Union Democracy
A number of years ago the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) took a decision to dis-affiliate from the Labour Party, a decision which was never rescinded under either Gordon Brown's or Ed Miliband's leadership.
The decision was not taken by individual union members, but by the FBU leadership whose recommendation was endorsed by a small number of activists at a union delegate conference.
The FBU has now reversed this process and decided to re-affiliate to the Labour Party with all the key decisions again being taken by FBU activists who have their own political agenda which is unrepresentative of the wider union membership.
In other words the whole business has been manipulated for party political purposes because if this were about reflecting the views of ordinary union members, the FBU in Scotland would affiliate to the SNP - not the Labour Party.
Little wonder then that the Government is bringing in new legislation to ensure that any decision to pay a political levy to Labour, in future, is made through an informed choice of individual union members, by-passing union bosses and local activists.
Just common sense, if you ask me.
Fire Brigades Union to re-affiliate to Labour
BBC - UK Politics
Image copyright - ECFRS
Members of the Fire Brigades Union have voted to re-affiliate to the Labour Party, a decade after leaving it.
The FBU, which has 44,000 members, agreed the move at a special conference in Blackpool.
The union split from Labour in 2004 in opposition to Tony Blair's policies, but has been a strong backer of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said the party "had changed for the better" in recent months.
Mr Wrack said: "We have a Labour Party leader and shadow chancellor who are vehemently opposed to austerity, who are ready to fight for a fair alternative that doesn't attack the living standards, livelihoods and the hard won rights of working people."
Members of the Fire Brigades Union have voted to re-affiliate to the Labour Party, a decade after leaving it.
The FBU, which has 44,000 members, agreed the move at a special conference in Blackpool.
The union split from Labour in 2004 in opposition to Tony Blair's policies, but has been a strong backer of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said the party "had changed for the better" in recent months.
Mr Wrack said: "We have a Labour Party leader and shadow chancellor who are vehemently opposed to austerity, who are ready to fight for a fair alternative that doesn't attack the living standards, livelihoods and the hard won rights of working people."
'Warm welcome'
He said the "best chance" they had of "halting the now critical cuts to fire and rescue services" was to elect an anti-austerity party to government.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was "great news" and the vote "marks a milestone in the building of our new politics and our Labour movement".
"I thank the FBU for this vote of confidence in our new politics which believes investing in our public services is a matter of national pride," he said.
"To those FBU members who are now in a Labour-affiliating union for the first time, I look forward to extending a warm welcome.
"And to those who are coming back to Labour with the union, I say welcome home."
