2007 Trades Union Councils' Conference Resolutions

[Big Daz]

http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-13955-f0.cfm



1 LABOUR PARTY MUST RESPECT LOCAL AUTHORITY TRADE UNIONS, IF THEY WANT UNION BACKING
Conference calls on the TUC General Council to inform all local authorities, but especially Labour-controlled Councils, and elected councillors, they must take into consideration union policies if they want union backing.

Labour councillors and Labour-controlled Councils look to union support at election times, and the Labour Party asks for and receives union donations, but reserves the right to impose policies hostile to unions. Privatisation of public services, either via trust status or directly selling off public services, is a hostile act aimed at the unions. Labour-controlled local authorities and councillors who impose job losses and worse working conditions on their staff are no better than the Liberal or Conservative parties.

Trade unions should only support councillors and local authorities who understand and accept the democracy of trade union decisions and the machinery of unions' decision making.

Tyne and Wear
General Council Comments:
The motion urges Local Authorities and in particular labour controlled Authorities to pay more regard to Trade union policies and to the democratic manner in which unions reach decisions on policy. It is critical of the privatisation policies pursued by some Councils. As such it does not conflict with TUC policy.