Campaign news

Spread the Word - Defend the Link

31st July 2013

Like Maria Exall and Gary Heather below, we need to raise the consciousness of union and Labour Party rank and file of how to defend the very heart of the Labour Party.
Let us know of any resolutions passed in your branches etc.

From Gary Heather:
Motion passed by Islington North CLP on Wednesday 17 July:

The Collins Review and the Party’s relationship with the trade unions
This GC remembers that the Labour Party was founded as an alliance between trade unions and socialist organisations to provide a political voice for working people.
We believe that Labour’s continuing relationship with three million trade unionists who are affiliated members of our Party helps to root our Party in our communities and workplaces. It is a relationship which has seen our Party through its greatest crises and to our greatest triumphs.
We want our Party to continue to be a Party funded primarily by millions rather than by millionaires. We recognise that trade unions are collective organisations of working people, and understand that the relationship between the unions and the Party, locally and nationally should be on the basis of collective affiliation.
We note that Ray Collins is currently leading a review of the Party’s relationship with the trade unions at the request of the Party Leader.
We would support positive measures to strengthen and improve the relationship between the Party and the unions, for example by encouraging the greater democratic engagement of ordinary trade unionists in union and Party structures, or by developing the understanding of the nature and purpose of trade unionism among Party members who lack experience of trade unionism. We call upon all individual Party members to join, and become actively involved in, an appropriate trade union.
We oppose any and all suggestions that would weaken or undermine the relationship between the Party and the trade unions based upon collective affiliation. We call upon the NEC to ensure that any proposals for change reflect the views expressed in this motion.

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From Maria Exall
Motion passed at recent CWU Regional meeting

Motion on the Labour Party - Trade Union link passed at the CWU London Regional Committee 23/07/13
We note the recent statements from Ed Milliband on the Labour Party- Trade Union link and the subsequent speculation in the media. We welcome the defence of the collective affiliation of CWU to the Labour Party as a legitimate way of providing a political voice for working people by Billy Hayes our General Secretary.
We note that Ray Collins is currently leading a review of the Party’s relationship with the trade unions at the request of the Party Leader. We support positive measures to strengthen and improve the relationship between the Party and the unions by encouraging the greater democratic engagement of ordinary trade unionists in union and Party structures. We also welcome initiatives to encourage union members to join the Labour Party.
We call on the CWU NEC to oppose any and all suggestions that would weaken or undermine the relationship between the Party and the trade unions based upon collective affiliation and defend the Labour-union link.