Unions Together

Agency workers’ protection at risk from Coalition?

06.07.10

Labour’s affiliated trade unions long campaigned for the last Labour government to sign up to the Temporary and Agency Workers Directive, which are due to come into force next year and provide crucial protection for the thousands of workers who miss out on workplace rights just because they are employed through an agency.

Whilst the UK Government is now signed up to the Directive, the way that they will put that into practice in this country will determine how effective that protection is. The CBI recently called for the government to “look to simplify the agency rules to ensure existing work opportunities are maintained and new openings can be created”.

That’s why it’s so worrying that Ed Davey, a Lib Dem Minister in the Business Innovation and Skills department, recently answered a question from Labour’s Lisa Nandy by saying: “The Government are aware of the different points of view expressed by the business community about certain aspects of the agency workers regulations and is currently considering the way forward.”

Any watering down of the protections due to come in would be worrying indeed – this is one issue we’ll be keeping an eye on as it progresses.

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Your questions answered - Week Four - Royal Mail

02.07.10

If elected as the Labour leader, would you support a three-line whip for the PLP against the Coalition government's Bill to privatise, and break up, Royal Mail?

 

Diane Abbott:

Yes I would. I have long made it clear that I do not support privatising the Royal Mail. In my opinion if a service is important, it is too important to be privatised.

We need to be wary about privatising and breaking up an institution that is one of Britain's greatest public services.

Coalition ministers have this idea that Royal Mail can be the new John Lewis, where employees are 'partners', owning shares and receiving annual dividends based on its profits. But they forget that the history behind the two companies is very different.

During last year's post strike, Royal Mail recruited 30,000 temporary workers to counter the effect of the strike.

Also, if the employees are to ‘own’ the business and receive profits, surely they would also be forced to bear the burden should profits fall? Would employees want to take on this risk?

An injection of private cash is urgently needed the coalition says. But would a private company also be prepared to address the black hole in the pension scheme or would they force employees to pay up themselves? What would be the government’s position should we have a revolt on our hands?

I know the Hooper report said change was needed. But we need to be wary of handing over institutions to private companies without proper consideration.

  

Ed Balls:

Yes. Postal workers delivering letters for the same stamp price, from John O’Groats to Land’s End, 6 days a week, makes Britain proud.

The CWU has attracted huge support for its campaigns to retain the Post Office as a public service. It keeps friends and families in touch, and keeps the economy connected. So I fully back the manifesto pledge to invest in Royal Mail in the public sector.

Yes there is pressure on letters from emails, but the internet is also boosting delivery of packages. So the future need not be gloomy.

The big challenges facing Royal Mail are:

• Modernisation. Royal Mail and the CWU have made massive strides to agree tough modernisation plans, backed overwhelmingly by CWU members. This requires investment and we should explore innovative ways to achieve this.
• Transforming the Post Office into a ‘People’s Bank’, as we propose.
• Pensions. Like millions of public sector workers, postal staff are threatened by a Tory-Lib Dem government attack on their pensions. The Post Office is not going to do a moonlight flit, so a long-term sustainable solution to the deficit is the answer.
• The wider economy. Did you know that the Con-Dem government's unfair VAT rise will apply to postage stamps too? We have to get the economy right and prevent the double-dip recession the Tories are recklessly flirting with.
• Con-Dem plans to privatise Royal Mail. It is a good idea for postal staff to be more involved in Royal Mail. But a small stake held in trust for staff would not give employees any significant control, is certainly not a John Lewis model and would not disguise the overall sale to private owners which the Government plan.

I will fight against the Con-Dem plans, which endanger this vital and popular public service.

 

Andy Burnham:

We've not yet received Andy's answer, but we'll publish it as soon as we have.

  

 

 

 David Miliband:

I support our manifesto commitment to maintaining Royal Mail in the public sector, while bringing in both new investment and reform. This is the best way to protect the vital principles of a single price and universal provision that underpin a postal service operated in the public interest. Competition from other forms of communication – not least e-mail – is only going to continue, so we must encourage innovation and creativity from all quarters to safeguard the future of Royal Mail.

I am very concerned by suggestions that the Tory-Lib Dem government is considering privatisation. As Labour leader, I would oppose any Bill that gave the private sector a majority stake in Royal Mail, which would mean the controlling interest of the company was not democratically governed in the public interest.

I also think we should be finding ways to sustain and capitalise on the Post Office network, which is part of the fabric of our communities. We should be exploring ways to use the Post Office network to provide banking and other financial services to people – as well as to provide credit to families that keeps them out of the hands of exploitative loan sharks and enables them to borrow at a reasonable cost.

 

Ed Miliband:

Yes I would have a clear position against the Coalition's plans for privatisation. They are the wrong answer for the workforce and citizens.

CWU have worked hard with the Royal Mail to agree comprehensive modernisation plans and these are supported by CWU members. I believe that we need to show as a party, including in the case of Royal Mail, that we can modernise and improve public services without resorting to privatisation. So we need to back up the modernisation plans by finding innovative ways to enable the Royal Mail to work in the public interest as a publicly owned service with the investment it needs and the improved management at the top of the organisation. And we also need to examine the competition regime to ensure that we don't have a situation which unfairly disadvantages the Royal Mail.

Britain needs a strong modern Post Office, which provides a world-class postal service and also diversifies into new areas, like the Post Office Bank. As we made clear in the Manifesto, we need to invest and develop the Post Office as a public service, vital to our economy and vital to millions of people across the country who want to stay connected with their friends and family.

 

 

 

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Your questions answered - Week Three - Public Sector Pensions

22.06.10

What should be the future of public sector pensions? Would a future Labour Government led by you stand by the agreement reached between the TUC and the Labour Government in April of this year and commit to provide 'good quality, index-linked, sustainable, defined benefit pensions' for public sector workers?

 

Diane Abbott:

A large number of my constituents work in the public sector The idea that they should have to contribute more to their pensions because of a deficit caused by bankers is ludicrous.

We should not be hitting as many people as we can with these cuts, which is what the coalition seems to be doing. Public sector workers traditionally earn lower wages than those in the private sector and often good quality pension schemes are their ‘bonuses’.

The coalition cuts are hitting ordinary people the hardest. When David Cameron says our way of life must change, he means our way of life not his. It is unfair that we should be taking money from the pockets of the poorest people to appease private sector workers in the City.

The actual cost of public sector pensions to taxpayers will not rise, as the coalition government is suggesting. Several trade unions have backed this and suggested the government needs to look long term rather than drastic cuts in the short term.

As leader of the Labour Party, I would stick by our promise to provide sustainable public sector pensions. In fact, I would reconsider the cuts altogether. Instead I would look at increasing tax for high earners as a way of evening out the playing field.

Labour lost out at the polls because people thought we had stopped listening to them. These cuts suggest the coalition might also be in danger of losing touch with the ordinary man and woman. This is a lesson they may have to learn the hard way, as Labour had to.

 

Ed Balls:

Britain’s public service workers will have been shocked at the sudden review of their pensions announced on Sunday, especially since Cameron and Clegg have repeatedly said they want to target public sector pensions for cuts.

It is wrong for the new government to pre-empt this review, and to restore some faith in its independence, the commission must at least have a proper trade union voice.

I am right behind Dave Prentis' call last week to stand up for public sector workers’ pensions. The picture of 10 million public servants retiring into shameless luxury is a media myth - the GMB calculates the average pension in local government is just £77 a week dropping to £50 for women. Moreover pensions are for the long term and should not be based on short-term share prices.

Yes we are all living longer. But Labour and the trade unions have already acted since 2005 to keep public sector pensions affordable for the future. The NHS, civil service and teachers’ schemes are still based on final salary but now have a ceiling on taxpayer contributions. And for years employers like the Post Office took ‘contribution holidays’.

Teachers, nurses, postal workers, police officers, local government staff and other workers who have dedicated their lives to public service deserve to retire in dignity. We all rely on their efforts.

So the Tory/ Liberal attacks on public sector pensions are hypocritical, unfair and unwarranted – at worst they are an excuse for cuts - and I will fight them tooth and nail.

 

 Andy Burnham:

Decent pensions for public sector workers are an important recognition of the vital work that public servants do. It is insulting for the Government to infer that all public sector pensions are ‘gold plated’. What they don’t say is that the vast majority of those working in the public sector provide vital services, for far lower wages than the few headline cases of those who earn more than the Prime Minister. What they also won’t tell you is that whilst telling us that schemes for the people who deliver our health services, teach our children and collect our rubbish are ‘unaffordable’, that they’ve significantly increased the pensions bill to provide for those who work in Downing Street.

Pensions are going to come under increasing pressure, and will start to cost a lot more over the next five years. However, my response wouldn’t be to deny access to high quality pension schemes, but to work with public sector unions to see how we can tackle the problem together. With a report this month from Age UK showing that the wealthiest in society benefit disproportionately from the tax relief given to private pension schemes, those schemes must also be considered within my review. It wouldn’t be honest to say that I don’t think anything needs to change. However, change should start at the top, with the highest earners in the public sector having to step up their contributions. Once changes to ensure that the highest earners are paying more have been implemented, then it may be necessary to see what else needs to change, in consultation with the unions. There may be a need to increase employee contributions across the board, payment periods may need to increase and there might have to be a review at the rate at which pensions are paid out – but I will campaign for decent, index linked, final salary schemes to remain in the public sector.

 

 David Miliband:

We should stand up for good public sector pensions and good privates sector pensions. My priority is tackling pensioner poverty and enhancing pension provision in our country, not engaging in a race to the bottom – and Labour’s manifesto is the right place to start.

According to the National Audit Office, most pensions paid to former NHS and civil service staff are worth less than £110 a week. A quarter of former health workers get less than £40 a week. By contrast, fewer than 0.2 per cent of teacher pensioners, 1.8 per cent of civil service pensioners and 2.5 per cent of NHS pensioners get pensions of more than £40,000 a year. When the Tories seek to undermine public sector pensions, we need to remind people that they would end up targeting many formerly low paid workers.

Second, cost. There has been a two per cent increase in the average pension in payment since the turn of the century. Ironically, one of the reasons the Office for Budget Responsibility recently projected an increase in the net cost of public sector pensions is because of the negative impact of the planned public sector pay freeze on employee pension contributions.

The most pressing problem with pension provision in this country is that nearly two-thirds of private sector workers have no employer backed pension scheme at all. It is estimated that 7 million workers are not saving enough for retirement, with 750,000 employers in the private sector still not operating an occupational pension scheme.

Labour’s pension reforms addressed this problem – and any government delay to our plans for workplace pensions, with compulsory employer contributions, would be a massive hit to the future of British pension provision, especially amongst the low paid. After all, the real ‘pensions apartheid’ is not between the public and private sector, but between low paid workers with no pension coverage and high paid workers who have taken the lion’s share of the generous tax breaks on pension contributions.

Following the announcement of a review, the government should commit to not making any changes to public sector pensions without consensus, including with the relevant trade unions. This was an essential part of Labour’s pension reforms, through both the Turner process and the measures already agreed which will increase contributions to public sector pensions by 1bn a year from 2012/13.

 

Ed Miliband:

We owe a debt of thanks to our public sector workforce who are there for us every day of the year, providing some of the most vital services on which families across the country rely. It’s not just pensions that the Tories and Liberals are planning to cut, its also public sector pay and the cuts they are demanding risk bringing vital public services to their knees. They will hit those who work in the public sector and those who rely on public services. It is vital that Labour commits itself to fight on the side of the public sector against the savage and unfair cuts being pushed through by the Tories and Liberals.

Of course I stand by the agreement we reached with the TUC earlier this year. It is a fair way forward, protecting the pensions which public sector workers have worked hard for and ensuring they are sustainable in the long-term and I will stand by it just as I stand by our public sector workers.

 

 

 

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Your questions answered - Week Two - Living Wage

15.06.10

How would you practically implement a living wage? For example, would you support legislation to ensure that companies can only get government and local government contracts if they pay a living wage?

 

Diane Abbott:

Ensuring we have a living wage is extremely important. Working hard should mean being able to provide for your family and lead a decent standard of living – not living on the breadline.

 Implementing a living wage doesn't only benefit the employees. It improves staff loyalty and boosts morale, and therefore productivity. It also reduces training and recruitment costs, which is overall better value for money for employers.

I would support introducing legislation to ensure that government tenders are not able to be taken up by contractors who are not prepared to pay a living wage to their staff.

As a party, we must lead by example and those who are not willing to offer a decent wage for a decent day’s work, should not benefit from government contracts.

My father worked as a sheet metal worker. He was able to provide for my mother and buy the odd treat for me and my brother. This is what working should be about; providing for your family and been proud of what you earn.

Keeping people’s wages below the breadline has a knock-on effect on not only on the family unit, but the wider community in terms of anti-social behaviour and crime. This in turn places further burden on services like the police. Insisting on a living wage would alleviate this.

The gap between rich and poor in the UK is far too wide. As leader of the Labour Party, this is something I would want to tackle. My government has done much to address this over last 13 years and in particular, work to help reduce child poverty. We have made good progress but more needs to be done.

Implementing a living wage for all government contractors would be a step in the right direction to addressing this inequality.

 

Ed Balls:

It was a scandal that in 1997 jobs were still advertised for as little as £1 an hour. Labour’s rising National Minimum Wage and tax credits improved living standards for low-paid workers and narrowed the pay gap for women whilst avoiding job losses.

But low pay is still a problem - and we need to recognise that higher living costs in some parts of the country, particularly in London and the south, mean the minimum wage and tax credits are having a reduced impact there.

Ken Livingstone instituted the London Living Wage, responding to calls from unions and London Citizens to recognise the higher cost of living in London.

If campaigns for a living wage are to be successful then we have to set the example and show leadership ourselves, as Ken did when he was Mayor.

I did not just talk the talk - I was the one and only Cabinet minister to introduce the Living Wage within my own government department for all staff and contracted staff.

But a living wage cannot be implemented in isolation. Our plan must be to:

• Raise the National Minimum Wage every year at least in line with average earnings.
• Follow Ken Livingstone’s example by having the Low Pay Commission properly assess the level of a Living Wage.
• Reflect different family circumstances through child benefit and tax credits. We cannot base a living wage on a 1950s notion of the family.
• Beef up enforcement – I want to see local council and tax inspectors empowered to blow the whistle on employers who evade the legal minimum. There is a strong case for a unified Employment Inspectorate.
• Strengthen laws on agency and posted workers to combat undercutting.
• Ensure low paid workers have access to trade union organisation if they so wish.
• And ensure the public sector leads the way on fair pay, both directly and through procurement.

 Now we must reject the Tory counsel of despair and press the case for a living wage.

 

 Andy Burnham:

Under my leadership, introducing a living wage in the public and private sectors will be a priority. But first we’ve got to practice what we preach. We should work towards a requirement in government contracts that only those companies paying at the agreed level, region by region, should be entitled to bid. As resources allow, we should ensure that those employed in government departments also receive a living wage

It is important that it is set at the right level. I would establish a joint consultation of unions, business and a range of stakeholder groups to ensure that it is set at the appropriate level for each region and that it is workable.

We must also remember the importance of policing and enforcing the minimum wage. In Opposition it is essential not only to press the Coalition government to ensure that the minimum wage keeps its value in real terms but also that government ensures that checks and enforcement continues to stamp out bad business practice.

Finally, I will set up a scheme, where good employers who were paying at the level of a living wage would receive accreditation and gain the recognition of being a good employer with positive employment practice. Such a scheme would provide an incentive to encourage employers to pay a living wage and help embed a living wage within employment practice going forward.

 

 David Miliband:

A fair days pay for a fair days work has always been a core principle of the Labour movement. That’s why the minimum wage is one of Labour’s proudest legacies – and we were right at the general election to argue that it should rise at least in line with average earnings over the next few years.

But when nearly five million people earn less than 7.15 an hour, we know that the fight for fair pay is not yet won. That’s why I support calls for a living wage, to complement the National Minimum Wage. I think we should pursue this goal through the government becoming a living wage employer – and committing to only doing business with contractors who pay a living wage. This would set a bar and show the way for the private sector – where campaigns involving community groups and trade unions have already made a big difference.

I want Labour to return to its roots as a living, breathing movement for change precisely so it can play its part in these community actions. It’s also important to remember that successful living wage campaigns do not just strike a blow for social justice – they make good business sense too. Major companies, like Barclays, who have implemented the living wage, have seen real benefits in lower staff turnover and higher productivity.

 

Ed Miliband:

I've put the Living Wage campaign as the centre of my campaign for labour leadership because it sums up both the Labour party's values and its activism.

It speaks to our values because it touches our deep sense of justice, of fairness and of a belief in the dignity of work. And it speaks to our activism because this has never been a party to rest on its accomplishments or believe change only comes from those with the most power. To equip us for government once more the Labour party needs to become a vibrant movement for change - and taking on grassroots campaigns like this are crucial to that endeavour.

I've already thrown my support behind Labour councils and Labour groups who have led the way on the living wage - like Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Glasgow, Preston, Oxford, Lambeth and Hackney - and I'll be working with others to do the same.

Businesses too have a chance to show they are responsible employers by adopting the living wage and Labour members can and should campaign to raise the wages of the lowest paid employees in shops and banks as well as councils.

When in government I pushed to make Whitehall a Living Wage employer – a commitment that appeared in our manifesto. When in government again we need to throw its entire weight behind the campaign, by supporting councils who adopt it, broadening the range of public sector workers who get it and by moving towards a procurement process that supports living wage employers bidding for external contracts.

The living wage campaign can become the hallmark of a Labour party engaged in local communities, campaigning for change. It can show that even in Opposition we can help some of the poorest people in society to do better.

Labour brought in the minimum wage, we now have an opportunity to lead the fight for a living wage. I hope we will seize it.

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Where next answers

14.06.10

I've been really inspired by the number of people that took the time to reply to me, sharing their thoughts on “where next?” for Labour. It’s clear that there is lots of passion among our supporters for renewing and reenergising our movement.

I'm still reading through the last of the submissions, but already there are some strong recurring themes. Many people said something similar to Vino:

I think Labour needs to focus on increasing trade union rights and promoting trade unionism, particularly in the private service sector. We also need to focus on defending public services - and arguing against privatisation and contracting out.

One of the other themes that's come up in your responses is the need to be a campaigning movement. Jon said:

- The party needs to become a mass, campaigning movement, that isn't only about getting people elected to office, but fights for real change in our communities and workplaces.
- We need to talk, and campaign, more on issues related to the workplace, the economy, and the injustices which over-reliance on market principles creates in our society.
- Labour needs to define it's core principles in a way that offers clear dividing lines between our values and those of tories and libdems. Doing so will need a real debate, and real argument. But I think in particular we need to rediscover a confident language to oppose the steady encroachment of the market, and market values in many spheres of life.

Talking about the need to reconnect with voters, Timothy said:

The Labour Party needs to reconnect with voters - particularly its core voters - not by adopting populist right-wing measures, but by arguing why our values are their values.  We should not turn immigration into a political football.  Labour needs to target its attacks on the LibCons, emphasising that a LibDem vote is a Conservative vote, and only Labour can protect the most vulnerable in society.  We need to encourage new members to be active members, increasing our campaigning on the ground to get our message across.  We need to encourage a new generation of elected officials at all levels - school governors, councillors and upwards.  Where necessary Labour councils need to fight the worst excesses of the LibCon coaltion.  We need to involve members in policy making, and not treat them as a rubber-stamp.  We should use Conference as a forum for debate not merely platitudinous speeches from Shadow Cabinet members.

Many of you echoed his sentiments with similar replies.

I look forward to reading the rest of your answers, I hope to post some more up on the blog soon.

If you have thoughts about the future of the Labour party, share them with TULO here:

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/where-next-for-Labour

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Do the candidates share your vision?

14.06.10

A couple of weeks ago, I asked our supporters to share their thoughts about where Labour should go next.

I've been really inspired by the number of people that took the time to reply to me, and by the clear passion there is for renewing and reenergising our movement.

I'm still reading through the last of the submissions, but already there are some strong recurring themes. Many people said something similar to Vino:

"I think Labour needs to focus on increasing trade union rights and promoting trade unionism, particularly in the private service sector. We also need to focus on defending public services - and arguing against privatisation and contracting out."

I want to make sure that trade union issues like these are firmly on the agenda during the leadership election. Now that the first part of nominations have closed, and we know who the five leadership candidates will be, we want to start asking them the questions that matter to you.

Find out what they really think. Ask the candidates a question:

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/SubmitYourQuestion

Our members sent in clear ideas about where the party should be heading. But where do the leadership candidates stand on these issues? Which questions mark out the candidates that share your vision?

Each week, we're going to put a different question to the leadership candidates, and we want you to tell us what to ask. What do you want to know before you cast your vote?

One of the other themes that's come up in your responses is the need to be a campaigning movement. Jon said:

"The party needs to become a mass, campaigning movement - which isn't only about getting people elected to office, but fights for real change in our communities and workplaces."

Who are the candidates who have the answers to the hard questions?

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/SubmitYourQuestion

Many of you said we start renewing the party by having an open debate. You've started that debate by sharing your vision for the future, now it's time to find out if the candidates also share it.

Helen

P.S. Last week, we asked the candidates to tell us how they see the role of trade unions in the 21st century? You can read the answers here.

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Your questions answered - Week One

08.06.10

What do you see as the role of trade unions in the 21st Century?

 

Diane Abbott:

In one way the role of trade unions in the 21st century is the same as it was in the 19th century – to represent workers and to pursue their interests. Historically by bringing workers together, the trade union movement was able to empower them in relation to management. But it is also the case that the world has moved on since the setting up of our trade unions. The number of people actually organised in the unions has dropped. In the private sector, only fifteen percent of workers are in a union. There is a rising generation of young people who have no tradition of trade unionism in their family or in the community, who only realise the point of trade unionism when they are in a crisis at work.

So the challenge for trade unions in the 21st century is how do you reach out to those people who do not see the point of the trade union movement, and do not come from communities with a history of trade union activity?

First of all there is a lot that government can do to help and the next Labour leader must commit to doing away with a legal situation where courts can halt strikes on a technicality about the trade union’s ballot.

Also, for too long there have not been any role models in the trade union movement – we need more women and ethnic minority officers and more diversity at the top.

We must prove to potential members what we have to offer them and show that the British trade union movement wants a leadership that looks like Britain.

It is not a coincidence that with the decline in organised trade unionism there has been an increase in inequality. That is why the role of trade unions is as vital as ever.

 

Ed Balls:

Those who argue that the days of unions are numbered could not be more wrong. The old smokestack industries no longer employ millions. Blue-collar have given way to ‘new-collar’ jobs. Jobs for life have ended. But workers still need to act together to pursue their rights.

 As old demarcations dissolve, unions like Unite, Unison, GMB and Community have widened their scope. But ‘niche unions’ like the teaching and musicians’ unions show members still value individual service.

Today’s workers suffer new forms of insecurity and new pressures as we live longer and must balance family life and work, and global competition is intensifying by the day. Labour also need to respond quicker - we introduced the minimum wage but were too slow to legislate for equal treatment for agency staff.

The union link is as important as ever. We need each other. Unions know the fight for justice cannot end at the factory gate or office door. Labour needs the real time connection with the concerns of millions of working people.

Modern democratic unions must be responsive to the more sophisticated needs of their members, similarly a modern Labour Party must be more responsive to those members. New forms of communication and organising to match more fluid employment and politics are essential across the whole Labour movement. Today’s trade unions must have a political voice arguing for sustainable growth and a fairer society.

With a modern agenda of respect, fair pay and progression, 21st century unions are needed as much as ever before.

 

 Andy Burnham:

Trade unions, like the Labour Party, have a proud past and a bright future. They are at the heart of the Labour movement and, under my leadership, I want them to be at the heart of the Labour Party too.

The work that union members did during the General Election campaign was tireless, getting Labour candidates elected across the country. That unity, that sense of purpose, that fight for what is good and just inextricably links the Party and the union movement.

The progress made on union learning was one of the big achievements of the Labour Government and I’m really proud of the thousands of opportunities to get on at work that were provided through the union learning fund, by working with the TUC and with trade unions across the country. Under my leadership, I will work with the unions to promote and support projects like this to give people the opportunities that they otherwise may not have.

There were times in the recent past when the Party seemed to put the interests of big business before the interests of individuals. We should be pro-business, but we should never lose sight of ordinary people, those who feel that, despite doing everything right, the odds still feel stacked against them. I want to work with the unions reconnect Labour and put fairness back at the heart of Britain.

 

 David Miliband:

Unions can play a leading role in shaping the new economy in the aftermath of the financial crisis, and helping Labour reconnect with the voters we have lost.

New economy: Trade unions can be the champions of a more balanced, more equal and more sustainable economy. They stand up for a fair deal for employees, securing improved terms and conditions and being a trusted friend at work. By promoting good work in good workplaces, unions are central to shaping a new era of shared prosperity. Workplaces where employees have a voice and a stake in their firm – who feel trusted, involved, respected and fairly rewarded – are those that will prosper in the new economy. I want to work with unions to ensure we have an economy with fair rewards at the top and the bottom, including through a living wage.

Winning back voters: It was the TUC in their work on the ‘real middle Britain’ back in 2009, who identified those on incomes of £20,000-£30,000 as the group under real economic pressure in the recession. They felt squeezed by stagnant incomes and higher living costs, and insecure about their future prospects. These are precisely the voters Labour lost at the general election. We need to return to the ‘bread and butter’ issues that affect people’s daily lives – jobs, pensions, housing, transport and childcare. in particular, time and money are real pressures for many families. They need an effective partnership between Labour and the trade unions to stand up for them and make their lives better.

 

Ed Miliband:

Trade unions defend and promote the interests of working people and their role is as important now as it ever was. They are at the heart of the fight against injustices in our society, leading the campaign for some of Labour’s proudest achievements like the minimum wage, stronger parental leave rights and legislation on gangmasters.

It is clear to me not enough people who are employed in the private sector benefit from trade union membership. The future of modern trade unions must be in increasing membership from the current level of less than one in five. That will require union reps having the right to enter non-unionised workplaces to offer membership and organsiation. I would support such a move.

I have seen as energy secretary the way trade unions can organise with other campaigning groups to mobilize people for action on climate change. I have seen green reps make a change in their workplaces helping win the arguments for shifting to a low carbon economy and ensuring working people reap the benefits. This is the kind of effective campaigning - rooted in the working lives of their members, focussed on the challenges of the age, committed to values of social justice - that will make trade unions effective in this century.

As a symbol of the kind of party and kind of country I want to see, I have launched a campaign for the living wage, learning from the efforts of trade unions, which I want party members and others to sign up to.

We need to put our values of equality, social justice, dignity at work, at the heart of what we do. The Labour Party stands for this and so do trade unions. We need to fight for this common purpose and stand up for working people.

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Labour Leadership Election: have your say

02.06.10

Today, the team at unionstogether are launching a new part of our website dedicated to making union members’ voices heard in Labour’s Leadership Election.

Over the summer, there’s going to be a crucial debate about the future of our Party, and we’re committed to making sure that the issues and concerns that affect trade union members are on the agenda. From ending poverty pay and improving job security, to celebrating and strengthening the link between the Party and the trade union movement, we’ll be making sure that union members have their say.

We have asked each of the candidates for the leadership to set out their stall to union members: you can read what they have to say here:

 

Diane Abbott 

 Ed Balls 

 Andy Burnham 

  David Miliband 

 Ed Miliband

 

And starting this week, every week of the campaign we’ll be putting union members’ questions to the candidates. This week, we’ve asked: ‘what do you see as the role of trade unions in the 21st Century’? Check back next week to see what they have to say. If you have a question you’d like to ask the candidates, email it to helen@unionstogether.org.uk and we’ll ask as many of your questions as we can.

The Labour Party was founded out of the trade union movement over a hundred years ago - together, we'll ensure that unions remain at the heart of the Party. 

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Where next for Labour?

27.05.10

Thank you to everyone who turned out and voted Labour on 6 May and campaigned for a Labour Government.

Obviously, we were devastated that Labour lost its majority in Parliament, and that many Labour candidates who were strong supporters of working people lost out.

However, we also know that union campaigners made a real difference in this election. It was down to the hard work of union members supporting Labour candidates that we held on to many seats - and every single Labour MP will make a difference in holding this new coalition government to account.

We're ready to stand up for jobs, workers' rights and public services when the coalition puts them at risk.

Tell us what you want the Labour party to be like? How do we strengthen and renew the party? Tell us here:

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/wherenext 

We know that the coalition Government has already cut over £6 billion in public spending - putting thousands of jobs at risk. They want to cut many families' tax credits and cancel child trust funds - making life harder for working families. And they've even cancelled funding for 40,000 jobs for young people.

With a coalition programme like that in place, it's crucial that we have a strong, united Labour party that can hold them to account and come back fighting at the next election. That's why the Labour leadership election is so important in debating the future of the party.

We want to hear your thoughts on where next for the party. Share your thoughts with us here:

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/wherenext

The Labour leadership election is a crucial opportunity to rebuild and renew the party and make sure we're fighting fit for the work ahead. It's a chance for the party to have a healthy debate about the future - and we need to make sure that our voices are heard during it.

Where do you think the Labour party should go from here? How can we organise better? What policies do you want to see candidates for the leadership putting forward? What are the core values that bind us as a Labour party within the wider Labour movement? Share your vision with us, and we'll make sure that it's part of the debate about the future:

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/wherenext

In these hard economic times, Labour needs to be stronger than ever.

Helen

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A lot is at stake for working mums

05.05.10

My name's Su Patel, I work for Sainsburys as a legal compliance officer and I'm a member of USDAW.

I've been a rep for 10 years and a member for 24 years. USDAW has got a lot stronger over the last 10 years, we have got better at demanding improvements - some of these improvements have come too late for me, but my kids will benefit.

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