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GMB to consider affiliation to Labour?

January 17, 2012 2:18 pm

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According to the Guardian:

“The GMB general secretary, Paul Kenny, warned that backing a 1% pay cap could have a “profound impact” on the union’s relationship with Labour . In a letter to union officials, Kenny said a weekend speech by Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor, could have negative consequences for the union’s affiliation to Labour.

“I have spoken to Ed Milliband and Ed Balls to ensure they were aware of how wrong I think the policy they are now following is. It is now time for careful consideration and thought before the wider discussions begin on the long-term implications this new stance by the party has on GMB affiliation.”

While I think we’re quite some way from the GMB disaffiliating from Labour, this is another marker placed by the unions (like Len McCluskey’s comments in the Guardian) over their discontent with Ed Balls’ speech on Saturday.

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  • Plato

    I understand that Unite voted only marginally in favour of remaining affiliated to Labour at their last conf, what % of the GMB did so?

    • Anonymous

      They came so close to leaving last time, this time I’m sure they will go.

    • Anonymous

      I cannot remember the exact percentage ,I would need to dig it out, but it was so close that further meeting were done to find a way of not disaffiliating  and the idea put forward was not to back labour  but to actually back MPs who backed the Union ideology, and this could be from any party.

  • Anonymous

    It’s rather worrying; did they not see this coming?

    I don’t understand why it has to be an all or nothing position;
    surely things can be discussed over time?

    Also, I don’t know if all the unions take a different view.

    J

    • Anonymous

      But already the Tories have said Scotland can have tax powers, Wales have been told if they wish tax powers they can have it, which basically means each country although still in the Union, would not have to vote in a general election since Miliband would not be able to alter  anything done in Scotland NI and Wales.

      We are  basically seeing politics being devolved to the nations and of course if this happens labour would have to fight an election in England for England

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697126564 Paul Halsall

    McCluskey is right.

    Perhaps it’s time for the unions to form a *Labour* Representation Committee, to, you know, represent labour and working people rather than a bunch of SPads, Oxford PPE types, and people who think social solidarity is an old fashioned idea.

    • Daniel Speight

      The problem is Paul that recent history points to this idea being a dead end. Surely the right thing to do is fight one’s corner and change the party back to what historically  it should be.

  • Anonymous

    The relationship between trade unions and the Labour Party will always be difficult on the issue of public sector pay.  Labour governments and councils are employers after all.  Both sides should see the comments of Balls, Miliband, Kenny and McCluskey as negotiating positions.

    • Anonymous

      But of course the GMB every nearly did disaffiliate it was the Union negotiating with the members that saved it. So again it’s not McCluskey who will decide the Unions fate it will be a democratic vote of the members.

      • Anonymous

        Thanks for the response and I do not disagree.

  • Anonymous

    While I totally understand why Kenny is angry, disaffiliation is a complete mistake, and in fact a cop-out. They should stay and fight for a change in policy

    Thus far I haven’t seen much in the way of fighting from the unions………

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697126564 Paul Halsall

      You mean a strike, where millions gave up a days pay in the period before Christmas, does not count?

      What are we supposed to do?  Labour and Trades Unionism represents a *non-revolutionary* approach to social and political problems.

      I agree thought that disaffiliation is a mistake, *unless the major unions are willing to create a new political party*, because as those on the non-sectarian left have long realised, the Labour Party remains the best opportunity for working (and unemployed/disabled/sick) people to advance to social and economic equality in the here and now of modern Britain.

      • jaime taurosangastre candelas

        @ Paul Halsall,

        I think you may be correct.  There have been some comments on LL even in the last day where people talk about “a broad church”, but perhaps it is time for some basic engineering, or politics.  A roof that broad may be unsupportable.

        I make no secret as to what I support – a political party just slightly left of centre, and also equitably balanced between authoritarian and liberal.  As an established political party, Labour has in the past fitted that role.  If Labour people wish to move the party to a different position on the spectrum, that is the right of the members.  I have a personal opinion that the electorate won’t follow the Party too far, but I could easily be wrong on that.  Equally, another view that I am completely wrong may be just as valid.  Maybe the electorate does want a left party.

        Establishing a new party would be tremendously difficult, but it may be the best thing for Labour.  Perhaps a better question would be whether the Labour Party (for all of its faults) should be the centre party or break away and become the new party of the Left?

        Although, either way any new party of the left would split the vote, and probably let in a monolithic tory party again and again and again.  It doesn’t matter that the tories are not actually monolithic, for some reason they are able to coalesce around a leader at every election and can pretend to be more united than they are.

        • http://twitter.com/Newsbot9 Newsbot9

          Oh yes, because those millions of voters who drifted away from Labour to “not voting”…split the vote? Oh get real, not to any major extent. We might see participation in voting rise again, rather.

      • Anonymous

        Sorry when I said ‘fight’ I meant fighting inside the Labour Party structures.
        I wasn’t referring to industrial action against cuts. Should have been more clear about that.

        • Anonymous

          The last year of labour my benefits went up by £2.20  under the Tories it’s £5.30 Labour held all benefit rises to a lower level. The Tories could sit back and allow the labour party to talk it’s self to death and then say give the min wage a bigger rise then labour did.

          It’s a dangerous game labour are playing following the Tories not trying to set the pace.

          We have to watch out that labour does not end up cutting more then the Tories do, labour  may well talk them selves in being a party of cuts not fairness.

    • Anonymous

      Well of course the Union has to do what the members say, last time they worked well into the night to find a method acceptable to the Union members, this was to back MPs who  basically followed the Unions ideology, this time in my opinion being a GMB member if brought forward, they will Disaffiliate but that’s my own opinion.

      But Officials do not say what the Union does , the members will and from what I can see, they are not happy

  • Mr Chippy

    I turned my cheek and the Labour leadership slapped that as well. Despite this I am against disaffiliation. The Labour Party is an alliance of left of centre (yes even the Blairites) forces.  The task for the socialistsisto shift the centre of this alliance to the left. I know my memory is getting strained I think Miliband said this years ago in Marxism Today, Ralph of course.  

  • Anonymous

    I still smell that pesky rat, is this all a set up between Ed and the Unions to get Ed  out of the trap  which was set by the Tories, Red Ed, Your just a Union man, the Unions are your pay masters. Then you contact the Unions get a deal done so we have this little show of anger  and Miliband can say  nope look the Union have left us.

    If you accept that Labour has a few backers the next election will be  carried out with money from the Union, unless of course Ed has decided selling off the Labour parties assets are the way forward, but would these not already be in hock to the banks.

    Something is not right here.

  • Pingback: Why Ed is right and Unite, and the GMB are wrong « Adam Langleben's musings on life

  • Steve Jennings

    This balls up is one too far for Balls. This, if the damage is not rectified quickley, wil lsplit the Labour movement. Balls is plain wrong, not to offer any hope is criminal.

  • Steve Jennings

    This is a monumental mistake Balls is wrong and he as damaged the Labour movement.

  • Mike Murray (Labour Member)

    The party in my view should make more promises on the reform of ant-trade union laws; which would  attract more trade union sponsorship and make it unnecessary for us to go in search of Capitalist sponsors.

    • Anonymous

      Would you believe Labour if it said that, we had thirteen years to change it, but what would you change secondary picketing….

  • tenbury

    Paul Kenny recommended to GMB members to vote for Ed Miliband – should he not resign as General Secretary

  • Pingback: GMB Consider Re-Affiliation to Labour « BlogNost

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