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In this edition we have links to the Scottish & Welsh Labour Party Manifestos for the elections on Thursday 3rd May, details of how to help the campaign in the English local elections & how UnionsTogether will change in order to publicise the upcoming Labour Party Leadership & Deputy leadership Elections.
We also have a special invitation from Compass to an event on how can Labour win a 4th term and their National Conference 2007.
We hope you find this Newsletter informative and useful and we remind you that you can view other articles and documents on our website unionstogether.org.uk.
Regards,
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Trade Unions in Scotland have been working together because many of the recent gains we have made for working families are at risk - we believe that the upcoming Scottish Parliament election will be the most important yet.
Some people have said that the SNP's promise of independence is the way forward for Scotland but the more we look at this idea the clearer it is that it would make the lives of Scots more difficult.
Breaking up Britain will cost Scotland £11.9bn per year - this would result in either a £5,000 tax on every Scottish family or severe cuts in our local public services. The SNP also threaten jobs as they plan to rip Scotland out of the UK economy - currently the 5th biggest economy in the world.
We have worked hard to improve working and living conditions in Scotland but the SNP did not even bother to vote for the minimum wage, child tax credits or working family tax credits and the SNP opposed Anti Social Behaviour legislation, community wardens and the successful neighbourhood wardens - these were all Labour initiatives.
Labour has made a start but there is a lot more for them to do.
Labour will:
- Create a Full Employment Agency to get 100 000 more Scots into work within 8 years.
- Increase the number of Modern Apprenticeships from 34 000 to 50 000 a year by the end of the next term.
- aim for full and fulfilling employment, through a high skills and knowledge economy with an employment rate of 80% or above;
- Retain and enhance Scotland's position of the skills capital of Britain. Ensuring at least 50% of the working age population hold a vocational or academic higher education qualification by 2020 with 90% above 'level 2';
- Enhance Scotland's position as a leading science nation and improve levels or research and development as a proportion of GDP;
- Invest and support six key high growth industries: life sciences; renewable energy; electronic markets; financial services; tourism and food & drink, raising the overall growth rate of the Scottish economy;
- Establish 100 Skills Academies in school and colleges across the country, giving 14 - 18 year olds a chance to excel in courses they enjoy;
Ensure all young people leaving school go onto further training, education, work or volunteering by 2012;
- Build upon the success of Learn Direct Scotland and Individual Learning Accounts to encourage and support part time workers and low skilled workers to develop their skills and abilities through direct funding to lift skills levels above level 2;
- Expand the existing partnership agreements between Learn Direct Scotland and Scotland's unions to actively promote work based learning;
Establish an alliance between learning providers, the college network and Learn Direct Scotland to implement a national campaign to actively promote part time learning, learning for those over 50 and work based learning within small businesses;
- Committed to improving the system to ensure that those who suffer personal injuries are not disadvantaged and that court processes and procedures should be more effective in reaching early resolution;
Continue to work in partnership with the UK government to ensure Scotland is well placed to attract further defence contracts and that the Diversification Agency can translate the technological expertise into an economic advantage for the Scottish economy;
- Scotland's electronics industry is high tech and competitive, Labour will support electronics manufacturers both home grown and from overseas and invest in the basic science that helped provide the bedrock for this industry and help promote their products and attract new investors into Scotland;
- Ensure the skills needs of the financial services industry are met and improve industry links with further and higher education. Labour will promote Scotland and the financial services industry, attracting high value jobs and fresh talent for companies.
These are just some of Scottish Labour's commitments, and more workplace agenda commitments can be found at: http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/scotland.html
We have a solid working relationship with the Labour Party, even when we sometimes disagree, we know that they are the only ones who listen to the Trade Unions and will deliver more for hard working families.
That is why it is so important that our members help re-elect Labour in the Scottish Parliament. If you can spare just a few hours it can help make all the difference. All you have to do is call Scottish Labour on 0141 572 6900 or email scotland@new.labour.org.uk.
This is going to be a tough election and we need your help to get Labour re-elected this 3rd May. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the trade union movement.
Yours Sincerely
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The results of the surveys that many trade union members have returned to me are clear: An overwhelming majority of members share the priorities of Rhodri Morgan's Welsh Labour of investing more in schools and hospitals and creating more jobs.
With the Labour Assembly Wales is now the closest it has been to full employment in generations. A great deal has been achieved in Wales but there is always more to do. Welsh Labour pledges to build a better Wales include
- 25,000 high quality modern apprenticeships for young people in Wales.
- An extra Children's Bond of between £50 and £100 for all children starting school.
- Ensure all people who want one can have access to a NHS Dentist
- Maximum 26 weeks NHS waiting times from referral to treatment
- Pharmacy-led NHS Drop-In Centres.
- 6500 new affordable homes.
- £20 million national fund for the youth service.
- Tidy Towns - £16 million Clean-Up fund for Welsh cities, towns and villages.
- Mobile Mammas - Extra support for Child Care.
- Organise specialist skills academies to upgrade the skills of existing workers.
- Support for 16-19 year olds to stay on in workplace learning or education.
- Provide £100 million for safer roads including safe routes to schools and 20mph zones.
- Free parking at NHS Hospitals for Chemotherapy, Renal Therapy and Dialysis patients.
- Discounted rail travel for pensioners and 50 new train carriages.
- Prescriptions free for everyone from this month.
But of course none of this will happen unless Welsh Labour is re-elected at the Assembly. Union members are faced with a simple choice on Thursday 3rd May 2007: a Tory led coalition cutting the Welsh NHS and essential public services or Welsh Labour investing in front line services, skills and jobs. The Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru are not real alternatives to the Tories. Both parties refuse to rule out joining a coalition that includes the Tories. If that happens we will be turning the clock back to the nightmare years of recession, record unemployment, soaring crime and damaging cuts to public services for the most vulnerable members of our society.
The conservatives might pretend that they have changed under Thatcherite Old Etonian toff David Cameron but its all spin and no substance. Showing their true colours they have committed to scrapping the hugely successful free school breakfast scheme in primary schools. Tens of thousands of children in 500 primary schools would lose out if the Tories got in. And that would just be the start of the damaging cuts if the Tories ruled Wales again.
That is why it is so important that members help re-elect the Labour Welsh Assembly Government. If you can spare just a few hours it can help make all the difference. All you have to do is call Welsh Labour on 029 20877700 or email wales@new.labour.org.uk.
Even if you can't spare the time to help out, it is really important to vote Welsh Labour. Election Day is on Thursday 3rd May 2007 - put it in your diary or on your calendar so you don't forget to vote. You don't need your polling card to vote. Just turn up at your polling station anytime between 7.00am in the morning and 10.00pm at night.
If you have a postal vote make sure you sign and date the form.
Thank you for reading this email and for any help you can give.
Yours sincerely
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In addition to election to the Scottish Parliament & Welsh Assembly, there will also be local elections across England. TULO Officer and Trade Union members are working with the Labour Party across England and if you live in an area with elections you can help do.
All you need to do is click here and register to become a TULO Volunteer. We will then put you in touch with your local Labour Team and you can join thousands of other trade union members who will be campaigning for the Labour Party in these English local elections.
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While the election process has not yet begun, TULO has been working hard with Affiliated Trade Unions to ensure that UnionsTogether is the focal point for the campaign.
As soon as the election is called we shall be placing a new page on the site which will explain how the election works, how trade union members can participate in the election & details of the TULO Hustings Events.
We shall then put up a page for every candidate who is nominated. This page will contain a 500 word statement for the candidate explaining why trade union members should support them, a Q&A section, a video interview on a number of different policy issues & the facility to ask the candidates a question.
We hope that this site will provide trade union members all the information they need in order to make an informed choice about which candidates to support and will encourage members to get involved in the campaign by asking candidates questions and attending one of the TULO Hustings events.
We shall send all subscribers an email when the election process begins so that all members will have the opportunity to participate.
Yours sincerely
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After the 2007 elections: how does Labour renew and win a fourth term?
Tuesday 8th May 6pm, Grand Committee Room, House of Commons, Westminster
Speakers: Jon Cruddas MP; Andrew Davies AM; Jon Trickett MP; Neal Lawson (Chair); Steve Richards, The Independent;
Madeleine Moon MP - more to be announced in due course.
Come join and debate with us Labour's future under a new leadership team at this timely event taking place the Tuesday after this year's elections, at what is likely to be a very interesting week in politics. The event is free and open to all, email gavin@compassonline.org.uk or call 020 7463 0633 for your place
Shaping our global world: Compass National Conference 2007
The Robin Cook Memorial & Compass National Conference, Saturday 9 June, Central Hall Westminster, London
After the G8 summit and in the midst of Labour's leadership elections help set a new political agenda and speak out on the things you believe passionately about: climate change; global poverty; equality and building a better world for all at this year's Compass annual gathering of the democratic left.
The conference will host at least 4 major keynote speeches and an additional 60+ leading figures and commentators including the likes of: London Mayor Ken Livingstone; Chair of Compass Neal Lawson; Deputy Leadership challenger Jon Cruddas MP; Baroness Helena Kennedy; BBC Newsnight's Paul Mason; Compass Parliamentary Chair Jon Trickett MP; UNISON's Dave Prentis; POWER's Pam Giddy; Emily Thornberry MP and Helen Goodman MP who'll be joined by a broad-range of people from across the progressive community, with many more excellent speakers to be announced in due course.
This is the annual event where you'll get access to attend a vast array of sessions organised by over 35 of the UK's leading NGOs, think tanks, pressure groups and publications all under one roof including: POWER, Unison; New Policy Institute; Foreign Policy Centre; CRE; TULO; Friends of the Earth; SERA; Demos; nef; Searchlight; War on Want; Citizenship Foundation; Liberty; CND; Red Pepper; NUS; Action Aid; Young Foundation; New Statesman; Unions 21; NLGN; Tribune; Centre for European Reform; Venezuela Information Centre; Renewal; Public World; The Fabian Society; Campaign for Therapy; The Fawcett Society; IPPR; T&G; NUT; CORE; Citizen Organising Foundation; London Citizens.
Held in association with UNISON; The Guardian and New Statesman this summer we challenge you to join us in shaping our global world. Debate and get inspired about the ideas and action needed to create a better world for all. This is the political highlight of the summer, now the biggest independent annual gathering of the left and wider progressive movement with over 1500 people expected to attend.
Big change is on the horizon: join the movement for global social and democratic renewal this summer @ www.compassonline.org.uk/conference
Have you become a member of the UK's fastest growing left pressure group yet? If not, sign up to Compass today at www.compassonline.org.uk/join.asp.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Gandhi
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