Reforming Trade Union political affiliation
I have already posted why the undemocratic nature of my Trade Union (MSF as AMICUS was in the 1990s) prevented me renewing my membership some years ago.
I’m planning a more detailed series of articles on the subject.
Has anyone done any work in this area? It seems to be a total blank. If so please comment below.
I’ll give one example. The rules of AMICUS specifically state that The Union and its branches shall:
“not affiliate to or give support to the candidates of any other political party in Great Britain other than the Labout Party” (35 (1)).
They also allow member to opt out of contributing to the Political Fund, following the trade union laws introduced by the Conservatives, and retained by Labour.
However, the European Convention (Article 14) on Human Rights states that:
The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.
The convention gives an express right to freedom of expression:
Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects the right to freedom of expression. Before the Human Rights Act 1998 came into force, the right to freedom of expression was a negative one: you were free to express yourself, unless the law otherwise prevented you from doing so. With the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into English and Welsh domestic law, the right to freedom of expression is now expressly guaranteed. (Source).
The question:
Are those who are specifically excluded from political representation by a Trade Union, and specifically treated differently from other Union Members, being discrimated against?
My thoughts are strikingingly similar to the recent proposals (PDF) by Unlock Democracy, but go further in suggesting full democracy for Union Political Funds.
All comments are welcome.
Tags: Trade Union, Labour Party, Political Levy, Political Funding, Conservative Party, LibDem Party, Democracy, Matt Wardman, AMICUS, Parliament, Hayden Phillips, Hayden Phillips Report
[tags] Trade Union, Labour Party, Political Levy, Political Funding, Conservative Party, LibDem Party, Democracy, Matt Wardman, AMICUS, Parliament, Hayden Phillips, Hayden Phillips Report [/tags]
[...] Reforming Union Political Affiliation [...]
Are those members of DELGA who aren’t also members of the Lib Dems discriminated against because they can’t get DELGA to fund an out LGBT candidate at elections from outwith the Lib Dems (even if running against a very disagreeable Lib Dem candidate)? Given that the Labour Party is at least nominally part of the same labour movement as the unions (the party political wing of those same trades unions) is it any surprise that many unions political funds have affiliated exclusively to Labour? It’s not discrimination, even if you don’t like it - the union believes that supporting the Labour Party progresses the aims and objectives of the Union and you are free not to pay into the political fund (or to not join the Union). The key principle of not being required to pay into an affiliated fund in order to enjoy the other benefits of union membership has already been established. That said, there would be a great deal to recommend all unions adopting the arrangements Unison has with two political funds, one Labour and one non-partisan (and of course the option of contributing to neither). There are plenty of people who don’t want a union that can’t have a political voice on key issues even if they want to avoid partisan politics.
Paul
Thanks very much for your comment.
You have raised a number of interesting questions, and it deserves a full post in reply - I will post my reply on Wesnesday.
(Also, I can re-air this bee in my bonnet).
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[...] Union Political Affiliation [...]