I was watching a bit of the TUC conference on the news. I feel I'm missing something. I appreciate that strike action is a dramatic last resort. It is not and should not be undertaken lightly. I appreciate also that the Trade Union movement has very close and historic ties to the Labour Party.
If unions really, really, wanted to make the Labour Party sit up and take notice, why don't they stop funding them? From the start of 2008, Trade Unions have given the Labour Party an astonishing £2,545,043.48 in cash and £20,949.18 in non-cash donations. This even in a non-election year. If you give that kind of money to a party and still end up having to go out on strike, the money you're giving is not being appreciated. Trade Union members should expect better.
If unions really, really, wanted to make the Labour Party sit up and take notice, why don't they stop funding them? From the start of 2008, Trade Unions have given the Labour Party an astonishing £2,545,043.48 in cash and £20,949.18 in non-cash donations. This even in a non-election year. If you give that kind of money to a party and still end up having to go out on strike, the money you're giving is not being appreciated. Trade Union members should expect better.
4 comments:
I think you should add this link to your post and also forward it to every trade union member you know.
http://www.snp.org/node/13531
Particularly those in the public sector considering the present climate. If they truly want pressure on Labour they would cut the funds.
Here's a live link.
http://www.snp.org/node/13531
Cheers for that - I really should have put that in the post!
The Public Service unions in Scotland have been absolutely outrageous in their behaviour over the past 10 years. Absolutely supine in their attitude to the Labout party governing in both Westminster and Holyrood their whole focus was to prevent the membership taking effective industrial action or causing political embarrassment. However now we have an SNP government in Holyrood, suddenly the gloves are off.
Can UNISON explain why their Scottish members should take action against a Scottish Government while under almost exactly the same conditions their colleagues south of the border should not - AND WHY?
I speak as an ex-UNISON/NALGO member.
Post a Comment