Day 2 of the National UNISON Labour Link Forum in Manchester started with a Parliamentary Panel of MPs and MEPS (see picture). It was inspiring to see three new MPs who come from our movement sitting for the first time alongside longer serving panel members. Former UNISON NEC member, Dave Anderson MP, spoke first about the risk to the union from indiscipline and how we must remain loyal and united to fight off Tory attacks on the union and the cuts.
UNISON Labour Link Forum took place this year in Bristol earlier this month. This is the national meeting of UNISON delegates from regions and Self Organised Groups who support our constitutional link with the Labour Party via the Labour Link (also known as the APF) political fund.
This is a motion based conference which had some great debates on policy. There was also workshops and a number of high profile speakers including Jon Cruddas MP, Head of Labour's policy review; Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Minister for London Sadiq Khan MP, and our General Secretary, Dave Prentis. There was a UK Parliamentary panel of Labour MPs and a European Parliament panel of MEPs.
The reporting of the Falkirk firestorm has made countless references to Unite as ‘Labour’s biggest donor’ and ‘Britain’s biggest union’ - the former is certainly the case given that two thirds of UNISON members pay a political fund levy to the union’s General Political Fund rather than Labour Link. However a recent independent analysis of Unite’s finance and membership data confirms that Unite’s full (working) member count is
1,101,255 – some 185,000 fewer full members than UNISON’s
1,286,000 full (working members) – making UNISON by a substantial degree Britain’s biggest union of working trade unionists:
http://hopisen.com/2013/len-fiddling-while-unite-burns/
#lablink13 A report by the Unlock Democracy pressure group has held up the UNISON political fund - which provides members with the the option to be a member of a General Political Fund, a Labour Affiliated Political Fund, both or none at all, as a model example of transparency:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9580715/Unions-fail-to-inform-members-they-can-opt-out-of-Labour-funding.html
#lablink13 UNISON’s Labour Link section - which has the backing of one third of political fund levy payers in the union - is holding its annual forum this weekend. Yesterday General Secretary Dave Prentis in his keynote speech picked up on the media frenzy surrounding Falkirk and defended the legitimacy of union involvement in politics saying that unions 'are a vital part of the Labour Party and we have a perfect right to be involved in all parts of the Party whether that be nationally or at constituency level.’
Saturday was the second (and last) day of this year's Forum in Cardiff. Check out the report on
day one here. The traditional Labour Link Social had been held the previous night and "a good time had been had by all" (it also raised money for UNISON welfare).
Friday, July 06, 2012
UNISON Labour Link Forum 2012: Day 1: Picture is of Andy Burnham MP, Shadow Health Secretary and key note speaker at today's annual UNISON Labour Link Forum which this year takes place in Cardiff. Labour Link is the UNISON political fund that is affiliated to the Labour Party. Delegates to the Forum are elected regionally and from our self-organised groups. The Forum began with a welcome from National Chair, Steve Warwick, who was the first to make the point about how good it was to be in a Country with a Labour Government. This was followed by motions on "Constitutional Change" and "The Welsh Approach".
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London delegation including Rae Voller
who is standing down as National Vice Chair |
Report on the Second day of Forum held this year at the Liverpool Marriot hotel. “A good time was had by all” the previous night at the traditional Labour Link Social. For some reason a number of delegates were a little quiet and subdued. Forum kicked off with more motions on future Labour Link policy and campaign priorities.
The UNISON Labour Link (APF) National Forum started yesterday in Liverpool. This is the annual meeting of the UNISON affiliated political fund. UNISON members have a choice whether to pay a voluntary levy to the Labour Party or to a non-aligned General fund (or none). Elected union lay representatives from all over the UK met to debate policies and campaigns, take part in workshops and meet Councillors, MPs and MEPs.
