Tagged with Unite

PCS conference defeats its executive motion on merger with Unite

Dave Owens from DWP Liverpool moving motion A463 setting out conditions on any merger talksThe annual conference of civil service union PCS, after a lengthy debate described both as ‘heated‘ and ‘balanced‘, voted this morning to reject the motion from its executive on a merger between PCS and Unite, by 109,326 to 73,212 on a card vote. The conference did pass an emergency motion which, based on reports on Left Futures and elsewhere, criticised the apparent inconsistencies between information provided to PCS members and that to the Unite executive about the talks which have taken place, but approved continuing talks. These would, however, be subject to explicit conditions, including “ensuring a political fund independent of the Labour Party.”

The PCS leadership insists that the talks will go on but since the Unite EC agreed only that “the transfer of engagements will be on the basis of our existing rule book“, and the PCS motion proposing initial talks with Unite passed only by a slim margin at last year’s conference, today’s decision must surely make the Unite takeover less likely. Continue reading →

Is a Unite takeover of PCS desirable? Not if it divides the Labour movement

TUC day of actionDiscussions are, we hear, proceeding apace between Unite and civil service union, PCS, about what has until now been described within PCS as a merger but at the recent Unite executive (at which Len McCluskey got its backing for formal talks) was described as a “transfer of engagements“, aka “a takeover“. Many details remain to be discussed, but what has already been agreed is that, if it happens, PCS would in January 2015 become part of Unite, under the existing Unite rulebook, with its current Labour Party affiliation arrangements.

It is clear that both Len McCluskey and Mark Serwotka are personally very committed to it. As an active Unite member, I’ve been a strong supporter of Len McCluskey in both elections he has fought for General Secretary. I also admire Mark Serwotka, who is an excellent communicator, with progressive and non-sectarian politics, and who is clearly popular with a very large section of his members. But I’m unconvinced of the case for bringing the two unions together, for which there seems to be little industrial logic. Continue reading →

Left strengthens its control of Unite exec, but it’s not all good news (with full results)

unite rosetteThe results of the the elections to Unite’s executive emerged yesterday, giving United Left, the left faction, 43 seats, the same number it had previously but on a slightly smaller executive (down from 65 to 63. Also elected were eight independents and eleven from Unite Now, the more centrist Labour loyalist faction, mainly from the former Amicus section. None of the four candidates backed by the far left Grassroots Left faction associated with former candidate for General Secretary, Jerry Hicks, were elected (or even came especially close).

Whilst this does strengthen the control of the United Left, there are a number of factors suggesting that its dominance in union elections is more vulnerable than the headline results suggest:  Continue reading →

In response to Labour party reforms, Unite halves affiliation payment to Labour

Unite logoThe Unite executive has been meeting this week and it was announced this evening that, in response to the decision of Labour’s special conference last weekend on ‘party reform’, the Unite affiliation to the Labour party will be cut by half in anticipation of the likelihood that fewer than half those currently paying the political levy will opt into becoming an affiliated supporter of the party. The financial loss to the party will be £1.5m a year.

Whilst Unite states its intention of making additional donations in order to ensure “a ‘fair fight’ against the parties of global capital and the super-rich”, this may be problematic. On the one hand, the Tories have already begun to attack such donations as putting the party ‘in hock’ to the trade unions. Tory chair, Grant Shapps said this afternoon: Continue reading →

Left likely to consolidate its influence on Unite executive – but will it remain a United Left?

unite rosetteNominations closed last week for the elections to the executive of Unite, Britain’s biggest union, and, based on an analysis of the nominations received, it seems likely that the United Left which backed Len McCluskey for General Secretary and currently has a large majority on the executive is likely to consolidate its position.

The executive has been slightly reduced in size to 63 and there are now 24 territorial seats for the Union’s ten regions (including 10 reserved for women and 2 for BAME candidates), 35 industrial seats for 20 sectors (including 5 reserved for women and 2 for BAME candidates), and four equalities seats. Continue reading →