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Falkirk crisis: Labour needs the unions, but both need members Falkirk crisis: Labour needs the unions, but both need members
(2 months later)
Is the Falkirk debacle a threat or an opportunity for Ed Miliband? Ahead of his big speech on Tuesday on Labour party democracy, the Tories and their press taunt him with a false dilemma – either he "breaks the union link" or he's "weak, weak, weak". His challenge is to be strong in his determination to "mend not end" Labour's union relationship.Is the Falkirk debacle a threat or an opportunity for Ed Miliband? Ahead of his big speech on Tuesday on Labour party democracy, the Tories and their press taunt him with a false dilemma – either he "breaks the union link" or he's "weak, weak, weak". His challenge is to be strong in his determination to "mend not end" Labour's union relationship.
Opening up elections and selections is the only way to go. As he lays out a plan to forge a direct relationship with individual trade union members, he bypasses the union leaders who claim to speak on behalf of their members. One member, one vote for all candidate selections has to be the goal. The first big selection will be for Labour's London mayoral candidate next year. At present unions have half the votes and party members the other half. (Ironically, that was fixed by Tony Blair in his unsuccessful attempt to keep Ken Livingstone out.) Miliband's plan exposes David Cameron's failure to bring in the open primaries he promised in the coalition agreement – but reneged on when the Totnes MP, Sarah Wollaston, proved a bit too open-minded for him.Opening up elections and selections is the only way to go. As he lays out a plan to forge a direct relationship with individual trade union members, he bypasses the union leaders who claim to speak on behalf of their members. One member, one vote for all candidate selections has to be the goal. The first big selection will be for Labour's London mayoral candidate next year. At present unions have half the votes and party members the other half. (Ironically, that was fixed by Tony Blair in his unsuccessful attempt to keep Ken Livingstone out.) Miliband's plan exposes David Cameron's failure to bring in the open primaries he promised in the coalition agreement – but reneged on when the Totnes MP, Sarah Wollaston, proved a bit too open-minded for him.
Miliband's move is dangerous, risking the loss to Labour of millions in union funds. Though the trade union political fund will continue as before, leaders may opt to give Labour less. But what use is money for vote-getting if it arrives so contaminated that it alienates the very voters it is supposed to help buy? If Miliband can disinfect the culture of cabals, fixes, fiddles and dubious financing, then he can hurl back a challenge at the Tories' truly filthy funding. The charge that Labour is "in hock" to the unions was always absurd, but especially after the New Labour years. Nor do they get much for their money from the Eds, on the public sector pay freeze and the 2015-16 current spending limit.Miliband's move is dangerous, risking the loss to Labour of millions in union funds. Though the trade union political fund will continue as before, leaders may opt to give Labour less. But what use is money for vote-getting if it arrives so contaminated that it alienates the very voters it is supposed to help buy? If Miliband can disinfect the culture of cabals, fixes, fiddles and dubious financing, then he can hurl back a challenge at the Tories' truly filthy funding. The charge that Labour is "in hock" to the unions was always absurd, but especially after the New Labour years. Nor do they get much for their money from the Eds, on the public sector pay freeze and the 2015-16 current spending limit.
Real reform will not be easy. But lay to rest the straw man raised by the hard left and the Tories that anyone in Labour wants to break the union link: no one does, not Blairites, not centrists, not Progress. Who would want to cut Labour off from 6.5 million trade union members, covering every kind of occupation from street sweepers to musicians, from postmen to the professions? Not breaking the link, but attaching union members individually and more solidly to the Labour party is the right way to go. Will many join, since political parties are about as popular as poison? Opening up selection of candidates to anyone who registers as a Labour supporter should stir new popular interest.Real reform will not be easy. But lay to rest the straw man raised by the hard left and the Tories that anyone in Labour wants to break the union link: no one does, not Blairites, not centrists, not Progress. Who would want to cut Labour off from 6.5 million trade union members, covering every kind of occupation from street sweepers to musicians, from postmen to the professions? Not breaking the link, but attaching union members individually and more solidly to the Labour party is the right way to go. Will many join, since political parties are about as popular as poison? Opening up selection of candidates to anyone who registers as a Labour supporter should stir new popular interest.
After Len McCluskey's abrasive Sunday Mirror article, the Unite leader deserves a withering rebuff from the Labour leader. In the Guardian he now sounds more emollient. But lectures on democracy from a leader re-elected by just 9.7% of his members ring pretty hollow. Only 35%-40% of Unite members vote Labour, so McCluskey's attempt to shift Labour further left than looks electable is hardly representative of his membership. The suspicion that he shoehorned girlfriends and mates' girlfriends into safe seats and top union jobs doesn't look good. As he says, Labour needs candidates more representative of the ordinary working world, but his favoured candidate for Falkirk was herself a Westminster special adviser. Both Labour's right and left used the now rescinded rule that let new members be signed up by others and paid for with a single cheque – but signing up people unknowingly was a step too far. Old Labour hands are not easily shocked, but Falkirk struck a raw nerve.After Len McCluskey's abrasive Sunday Mirror article, the Unite leader deserves a withering rebuff from the Labour leader. In the Guardian he now sounds more emollient. But lectures on democracy from a leader re-elected by just 9.7% of his members ring pretty hollow. Only 35%-40% of Unite members vote Labour, so McCluskey's attempt to shift Labour further left than looks electable is hardly representative of his membership. The suspicion that he shoehorned girlfriends and mates' girlfriends into safe seats and top union jobs doesn't look good. As he says, Labour needs candidates more representative of the ordinary working world, but his favoured candidate for Falkirk was herself a Westminster special adviser. Both Labour's right and left used the now rescinded rule that let new members be signed up by others and paid for with a single cheque – but signing up people unknowingly was a step too far. Old Labour hands are not easily shocked, but Falkirk struck a raw nerve.
All this is a tragedy for unionism. Britain has never been in such need of strong and respected unions. Their crushing by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s has led to galloping inequality: the incomes of the bottom half have fallen behind by 25% in the past 30 years, while the top 1% have taken a 50% increased share. Strong unions kept up the wages of their members: 1970s strikes were largely a desperate attempt to keep pay up with soaring inflation. Once unions were weakened, top management lost both fear and shame in taking monstrous pay while depressing their employees' share. The fall of communism removed the lurking fear of revolution that kept the upper echelons in check, while the big bang blew the roof off high pay.All this is a tragedy for unionism. Britain has never been in such need of strong and respected unions. Their crushing by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s has led to galloping inequality: the incomes of the bottom half have fallen behind by 25% in the past 30 years, while the top 1% have taken a 50% increased share. Strong unions kept up the wages of their members: 1970s strikes were largely a desperate attempt to keep pay up with soaring inflation. Once unions were weakened, top management lost both fear and shame in taking monstrous pay while depressing their employees' share. The fall of communism removed the lurking fear of revolution that kept the upper echelons in check, while the big bang blew the roof off high pay.
If unions were stronger, this government wouldn't get away with its assault on those with least. The noise of the likes of McCluskey and Bob Crow is all most people hear of trade unionism – and they don't much like it. Sadly the TUC, with a succession of wise leaders – now Frances O'Grady – has no power to rein in a few roguish union leaders who damage the rest of the movement. What's needed is a re-growth of union roots, recruiting the neediest workers – the zero hours agency staff, the fast food battalions, the care assistants and underpaid nursery staff – who have never seen a trade union organiser. Rapid turnover makes them hard to organise, but that's where union effort is desperately needed. Goodness knows, we need reputable union strength to resist privatisation of Royal Mail and the east coast mainline, among a hundred other causes.If unions were stronger, this government wouldn't get away with its assault on those with least. The noise of the likes of McCluskey and Bob Crow is all most people hear of trade unionism – and they don't much like it. Sadly the TUC, with a succession of wise leaders – now Frances O'Grady – has no power to rein in a few roguish union leaders who damage the rest of the movement. What's needed is a re-growth of union roots, recruiting the neediest workers – the zero hours agency staff, the fast food battalions, the care assistants and underpaid nursery staff – who have never seen a trade union organiser. Rapid turnover makes them hard to organise, but that's where union effort is desperately needed. Goodness knows, we need reputable union strength to resist privatisation of Royal Mail and the east coast mainline, among a hundred other causes.
Labour needs the unions as its authentic anchor to the world of work, as a cause that deserves support and as muscle to win elections. The unions need Labour to keep out Conservatives whose every period in office does deep damage to their members. Direct connection with union members is the best hope of cementing a wider base: better to trust in the wisdom of crowds than in intermediaries claiming to speak on their behalf. Political parties and trade unions all suffer from the same crippling disease – empty democracies pretending to be representative. Whether it's union fixing or Westminster apparatchiks parachuting in favourite sons or A-list daughters, the smell of politics increasingly offends the voters being wooed.Labour needs the unions as its authentic anchor to the world of work, as a cause that deserves support and as muscle to win elections. The unions need Labour to keep out Conservatives whose every period in office does deep damage to their members. Direct connection with union members is the best hope of cementing a wider base: better to trust in the wisdom of crowds than in intermediaries claiming to speak on their behalf. Political parties and trade unions all suffer from the same crippling disease – empty democracies pretending to be representative. Whether it's union fixing or Westminster apparatchiks parachuting in favourite sons or A-list daughters, the smell of politics increasingly offends the voters being wooed.
I am shocked by the number of people I meet who refuse to join a party. Everyone who cares about politics should join, just as they should join a union. I am weary of the pretensions of those who won't join Labour because it isn't exactly what they want it to be: no party ever will be – and certainly not if people refuse to join. There is nothing principled about standing aloof to preserve your conscience: democracy can't function with only 1.1% of the population participating. Parties need members and the clean money they bring. Read Aditya Chakrabortty's piece in G2 to see the real corruption of Tory party funding. Miliband needs to succeed in opening Labour up and making it less dependent on anyone but its members. And Labour needs more members.I am shocked by the number of people I meet who refuse to join a party. Everyone who cares about politics should join, just as they should join a union. I am weary of the pretensions of those who won't join Labour because it isn't exactly what they want it to be: no party ever will be – and certainly not if people refuse to join. There is nothing principled about standing aloof to preserve your conscience: democracy can't function with only 1.1% of the population participating. Parties need members and the clean money they bring. Read Aditya Chakrabortty's piece in G2 to see the real corruption of Tory party funding. Miliband needs to succeed in opening Labour up and making it less dependent on anyone but its members. And Labour needs more members.
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