Its that time of year again, when if you are involved in trade unions or the Labour Party, you have to spend most of your spare time trying to get yourself and your "slate" elected.
This is the "centre left" slate and statement for London UNISON Labour Link (use to be known as the "affiliated political fund"). Unlike many trade unions UNISON has two separate political funds. One for the Labour Party and the other for "general" political activities. Such as campaigning against privatisation. members can chose which fund (or none) they can pay into.
Election Statement
Louise, Teresa, Qaisra, Irene, Rachel, Bill, Alan, John Gouch, John Gray and Ian are current members of the Regional Labour Link Committee seeking re-election. We believe that UNISON’s Labour Link payers’ views are best represented by those who place UNISON members’ interests first – above those of extreme political parties and factions.
As active members of both UNISON and the Labour Party we are committed to improving communication between Labour Link members and those elected to represent them, making sure the voice of UNISON members is heard loud and clear.
Labour Link has established a solid record of success over the last 3 years and in the last year along Labour Link has:
- Lobbied London Labour MP’s about pensions at every opportunity and won support for early day motions and UNISON’s campaigns
- Set up health pilot project to work with MP’s
- Gained regular access to Ken Livingston and Labour members of the London Assembly
- Been part of a strong trade union presence in Labour’s campaign during the Borough elections.
- Continued to build links and work with both Barking & Dagenham CLP’s in the fight against the far right
- Continued to develop links with MP’s Jeremy Corbyn, Sadiq Khan and Lyn Brown.
If elected we will: ·
Use of influence in the Labour Party and work to promote UNISON’s aims and
values.
We will continue to champion key trade union issues and ensure
that these
are at the top of the political agenda.
Build UNISON Labour
Link and mainstream our work in the region, branches
and the SOG’s so we can
effectively lobby at every level in our region for
UNISON policy.
1st. REGIONAL COMMITTEE: FEMALE SEAT (6 VOTES - Pink ballot paper)
1. COULING, LOUSIE
2. DEBONO, TERESA
4. KHAN, QAISRA
6. SELON, SAM
7. STACEY, IRENE
9. VOLLER, RACHEL
2nd. REGIONAL COMMITTEE: MALE SEATS (5 VOTES - Lilac Paper)
1. BEEKOO, BILL
5. GOUGH, JOHN
6. GRAY, JOHN
7. GRIFFITHS, ALAN
8. HORRIGAN, IAN
3rd. NATIONAL POLITICAL FORUM: FEMALE SEATS (5 VOTES - PURPLE PAPER)
1. COULING, LOUISE
2. DEBONO, TERESA
3. SELON, SAM
4. STACEY, IRENE
6. WOODS, PAM
4th. NATIONAL POLITICAL FORUM: MALES SEATS (3 VOTES - RED PAPER)
1. BEEKOO, BILL
3. GOUGH, JOHN
6. HORRIGAN, IAN
5th. LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE: GENERAL SEAT (1 VOTE - GREEN PAPER)
4. GRAY, JOHN
9 comments:
John, Interesting to see you are supporting a supporter of Socialist Appeal (a successor of Militant) for the Labour link Forum i.e. Pam Wood from my Branch, Islington, who is off cause an excellent Comrade. Maybe you hate Marsha even more then us trots. Happy blogging.
the alternative:
http://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2007/02/unison-london-region-labour-link.html#links
Hi Andrew (Berry I assume? sorry if wrong)
1. I don't hate anyone (well, maybe, hmmm, yes - I will make some exceptions, but apart from GG can't think of any at this moment, certainly not Marsha)
2. Please post the reasons for the "scrappy"" SWP/United left slate, at the AGM (which I thought at the time didn't make sense).
3. Hi Pam, welcome to the fold
Hmm click one my name hardly trying to hide!
John interesting that you still use analaogies more akin to Mrs Thatcher than a Socialist in talking about extremists and factions of good Labour Party colleagues. Can you tell me what the postion of the slate you mention is on the immediate withdrawal of Troops from Iraq & the non replacement of Trident is please? Also will the individuals support only candidates for the Labour leadership who support UNISON policies on both areas and a wide range of other ones? Is it true that your slate includes at least one person who was previously a member of the extremists know as the Lib Dems?
“Please post the reasons for the "scrappy"" SWP/United left slate, at the AGM (which I thought at the time didn't make sense).”
You go first. Tell me why you support Pam over Marsha, I am interested?
Tell me why you left the Liberal democrats?
Tell me why you did not admit to the Council that you support the Iraq War?
Sorry Andrew, I didn't realise you could click on name and go to your site! However, I don't think that I actually suggested you were trying to hide your name.
Non-trot Extremist, I think that you are hiding your name (apologies if you are not) which is a bit ironic considering you are making personally abusive comparisons. However, such is life. I do not have a clue what the position of the slate movers is on the immediate withdrawal of troops or Trident. I am sure that they all have their own views which may well be different to mine. I do know what their views are about the real issues affecting trade union members and importance of using our influence in the Party, locally and nationally, to further UNISON aims, lobby effectively, challenge and make changes to government policies. Yes, we will put the interests of members above "extremists" and factions. Personally, I think that an "immediate" withdrawal of troops would be wrong, however, they should be withdrawn as soon as possible. With regard to Trident, I haven't made my mind up but I will post something when I do. I think that we need to support the candidate for Labour leader who will make the best Prime Minister and (number one priority) able to defeat the Tories at the next election! When I was in the Lib Dems there was extremists (as there are in all walks of life) however, in my view most of them (not all) were "natural" Labour or Conservative supporters who didn't like bits of Lab/Tory policies and joined the Lib Dems as a protest.
Andrew - info P&C, but I would be grateful if you could send me a copy of the minutes of the United Left meeting following the AGM. I saw last year's but haven't seen this years yet.
I rejoined the Labour Party partly because of the gross hypocrisy of the Lib Dems party leadership and partly because I found being a trade union activist a pretty miserable experience in the Lib Dems (you think you've got problems in the Labour Party!). However, the main reason is that I had left the Labour Party "in disgust" (as you do) at "policies" which I found to be politically unacceptable. So instead of fighting within Party for the policies that I believed in, I left and joined a Party, which is all things to all men (and women) since they have no reasonable chance of Government. I now think that to change society for the better you need power, and to get power you need to win elections. To win elections you have to have a platform. That platform may include things you don't agree with or exclude things you do. Therefore to change society for the better you may have to hold your nose from time to time. That's the way things are, if you don't like it - tough.
I am amazed that there is anyone, especially in Regional Council that does not know that I supported the Labour government over the War (as did at the time a clear majority of the British public and in all probability our membership). I have spoken about it at Council, at my branch, election hustings, other meetings, written about it etc. etc. I don't agree with everything that was done and think things have at times been badly mishandled since. However, as I bascially said in my reply to the anonymous extremist (above) - so what? I stood for election at Regional Council as a trade unionist not a politician? You know in your heart of hearts that the vast overwhelming majority of our members are not interested in my views on Iraq, (which they may well disagree with), they want someone who is going to stand up for ordinary members and try his best to ensure that the union delivers for the members, which at the moment in many branches it does not. (I'll be blogging on this hopefully this weekend)
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