Postal union CWU set for vote to sever links with Labour

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b ... 786425.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The postal workers' union will ballot to sever links with Labour in the next few weeks unless plans to sell a stake in Royal Mail are scrapped, The Times has learnt.

The move comes as a Bill to sell part of the state-owned group is to be launched in Parliament imminently, much earlier than had been expected.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has a conference pledge to ballot on cutting funds to Labour if the organisation moves out of full public ownership. Billy Hayes, the CWU general secretary, said that the union had to hold a ballot before the end of March.

The action comes as political tension over the sale plans, put forward by Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, is running high, threatening the biggest rebellion of the Brown Government. A Commons motion opposing the sale has been signed by 139 Labour MPs. Even if only a proportion of those MPs voted against the Bill, the Government would have to rely on the support of the Conservatives for it to become law. Even that support could vanish if the Bill, which could be introduced in the House of Lords first, is modified significantly.

It had been expected that legislation would be prepared by Easter, but the Bill has been largely written and will go to Parliament very soon.

The CWU is one of Labour's largest funders, typically providing about £1 million a year in affiliation fees and local-level funding.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Hayes said: “If our members vote not to give money to the Labour Party, then it would be goodbye. I've been in the party 33 years. It feels a bit like being in an abusive relationship and it comes to that point when you just go.

“There is the old Jack Jones line [about the relationship between the unions and Labour] about murder maybe, divorce never. But as far as I can see there weren't as many divorces in those days. I don't want it to happen, but if we have a ballot I won't be running round the country to say stay in the Labour Party. Why should I?

[dvbuk55]

Can we believe the Bunter though - lets get it over with - despite the sell off we should be pulling out now.

[hairyjack]

Yes, I think the time has come to take this action.

[DGP1]

Cut the link I think there should be cutting done but not necessarily the Labour party link

[pickaname]

This should have been done years ago

[terrace]

The ballot papers should be sent out immediately,not waiting around for the Parliamentary Bill to be discussed.Don't forget the Pension threat by the Dept. for Business and Pension trustees fund.We need to show them we mean business.

[torman]

No ballot needed,cut links immediately

[shimmyrule]

who are we gonna give it to instead?

Tories
limp dems
the bnp
ukip
Searchlight/Uaf

or what WOULD we do with this money?
How much is it annually anyway, it must be a few sheckles eh?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

well I know 125 Labour MPs who will be should getting donations from the local CWU branch. However I don't think we could go far wrong in supporting the Greens as they have pretty good union and socialist leanings.

Labour Party
Abbott, Diane
Ainger, Nick
Austin, John
Battle, John
Bayley, Hugh
Benton, Joe
Berry, Roger
Betts, Clive
Borrow, David S
Burden, Richard
Burgon, Colin
Campbell, Ronnie
Caton, Martin
Challen, Colin
Chaytor, David
Clapham, Michael
Clark, Katy
Cohen, Harry
Connarty, Michael
Cook, Frank
Corbyn, Jeremy
Cousins, Jim
Crausby, David
Cruddas, Jon
Cryer, Ann
Cummings, John
Curtis-Thomas, Claire
Davidson, Ian
Dean, Janet
Devine, Jim
Dhanda, Parmjit
Dobbin, Jim
Dobson, Frank
Drew, David
Ellman, Louise
Etherington, Bill
Farrelly, Paul
Field, Frank
Fisher, Mark
Flynn, Paul
Foster, Michael Jabez
Francis, Hywel
Gapes, Mike
George, Bruce
Gerrard, Neil
Gibson, Ian
Godsiff, Roger
Grogan, John
Hain, Peter
Hamilton, David
Hamilton, Fabian
Havard, Dai
Hendrick, Mark
Hepburn, Stephen
Hesford, Stephen
Heyes, David
Hoey, Kate
Hood, Jim
Hopkins, Kelvin
Hoyle, Lindsay
Humble, Joan
Iddon, Brian
Illsley, Eric
Jackson, Glenda
Jenkins, Brian
Jones, Lynne
Keeble, Sally
Kilfoyle, Peter
Laxton, Bob
Lazarowicz, Mark
Lepper, David
Levitt, Tom
Mann, John
Marsden, Gordon
Marshall-Andrews, Robert
McCafferty, Chris
McDonagh, Siobhain
McDonnell, John
McGovern, Jim
Meacher, Michael
Meale, Alan
Miller, Andrew
Mitchell, Austin
Moffatt, Laura
Morgan, Julie
Mudie, George
Mullin, Chris
Murphy, Denis
Naysmith, Doug
O'Hara, Edward
Olner, Bill
Osborne, Sandra
Owen, Albert
Pope, Greg
Prentice, Gordon
Prosser, Gwyn
Purchase, Ken
Riordan, Linda
Rooney, Terry
Ryan, Joan
Salter, Martin
Sarwar, Mohammad
Sheridan, Jim
Simpson, Alan
Singh, Marsha
Skinner, Dennis
Smith, Geraldine
Soulsby, Peter
Starkey, Phyllis
Stewart, Ian
Stoate, Howard
Strang, Gavin
Taylor, David
Thornberry, Emily
Truswell, Paul
Turner, Desmond
Vaz, Keith
Vis, Rudi
Walley, Joan
Wareing, Robert N
Wicks, Malcolm
Williams, Betty
Wood, Mike
Wright, Anthony D
Wright, David
Open: 125 Closed: 0

[Yahoorsur]

who are we gonna give it to instead?

Tories
limp dems
the bnp
ukip
Searchlight/Uaf

or what WOULD we do with this money?
How much is it annually anyway, it must be a few sheckles eh?

The folk who signed the early day motion would get my support,
Think the amount mentioned was 1 million a year,the union could pay for more organisers,in the postal industry,more release time for reps esp local reps,any more suggestions?

Or how about the unions starting their own party,there are a few unions not affiliated to New Labour,we could make common cause with them and agree on a joint platform.
One thing is sure I wont be voting New Labour for Westminster and Hollyrood elections as long as I draw breath,local election is different ,we have a v.good labour cllr,the only one of the 3 cllrs for the area who actually goes round the doors to speak to folk,so i would vote for him.

[DGP1]

who are we gonna give it to instead?

Tories
limp dems
the bnp
ukip
Searchlight/Uaf

or what WOULD we do with this money?
How much is it annually anyway, it must be a few sheckles eh?

The folk who signed the early day motion would get my support,
Think the amount mentioned was 1 million a year,the union could pay for more organisers,in the postal industry,more release time for reps esp local reps,any more suggestions?

Or how about the unions starting their own party,there are a few unions not affiliated to New Labour,we could make common cause with them and agree on a joint platform.
One thing is sure I wont be voting New Labour for Westminster and Hollyrood elections as long as I draw breath,local election is different ,we have a v.good labour cllr,the only one of the 3 cllrs for the area who actually goes round the doors to speak to folk,so i would vote for him.

£1million a year that's a lot of pies

[shimmyrule]

i am of the opinion that a union should not affiliate to any party, to be honest, labour has done bugger all for us i say.

If individual members wish to align with a political party, and donate/become an activist- fine,i know the cwu levy is minimal, but i believe most folk really cant be arsed with the hassle of opting out of the labour fee.

I stopped supporting labour donkeys years ago, they are no socialistSs

Alan Johnston CWU - hello - 80 grand a year socialist- right.

[johnston65]

There was a motion pu to National Conference a few years ago by Derek Durkin who was the Branch Sec. of the Edinburgh Branch at the time. The motion was for local branches to ballot their own members as to where any political fund should go. At the time that all this was happening was when the SSP were riding high on Scottish politics and the move was on to put the funds into the backing of that party....until it all started to fall apart for them. Obviously the motion at conference was lost but it is certainly worth revisiting especially as Sotland, Ireland and Wales do to a certain extent have different political views and options to England, SNP, PLAID CYMRU, SEIN FEINN etc.

This way the political fund could be used on a more democratic basis and also would be used for more local politics and people would maybe then feel that their political levy is going towards a party and a Government that is not so far out of reach.

[torman]

Avery BIG THANK YOU to all the labour rebels supporting us. And also well done to the MIRROR

[ldsposti]

never mind a ballot break away now, our pension is going the same way as what maxwell did to the mirror, i think the sell off is already a done deal never again will i vote labour. :mfo :cfo :lfo