Campaign news

Reject Miliband’s ‘reforms’

27th February 2014

Reject Miliband’s ‘reforms’:

a ticking time-bomb which could destroy Labour as we know it, warn critics on the left

As Labour’s special conference looks set to vote through the Collins reforms at the behest of Ed Miliband, critics on the left of the party have warned that the proposals set in train a process which could radically undermine the party’s link to the trade unions.

Although the unions have forced Miliband to back down from plans which would have seen an immediate breaking of the link, the transition over five-years to a situation where individual union levy payers will be required to ‘opt in’ as affiliated supporters represents a clear step away from the collective basis of union affiliation. Right wing elements around Progress have already made it clear that they want to re-open the question of the percentage of votes the unions hold at Conference, and their representation on the National Executive Committee in another five years.

Ian Hodson, President of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), which is voting to reject the Collins report, and who is a member of the Labour Representation Committee, commented.

• “When any politician starts talking about ‘reform’ the klaxons start blaring as ‘reform’ usually means dilution, erosion or a total dismantling of a system for ideological gain.

• Trade Unions are already an honest and transparent movement of mainly ordinary folk who want the voice of working people to be heard loud and clear in the political arena. The recommendations in this draft have the potential to silence the voice of ordinary people and hamstring their representation in Parliament.

• There would be no Labour Party without Trade Unions and they have earned the right to decide their own structure and deserve to be consulted in any ‘reform’ discussion in relation to the Political Party they formed. If Labour wants to dictate that relationship whilst taking the money, that money can easily be removed and spent elsewhere.”
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