Union Priorities
GMB members in North Lanarkshire must be hopping mad at the importance union leaders attach to the Labour Party and its various leadership contests - compared to, say, their efforts in relation to equal pay.
Here's a message from 'Sir' Paul Kenny, the GMB's UK leader, encouraging union members to vote in the forthcoming leadership elections and I imagine the other unions have gone to similar lengths.
I can't see the sense in this I have to say, not least because the unions' intervention last time around saddled Labour with Ed Miliband as party leader and that didn't work out too well.
Far better to let individual Labour members decide who they want as leader and for the unions to concentrate on the bread and butter issues of real importance to their members such as the fight for equal pay.
From: Kenny, Paul
Sent: 29 May 2015
Subject: FWD: Important: your right
Dear Harry,
In the coming weeks and months there will be a debate about the future of the Labour Party and who leads it – a decision like that is too important to leave to politicians, the newspapers and think tanks.
As a GMB member you have the right to vote in the Labour leadership election, but you need to sign up to do so.
The Labour Party is our Party – we were there when it was set up and we’ve been there ever since. You have a right to cast a ballot for the leader and deputy leader of the Party but because of changes in the rules you won’t automatically get a ballot paper. Unionstogether have set up an easy to use sign up page so you can let Labour know that you want a say in who leads our Party: www.unionstogether.org.uk/our_voice
We’ll be hearing from lots of Lords and Baronesses, MPs and journalists about who Labour should choose as our next party leader but if you sign up, your voice and your vote counts exactly the same as all of theirs. Don’t leave politics to the politicians. Make sure your voice is heard. Click here.
Many thanks,
Paul Kenny
GMB General Secretary
