LABOUR’S REFORMS - UNITE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE DEBATE

LABOUR’S REFORMS - UNITE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE DEBATE Following weeks in which your union has come under a sustained, unwarranted and disgraceful attack over ‘secret allegations’ of wrongdoing in Falkirk, Scottish Police confirm that no wrongdoing has taken place and that there will be no investigation. While Unite General Secretary, Len McCluskey has rightly argued from the very beginning that the union had broken no rules and operated at all times with integrity, using the Falkirk debate as his platform for change, Labour leader Ed Miliband, has now outlined far reaching proposals for the future of affiliate funding of the party. Labour’s proposals, while still being finalised in a consultation with unions being conducted by ex Labour General Secretary, Lord Collins, are broadly as follows: Unions will no longer be able to ‘block affiliate’ to the Party members who pay into the unions political fund. Clearly these reforms will have consequences for both Labour and its affiliates and difficult discussions will follow, but we welcome the opportunity it provides us to discuss a new relationship within the movement. We look forward to a positive discussion with the Party on future relationships and the rights of new ‘affiliate members’ - but it is for the Party to now convince our members that it is a Party worth joining, this is Ed’s challenge. Len McCluskey, speaking to a Unite conference convened to discuss these developments has been very clear; “Labour must become a Party our members want to support, because they believe it can and will make a difference to their lives” We believe that Labour can be that Party. A Party that offers real hope, stands up for the poor and vulnerable, defends our NHS and confronts privilege. A Party that offers a genuine alternative to austerity, that puts the growth of our economy, jobs and community at the heart of its manifesto for change in 2015. If Labour rises to this challenge our members will engage and we will win in 2015. Remember: Whatever changes, Unite’s values and our political objectives will not! The full text of Len’s speech can be found at http://www.unitetheunion.public-i.tv Unite currently affiliates all 1.1 million of its political fund payers. In future, unions will only be able to affiliate those members who individually and expressly agree for the union to do so. This will require us to ask each political fund payer if they wish to be affiliated to Labour by the union. Labour will introduce an overall spending cap for parliamentary selections. This is welcomed so long as it applies to all and gets Lord Sainsbury’s millions out of Labours democracy. Keeping you up to date and informed. Supporting our members fighting back www.unitetheunion.org