For fighting trade unions

 

I've just voted yes in my union's political fund ballot. It's important trade unionists have a voice of their own, speaking for them in politics.

Unfortunately the party that trade unions set up to represent themselves, the Labour Party, has given up all rights to be considered the workers' party by tying themselves in to Con-Dem cuts and refusing to support workers' struggles to defend their jobs and conditions.

That's why the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition supporters argue for the democratisation of the political funds so that union members can vote for their unions to back candidates who defend their interests and who support union policies!

The by-election in Swansea illustrates the point. My union, UNISON, has given around £6 million to Labour since 2010 when the Con-Dems were elected. In that time we've got precious little for our money. Labour's pledged to continue Con-Dem cuts, said they'll be tougher on those needing benefits to get by and refused to back nationalisation of the railways and royal mail (despite overwhelming conference votes at party conference) and failed to support any workers' struggles.

In Swansea we have a Labour council which isn't a Living Wage employer, has employed workers on zero hours contracts and outsourced services to firms who use even worse employment practices. Contracts have been awarded to companies who've been named as blacklist users and, of course, they're passing on Con-Dem cuts. Council Leader Rob Stewart is predicting £70-100 million to be cut from jobs and services, of which the £26 million cut this year is only the start. Cuts at this level mean the end of council services as we know them.

TUSC was set up by the RMT union, with the late Bob Crow being an enthusiastic supporter. It was set up to provide trade unionists with a voice in politics, the voice that Labour is failing to provide.

Vote to retain the political fund where your union has one; argue for setting one up if they don't.
If you're in an affiliated union, support calls for a break with Labour and for funds  to be used to support candidates who back members' struggles and support union policies on pay, jobs, cuts, etc.
If you're in UNISON you can back that demand up by transferring from the affiliated to the general political fund to stop funding Labour.

Trade unionists in Uplands can vote for a socialist and trade unionist committed to voting against and campaigning against all cuts next Thursday in the Council by-election.

Vote Ronnie Job, TUSC Against Cuts.

Labour has given up all rights to be considered the workers' party

Leaflets for Swansea West Labour MP, Geraint Davies, have been dropping through doors this week in the start of what clearly will be a long campaign for the General Election. Perhaps Labour in Swansea West have started early because they fear the challenge from the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC)?

On the back of the leaflet is the headline "Swansea needs a fairer future not more Zero Hours contracts says Geraint Davies MP"

We completely agree Geraint. We therefore invite you to condemn your Labour colleagues running the Council for their use of zero hours contracts and for outsourcing council services to companies and other organisations that do.

Every promise Labour makes about what they will do in Government  - and there's precious few of them (they have only said they'll regulate, not scrap zero hours contracts by the way) - is undermined by the actions of Labour councils.

Labour-led councils have cut, outsourced and axed council services as much as those led by other parties and Welsh Labour has been no better than their colleagues in England. The way they've treated their workforces is reprehensible.

On the same day that I got my leaflet from Geraint promising a rosy Welsh Labour future, Merthyr's Labour Council was threatening to dismiss it's entire workforce and re-employ them in worse conditions. It's a repeat of the threat made by Swansea's Labour Council to its own workers protesting against cuts in income: "sign or be sacked"!

Sorry Geraint but actions like these mean that Labour has given up all rights to be considered the workers' party. That's why TUSC supporters in Swansea West plan on being part of the biggest ever left challenge to Labour when we stand 100 candidates in the General Election.

Swansea's Labour Council pays poverty wages

The Living Wage was increased today to £7.85. The Living Wage Foundation, the body that sets the level of the Living Wage, says that they have now accredited over 1,000 Living Wage employers.. Swansea's Labour Council isn't one of them!

While the Council seems to be very generous in paying councillors - the basic wage is £13,000+, over £1,000 month for what for many is only a top-up for their day job - they're not so generous with their workers.

Last year, the Council claimed to have paid the 'Living Wage' but at a level which was already out of date (£7.45 when it has already been increased to £7.65). And, as the papers for the council meeting that set this year's 'cuts' budget make clear, councillors saw it as a one-off and definitely were not committing to future increases in line with a rising Living Wage. The increase for some workers was also offset against huge cuts in incomes for others as the Council threatened workers to "sign (new contracts) or be sacked".

The Living Wage Foundation sets the Living Wage at the level they say workers need to get by. By paying less, Swansea's Labour Council is paying poverty wages.

The Labour Party have made a big fuss over Ed Miliband's pledge to raise the Minimum Wage to £8/hour.. in 2020! In 5/6 years' time workers can look forward to earning 15p more an hour than what the Living Wage Foundation says you need today.

In fact, even the Living Wage is only enough to get by on when topped up with benefits - a case of the state subsidising low paying employers. That's why the Bakers' Union, BFAWU, moved the motion, overwhelmingly carried, at this year's TUC, to demand the Minimum Wage be raised to £10/hour. TUSC campaigns for TUC policy; if you're in an affiliated union, ask why you're union is funding the Labour Party when they promise nowhere near it.

Of course, it's no good having even a good hourly rate if you're not sure to get enough hours' work in the week to put food on the table.. Like the workers Swansea's Labour Council employs on zero hours contracts.

The Labour Party promises to regulate zero hours contracts but that's not good enough. Zero hours contracts have played a big part in the increase in poverty for many workers and they should be scrapped.

Labour has been in power in Swansea for 2 and a half years and still the Council pays workers less than the Living Wage and uses zero hours contracts.

They're also outsourcing services and jobs to low-paying employers who use zero hours contracts and other forms of casualisation, to drive down wages.

The Labour Party won't support TUC policy to end poverty wages or commit to scrapping zero hours contracts. Isn't time Labour stopped posing as a workers' party and taking votes off genuine workers' representatives?

If you're a low-paid worker living in the Uplands then vote, Ronnie Job, TUSC Against Cuts on November 20. Wherever you live, help us build the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) as the no-cuts alternative for the General Election and beyond.