Unions with new threat to breakaway from Labour

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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The CWU, a major Labour-affiliated union who fought and won against post office part-privatisation, is picking a fight with Labour at this year's TUC Congress, Rene Lavanchy has spotted.

“Congress recognises the lack of adequate
representation at political level for the members
of affiliated unions. Congress notes that New
Labour, as currently constituted, is now failing to
attract the support of our members and that its
vote at the 2009 European Election reached an
historic low. The present Government’s policy of
continuing privatisation, cuts in Government
spending and failure to remove the anti-trade
union laws is unlikely to change this in the near
future.
Congress therefore calls on the General Council
to convene, at the earliest opportunity, a
conference of all affiliated unions to consider
how to achieve effective political representation
for our members.”

Rene - a first rate union watcher and Tribune reporter who will be now working alongside David Hencke - says:

Last year the TUC was overshadowed by the creation of a Trade Union Co-ordinating Group made up of left-wing unions, none affiliated to Labour except the BFAWU bakers’ union. Despite being overseen by Labour’s John McDonnell (or perhaps because?) it was seen as a challenge to the authority and power of Labour’s gang of 16 affiliates. Now there is a call to create a new group… only this time they’ll all be Labour affiliates. If it happens (”which it won’t”, whispers the ghost of congresses past in my ear) it’ll be a lot more of a challenge than the TUCG. While I’m not expecting this motion to pass, it’s interesting that the CWU leadership let it through. What they have to say about it, I’m waiting to hear – this week’s Tribune should have the details.

A fascinating straw in the wind. But when thinking about the power of the unions, it's important to keep three things in mind:

1. They would always have a Labour rather than Tory government, and disaffiliation or serious challenge makes the latter more likely - and they know it

2. Unite, with its £100 million pa income, rather than the CWU, is the true power in the land. And with Derek Simpson and Charlie Whelan in place, there is little chance of losing this super power.

3. Union leaders need to talk tough about Gordon Brown publicly to satisfy disillusioned members. What they do in private, with their money, is quite different -- as last week's Labour accounts showed, with over half of their £30 million coming from union affiliation fees as well as donations.

[norbert]

not necessarily a fan of Bob Crowe's vanity project no2eu - the points they make are very valid but in the Euro Elections they just split the vote and there's a danger of letting the BNP in .

Secondly if they ever did get elected , what's the point of not taking up the seats ? - surely you'd want to change from within ?