Labour Foreword
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Executive Council Statement to the 2005 ADM Towards an Historic Third Term – Usdaw and Labour Foreword Labour in Government has delivered for Usdaw members and all working people. We need a historic third term of Labour in Government to ensure that we keep the new rights and benefits that we have gained. We also need Labour to win a third term so that we can continue to successfully campaign for improvements for Usdaw members. Make no mistake, only Labour will deliver for Usdaw members and working people. The Tories would not deliver on this agenda and would not deliver for working people. The Tories are pledged to £35 billion of cuts in public expenditure, cutting the budgets of hospitals and schools. The Tories’ agenda is to ‘cut red tape’ for businesses. When they say ‘red tape’ what they mean is cut the hard won workers’ rights gained by unions with a Labour Government. This election is a simple choice between a Labour Government that introduces new rights for working people and the Tories who will remove those rights. Supporting fringe parties like the Lib Dems, or the Nationalists in Scotland or Wales, will only help the Tories win. Please read this document, which sets out in detail what Labour has achieved, what Labour will do if they win the next election and what you can do to help Labour win. Having a Labour Government is an essential part of the representation that Usdaw offers its members. With Labour, we can campaign for rights that we cannot gain from employers. Don’t let the Tories take away everything we’ve gained. Vote Labour. John Hannett General Secretary 1 Towards an Historic Third Term – Usdaw and Labour Contents Page Introduction 3 Section 1: Why we are in Politics 4 G An overview. 4 G Political campaigns. 5 G Future campaigning priorities. 5 Section 2: What has Labour done for Usdaw? 15 G New rights and benefits at work. 15 G 56 Promises in the Warwick Agreement. 18 Section 3: Why do we need a third 21 Labour Government? G Policy dividing lines. 21 Section 4: Helping to achieve a 24 third Labour Government G Arranging for a Labour MP or candidate to visit your workplace. 24 G Organising postal votes for members. 26 G Informing members and encouraging them to vote. 27 G Helping the Labour Party. 28 Conclusion 30 Appendices 31 G General Election Volunteer Form. 32 G Postal Vote Form. 33 G Usdaw Divisional Political Co-ordinators. 35 G Labour Party Regional Offices. 36 G Labour Party Membership Form. 37 G Election Materials Order Form. 38 G Form to affiliate a branch to a Constituency Labour Party. 39 G List of Usdaw’s Target Seats. 40 2 Towards an Historic Third Term – Usdaw and Labour Introduction his EC statement sets out to show that Usdaw Tneeds an historic third term of Labour in Government. We say historic because the Labour Party has never achieved three consecutive terms of office. Too many times in the past Labour Government’s have delivered for working people only for it to all to be undone by the Tories winning office. Since 1997 we have made tremendous gains, which are outlined in this document, and we must ensure that we do not throw them away. Usdaw needs to build a firm foundation for This statement is a toolkit for all activists who Labour’s third term as well – a foundation of want to get politically involved and help Labour win experienced campaigners who can help us fight for the election. action and improvements for our members. But we also aim to show that we don’t just need to That way we not only help Labour win – we help help Labour MPs win their seats again, our election our members and that’s winning for us. work is about promoting Usdaw’s policies and delivering new rights and benefits for our members by: G Letting our members know the issues so that they can make informed choices and exercise their power by voting. G Helping them meet Labour MPs and candidates so they can let them know our issues and concerns. G Giving our members experience and confidence – hopefully some will want to stand as Labour representatives themselves. 3 Towards an Historic Third Term – Usdaw and Labour Section 1 Why we are in Politics An overview Why is Usdaw involved in politics? ur role as a trade union is to make things better Ofor our members and mostly we do that through negotiating with employers, but sometimes we need politics: G To get a level playing-field for negotiating with So what issues are we taking up with employers. the Government? G To introduce fair minimum standards, eg the Usdaw’s policies are decided at our Annual Delegate minimum wage, 20 days paid holiday (will be 28 if Meeting (ADM) and the resolutions passed there form Labour win) and up to 52 weeks maternity leave the basis of our political campaign work. (26 of which are paid). Some examples of issues we are currently G To improve our members’ lives in other ways – campaigning on are: through better pensions, benefits, improving schools and health services. G Upgrading the minimum wage for young workers. G A rise in the rate of the minimum wage. Why are we linked to G Protection for shopworkers against violence and the Labour Party? abuse at work. G More support for parents and carers. Trade unions created the Labour Party to campaign G Protection of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day in and act for all working people. We have many links Scotland. with the Labour Party at every level – we can campaign for the things our members want with Labour’s elected representatives. Most members of the Labour Party and MPs are trade unionists – they What does our political work involve? understand what’s important to us and are willing to G Picking up issues from our activists and members help where they can. that we need to run political campaigns on. G Running those campaigns and raising awareness of How does Usdaw influence the issues that affect our members. Labour Party? G Informing our members about what’s happening politically – because the media isn’t very good at We can best influence the Labour Party by developing doing this! constructive relationships at every level based on G Helping to keep the Labour Party in Government – mutual trust and respect. because without a Labour Government, we can’t Although Usdaw’s communications at national level get action on issues that matter to us. with Ministers is important, it is much more effective if it is backed up by Usdaw members raising issues in Labour Party meetings and policy forums all round the country. Because our most important resource is our members and their votes, the Government know they have to address the issues that matter to our members. 4 Towards an Historic Third Term – Usdaw and Labour How can you get involved? G A new minimum wage of £3.00 per hour for all 16 and 17 year old workers came into force on G By joining the Labour Party and raising issues 1 October 2004. there: – MPs listen to their local Labour Party members and representatives from trade unions. Future campaigning – Labour Party members have a vote in selecting priorities candidates for Parliament, Councils, the European Parliament etc. Our campaigns are about making our voice heard not just with politicians but with our activists, members – Labour Party members have the opportunity to and the public – our potential members. get more involved if you want to discuss policy, go to conferences or represent Labour on a They can be run at any level – local, regional or council, regional body or even stand for national. Sometimes they are just about one branch Parliament! submitting a resolution to their local Labour Party or an activist ringing their MP on behalf of members. G By working with other Usdaw members: If members contact the Political Office at Central – Usdaw for Labour organise campaigns and Office and let them know their concerns, campaigns events in each division of the Union. There can be organised nationally through the National is a political committee in each division, Political Committee, particularly if there’s an issue that co-ordinated by the divisional political is raised by a lot of members. co-ordinators – contact them by ringing your local office. A week in politics may be a long time but the political process doesn’t actually run quickly and it G By telling Usdaw’s Political Officer when our usually takes time for our campaigns to bear fruit. members need political help: Back in the 1980s Usdaw was one of the very few – If our members are affected by an issue that unions campaigning for a national minimum wage. can only be dealt with by Government That campaign took a long time but we achieved it in legislation or if current legislation isn’t working the end. in practice, we need practical examples to help Having a Labour Government means that we are us point out to Government why it’s important. far more successful at achieving our aims than we ever Usdaw’s Political Officer, Ruth Stoney, is gathering were under the Tories! evidence for our political campaigning work and can Members are vital to our campaigning work. be contacted on 0161-249 2452. Members bring our campaigns to life and can make Politics affects all of us. Usdaw can have a great politicians understand that we are not just banging a influence politically and we need your help.