UNISON warns Labour against “right wing policies”
The general secretary of UNISON has called on the Government to reject “right wing policies” and return to a “radical agenda”.
The relationship between Labour and the unions seems to coming to a critical juncture with more and more union leaders prepared to speak out publicly against the direction of the Labour Party.
Earlier in the week the GMB union announced that it would not be contributing funds to the central general election campaign, and instead would only be funding MPs who “share the union’s aims and values.”
Its leader, Kevin Curran said: “GMB members have today made it abundantly clear that they expect the Government to address their concerns on a wide range of issues such as the two tier workforce, compulsory pensions and manufacturing job losses.”
“GMB members want to work to deliver a third term Labour Government – but only one that is elected on a radical manifesto that will deliver social justice to every citizen in the UK.
“The GMB is concerned that unless Labour brings about policies that can re-energise Labour’s core support and connect with Labour voters in the heartlands that the Party’s support will continue to erode and we will reach a watershed moment in our relationship.”
Echoing his colleague’s sentiments, Mr Prentis said today that: “The current disaffection will cost the Party support. When it becomes difficult to enthuse your activists to go out to campaign, the Party organisation begins to flounder, people lose confidence and support crumbles.
“The manifesto for the next general election must be radical, it must reject right wing policies and must include popular policies on public services, fairness at work, manufacturing and pensions.”
In a stark warning to the leadership, he said “The Party can ill afford to alienate their natural supporters who do all the legwork at election time.
“The Private Finance Initiative, marketisation, the use of the private sector to deliver public services is a turn-off and a nonsense when there is no evidence that it delivers improvements. It flies in the face of all the massive improvements which are now coming through, improvements put in place by public service workers.”
Mr Prentis called on the Government to deliver on its promise to end the two tier workforce in public services, calling it “a defining issue in our relationship with this Government.”
There is, as of yet, no indication that UNISON would reassess its funding of the Labour Party.
