Trade Union Democracy
Why are the trade unions so blinkered when it comes to party politics?
At the general election, only 29% of the voting public supported Labour - 40% of the population didn't bother to vote for anyone at all, sad to say.
The great majority of ordinary union members did not support the Labour Party - because they vote just the same way as everyone else.
Uncomfortable as that may be for the trade union hierarchy - virtually 100% of whom are fully paid up Labour party members.
As many people know, the big public sector unions (GMB, Unite and Unison) align themselves to only one political party - Labour.
Despite the mixed and varied views of ordinary union members.
But in addition the unions recruit at a senior level from a very shallow pool of talent - from amongst people who are already Labour Party members and supporters.
At the general election, only 29% of the voting public supported Labour - 40% of the population didn't bother to vote for anyone at all, sad to say.
The great majority of ordinary union members did not support the Labour Party - because they vote just the same way as everyone else.
Uncomfortable as that may be for the trade union hierarchy - virtually 100% of whom are fully paid up Labour party members.
As many people know, the big public sector unions (GMB, Unite and Unison) align themselves to only one political party - Labour.
Despite the mixed and varied views of ordinary union members.
But in addition the unions recruit at a senior level from a very shallow pool of talent - from amongst people who are already Labour Party members and supporters.
Why - just where are all the SNP and Lib Dem supporters within trade union ranks?
At a time when other civic organisations are trying to be more inclusive and representative - the unions are as tribal and unreconstructed as ever - monolithic and one dimensional.
So, in the new politics at both Holyrood and Westminster - the views of partisan union leaders will start to count for less and less.
