ask for an opt out of Labour

[stephen500]

I recommend everyone going to their branch sec and asking to opt out of Labour contributions.

[piranha]

I recommend everyone going to their branch sec and asking to opt out of Labour contributions.

here here

[mailman71]

spot on they are just as guilty in this affair as leighton

[IWW Fellow Worker]

spot on they are just as guilty in this affair as leighton

More. They hired the bastards.

[Big Daz]

I recommend everyone going to their branch sec and asking to opt out of Labour contributions.

Cant be done without opting out of the entire political levey and if every one did what you suggest the levy would dissapear and the CWU would not be able do anything that could be classed as political spending which i feel is vital in this dispute!

Is that what we really want?

Reform the political levy by all means as other unions have already done so but to f**k it up good and proper just because a tiny amount goes to the labour party! The labour party not the labour goverment

[IWW Fellow Worker]

The Labour Government only become that because the Labour Party get money from Billy Hayes and Dave Ward, who are both members. We have members who are also in the Socialist Party, The Socialist Workers Party, Solidarity Federation, the Anarchist Federation, Class War and Independent Working Class Action. None of those organisations have supported Leighton and Crozier. Why shouldn't they all get a few thousand pounds each?
Hayes should have asked the membership if we wanted to pay money to a political party which has repeatedly kicked the working class in the teeth. He hasn't so the only alternative he has left us is to opt out completely.

[jamie]

your branch can affiliate to another party. the scotland number 2 branch affiliated to the scottish socialist party.

[IWW Fellow Worker]

your branch can affiliate to another party. the scotland number 2 branch affiliated to the scottish socialist party.

That might be worth looking into for those comrades who think the parliamentary route is the way to achieve change.

[jamie]

At the time the branch affiliated to the Scottish Socialist Party we had six seats in the Scottish Parliament and were still growing. Unfortunately the part had a split recently and the branch dissafiliated from the SSP and as a consequence of the split we lost all our seats.

The scenario now is bad enough in Scotland for the left, but in England and Wales the situation must be worse. There is a greater lack of left unity and which organisation to follow will be a matter of great debate even in a single branch.

That is not to write off the possibility of affiliating to another organisation. Movements are about more than the parliamentary route and when it comes to elections, perhaps supporting an individual non-Labour, left-wing candidate is an option.

In my opinion, at the very least dissafiliating from Labour is an important step. They are in opposition to the workforce rather than representative of it. The RMT is an independent union and it is one of the strongest and most successful in the UK. The Labour tie must be cut.

[Big Daz]

Which is why i said reform the levy lke other unions have done. Our political work that does not involve affilating to labour would benefit from a boost of funds that not being tied to labour would bring through mbrs rejoining the levy.

Unison have a far greate take up of their general political levy compared to the labour party affilation levy

[bigsharkboy]

Which is why i said reform the levy lke other unions have done. Our political work that does not involve affilating to labour would benefit from a boost of funds that not being tied to labour would bring through mbrs rejoining the levy.

Unison have a far greate take up of their general political levy compared to the labour party affilation levy

here here i second that

:lfo :cfo

[baldrick]

your branch can affiliate to another party. the scotland number 2 branch affiliated to the scottish socialist party.

As I understand it the CWU rules do not allow the CWU nationally, or a Branch or Region affiliating to any political party except the Labour Party, or donating money to any other party. When Ken Livingstone stood as an Independent for Mayor of London the NDO Branch donated money to his campaign, and the CWU froze their bank accounts.

[baldrick]

Which is why i said reform the levy lke other unions have done. Our political work that does not involve affilating to labour would benefit from a boost of funds that not being tied to labour would bring through mbrs rejoining the levy.

Unison have a far greate take up of their general political levy compared to the labour party affilation levy

here here i second that

:lfo :cfo

So do I. But that would require a Rule Change, which would have to be passed by a two thirds majority at CWU Conference.
And the Engineering Branches of the CWU (Romec and BT) would oppose it as they seem to be more into the Labour Party than we are.

[Loyalblue]

The Labour Government only become that because the Labour Party get money from Billy Hayes and Dave Ward, who are both members. We have members who are also in the Socialist Party, The Socialist Workers Party, Solidarity Federation, the Anarchist Federation, Class War and Independent Working Class Action. None of those organisations have supported Leighton and Crozier. Why shouldn't they all get a few thousand pounds each?
Hayes should have asked the membership if we wanted to pay money to a political party which has repeatedly kicked the working class in the teeth. He hasn't so the only alternative he has left us is to opt out completely.

Agree wholeheartedly mate! new labour? - New tory - but same old lies! - Iraq? (without being 2 political) cut the ties!

[blackadder]

new labour only got in2 power cos the people didnt want old labour. as loyalblue said new labour=new tories. trouble is we still fink of new labour as labour, home of the unions. sorry girls but all they want is our money and will give nothing back to the unions. which in my veiw makes them worse then tories cos they didnt want your money as they dont want u