Fair Representation

I don't support any one political party these days - and have voted in a variety of when it comes to different local or national elections.

In recent years I have voted Independent, Labour, SNP, Lib Dem, and for the Scottish Greens - depending on the circumstances at the time which might include a positive vote for the person I regarded as the best candidate - or a negative vote in an effort to stop a particular person or party from winning.

But above all else I believe in fair representation at the end of the day - so that a proper range of views can be heard within any organisation - that claims to operate in a democratic way. 

And that is my biggest problem with the trade unions these days - because they don't reflect the very diverse views of the ordinary members that they claim to represent - while the public face of the union almost always involves people who are pushing a Labour Party line.

Now I don't have any problem with Labour Party members and supporters being in the front line of trade union politics - but that should only happen in a way that reflects the degree of Labour support amongst the wider membership.

Otherwise it's not in any way democratic and involves the same kind of abuse of power that takes place when company bosses give large donations to the Conservative Party - money which could arguably be spent on much more useful things.
   

Representing the Members (5 April 2012)

Since Ed Miliband became leader of the Labour party - in September 2010 - the big three public sector trade unions (GMB, Unison and Unite) have poured £10 million of their members' money - into Labour coffers.

To do so lawfully, the trade unions have to conduct a political fund ballot (PFB) - but only once every ten years - a process which very few ordinary union members bother to take part in.

So the turnout is poor, dreadful in fact - in single figures.

If I recall correctly the turnout in the last Unison PFB was only 8% of the total union membership - which means that 92% failed to return their ballot papers.

To anyone interested in trade union democracy that is very worrying.

Because 100% of union members who pay into the union's Political Fund at the time of the ballot - keep doing so once the vote has taken place.

Which means that the vote - or ballot - is completely unrepresentative.

Now the reason for this is that the PFB passes most union members by - they don't really know what it's all about - so they don't bother to vote and once the ballot is over things just continue as they were.

The same is true when most union members sign an application form - to authorise the deduction of union contributions from their pay.

No one explains the details of the 'political levy' - or the fact that a relatively small amount of money is 'top sliced' every week or month from their contributions - then handed over to the Labour party.

Because the truth is that very few union members support the Labour party - and if they really understood what's going on, they'd choose to hang on to their money - or perhaps donate the funds elsewhere.

So the Political Fund is a con - a scam - a 'milch cow' for union leaders to raise money for the political party that they support - but which ordinary union members don't support in anything like the same numbers.

My solution to this problem of 'big money' unduly influencing UK politics - is to cap donations from the trade unions - and everyone else.

The way to do that is to simply say that union members have to 'opt in' to pay a political - as they do in Northern Ireland, for example - perhaps at the time of the Political Fund Ballot.

In which case the authentic voice of union members would be heard - the role of trade unions inside the Labour party would be legitimate - instead of completely disproportionate which is the case now.

More importantly an 'opt in' scheme would be good for our democracy - and the body politic.

Especially if ordinary union members had the choice of making a small donation to another political party - as well as the option of paying no political levy at all.

'Now what's wrong with that?' - I hear you say.

Nothing - absolutely nothing at all.