power or why not start kissing Tory ass now, pay them the political levy and they can shaft us when they get in power. That's what happens now.

[pickaname]

How about having no political fund and reducing the cost of subs?

Impossible!!!!!!!!!!

The political Levy is a optional extra sub at 10 pence a week.

Just pull up a opt out form either from CWU website under the political rules section or from this site if dont wish to pay into it.

Its been this way by LAW for many many years.

Then the law needs changing...decouple the trade unions from political parties. Politicians dont listen and the trade union leaders seem only to be driven by self promotion.

Thing is, many workers dont know about the opt out so in my mind at least it should be optional to opt in...opting in shouldnt be by default.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

With the Political levy being a hot potato at conference and talk of stopping supporting labour we could use this as a political tool to influence the discussion over pensions. This is why at the moment IMO its not a good idea to get rid of the levy, with the position Brown is in he needs all the friends he cant get. Lets do what big business does all the time, exert as much influence as possible by promising or threatening to withdraw funds.

[Big Daz]

How about having no political fund and reducing the cost of subs?

Impossible!!!!!!!!!!

The political Levy is a optional extra sub at 10 pence a week.

Just pull up a opt out form either from CWU website under the political rules section or from this site if dont wish to pay into it.

Its been this way by LAW for many many years.

Then the law needs changing...decouple the trade unions from political parties. Politicians dont listen and the trade union leaders seem only to be driven by self promotion.

Thing is, many workers dont know about the opt out so in my mind at least it should be optional to opt in...opting in shouldnt be by default.

Its not compolsury to have a political levy and its not compolsury to spend the money from it on affilating to political parties.

The NUT use theirs for one purpose only, to oppose/campaign against facism and racism canidates at elections.

If a Trade Union wants/has a Political levy then that has to be a separate fund.

Normal subs by law can not be spent on political stuff, hence a separate fund which is optional to pay into.

By law a union has to ballot its membership every 10 years on continuing with the political fund, this was brought in by the Conservatives and 11 years into a Labour government it is still in place.

To date every union with a political fund has won their 10 year ballot!

[traww]

And so have quite few in our office.

Labour are the same as all the others now anyway and they won't be getting anything from me, not even my vote.

They didn't support us a jot during last summers' industrial action, not a squeek, not a supportive comment from the Scottish cabinet - nothing. Bring back the principles on which the labour movement was founded or you run the risk of turnong in to a party with no identity just like the Liberals.

GORDON BROWN GIVE ME BACK MY NHS OR
GORDON BROWN GIVE ME BACK MY SAFE STREETS OR
GORDON BROWN GIVE ME BACK MY 10P TAX BAND OR
GORDON BROWN GIVE ME BACK MY PENSION OR
GORDON BROWN GIVE ME BACK MY PENSION TAX RELIEF OR
GORDON BROWN GIVE ME BACK MY MARRIED COUPLES ALLOWANCE OR
GORDON BROWN GIVE ME BACK WEEKLY BIN COLLECTIONS OR

LABOUR ISN'T WORKING SO GORDON BROWN JUST you are getting othing from me

[dvbuk55]

How about having no political fund and reducing the cost of subs?

Impossible!!!!!!!!!!

The political Levy is a optional extra sub at 10 pence a week.

Just pull up a opt out form either from CWU website under the political rules section or from this site if dont wish to pay into it.

Its been this way by LAW for many many years.

Then the law needs changing...decouple the trade unions from political parties. Politicians dont listen and the trade union leaders seem only to be driven by self promotion.

Thing is, many workers dont know about the opt out so in my mind at least it should be optional to opt in...opting in shouldnt be by default.

Its not compolsury to have a political levy and its not compolsury to spend the money from it on affilating to political parties.

The NUT use theirs for one purpose only, to oppose/campaign against facism and racism canidates at elections.

If a Trade Union wants/has a Political levy then that has to be a separate fund.

Normal subs by law can not be spent on political stuff, hence a separate fund which is optional to pay into.

By law a union has to ballot its membership every 10 years on continuing with the political fund, this was brought in by the Conservatives and 11 years into a Labour government it is still in place.

To date every union with a political fund has won their 10 year ballot!

You haven't answered the basic question. Why have a political levy at all? Don't quote the NUT we don't belong to them - the woman next door to me shops at ASDA I don't and so the analogy is pointless. It is just another example of the R & F being shafted because they can't be bothered. If, for example, everyone opted out of the political fund what would the CWU do to support their buddies in the Labour Party?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

May I refer the honourable gentleman dvbuk55 to my previous post (Quoted Below) It does not answer the question I think your asking but it does show you how the levy can be used to promote our agenda.

With the Political levy being a hot potato at conference and talk of stopping supporting labour we could use this as a political tool to influence the discussion over pensions. This is why at the moment IMO its not a good idea to get rid of the levy, with the position Brown is in he needs all the friends he cant get. Lets do what big business does all the time, exert as much influence as possible by promising or threatening to withdraw funds.

[dvbuk55]

May I refer the honourable gentleman dvbuk55 to my previous post (Quoted Below) It does not answer the question I think your asking but it does show you how the levy can be used to promote our agenda.

With the Political levy being a hot potato at conference and talk of stopping supporting labour we could use this as a political tool to influence the discussion over pensions. This is why at the moment IMO its not a good idea to get rid of the levy, with the position Brown is in he needs all the friends he cant get. Lets do what big business does all the time, exert as much influence as possible by promising or threatening to withdraw funds.

You see that is politico speak - political tool, influence over pensions, promising/ threatening to withdraw funds - Labour/Brown doesn't give a toss about the CWU - how much influence has been exerted for the hundreds of thousands of pounds they have already received? Pensions - forget it there's not a cat in hells chance there is going to be an about turn on that issue. Personally I think that it is the hard core labourites that want to protract the gravy train for as long as possible. More seminars, more learning, more jaunts all at someone elses' expense.

[Big Daz]

Why have a political fund?

Simple, the law requires union expenditure on anything remotley political out of a separate political fund!


The question is should and do you personally dvbuk wish to see trade unions/CWU engage in the political arena?

[dvbuk55]

Why have a political fund?

Simple, the law requires union expenditure on anything remotley political out of a separate political fund!


The question is should and do you personally dvbuk wish to see trade unions/CWU engage in the political arena?

"Anything remotely political" - what on earth does affiliating ourselves to any political party give the membership as a whole? I would suggest the answer to that is NOTHING - what does it give the few who wish to maintain some sort of political involvement with the Labour party - a means of enjoying that particular hobby at someone else's expense.

So the answer is NO the political arena is for politicians - we pay for involvement in trade union affairs and for the pay and conditions of those members who pay their dues. It has been obvious that there is no advantage to the membership as a whole only those with political ambition and very often as has been proven recently to the detriment of the membership.

[Big Daz]

Since 1913 trade unions who wished to be involved in activity that might be deemed political have had to ballot their members on the establishment of a political fund.