Different unions have different political funds, and I was wondering what people thought was the best thing to do with them as members of different unions.
When I joined Unison I opted out of the Labour political fund, and gave my money to the non-affiliated one. Or should I have opted out completely?
Which other unions give money to Labour, and which have decent non-affiliated political funds?
NB You can opt out of political funds using this form here:
Explain a bit more how the political funds work? Whats a non-affiliated one?
Non-affiliated = pays for political campaigning, lobbying etc.
Affiliated = goes to a political party, usually Labour.
Explain a bit more how the political funds work? Whats a non-affiliated one?
The cash doesn't go to Labour, it goes to other political projects, like anti-racist campaigns. Some of it goes on shitty lobbying or postcard campaign things though.
And I do wonder if some of it might be used by those tosser unions like the GMB to campaign for more nuclear power (cos it provides jobs 
), or for more council tax payment-enforcement.
A small amount of your membership fees goes into this fund. If you opt out this money goes to the general union funds.
Cool...
Shame it doesnt go to libcom tho 
Don't spose you can draft a 'move the levy to...' function? That way I could split it between Freedom, Solfed, libcom etc.
Don't spose you can draft a 'move the levy to...' function? That way I could split it between Freedom, Solfed, libcom etc.
8)
It's actually hemmed in with lots of legislation. In practice, I think Unison (ex Nalgo) and the NUT are the only ones not affiliated to Labour (though Unison has a Labour affiliated one as well), I think reflecting their origins as staff associations. I think most other unions either don't have one or are Labour. Not sure where the RMT is on this now, I suspect it has a general political fund.
Basically, the law says you have to ballot your membership on retaining (or setting up)these funds and you cannot spend money on "political campaigning " unless you have. Political campaigning means things like defending services/council housing/NHS, and so on. In practice the ex-nalgo fund in Unison puts out adverts making the pro-Labour case even if they don't say vote Labour.
The SP and Respect are both keen to get their mitts on union money. I'll try and trace it but we've had arguments before about this in PSWN propaganda - it's actually better that unions use the money in the way Nalgo/NUT do, rather than give it to inept cat-impersonators to squander.
Regards,
martin
In practice the ex-nalgo fund in Unison puts out adverts making the pro-Labour case even if they don't say vote Labour.
Yeah I noticed at the last election there were lots of unison posters criticising tory policies on the NHS etc. which basically said that labour were running it very well and don't let the tories spoil it, but carefully not mentioning the labour party specifically. I presume these came out of the general political fund, which is really dishonest i think.
I was under the impression that the RMT and FBU are no longer affiliated to labour, and that the RMT was thrown out because it gave some money to the Scottish Socialist Party.
I thought the key problem with them was that they are able to given to help other unions involved in strikes, and hence opting out means (potentially) that your union couldn't give another union involved in strike action some of that cash?
The IWW's got a leaflet with info on the political fund and a form for officially refusing to pay for it as part of your union dues (from which the parties automatically get money).
Legally political funds are required for any campaigning/activity that is in support of a particular political party (directly - through affiliation or indirectly- campaigning for a particularly party's policy). Non affiliated professional bodies like the RCN and RCM have though had no problem campaigning on the odd occassions when they chosen too without a political fund.
For anarchists in unionised workplaces or in unions themselves I think that the important issue to focus on is the handing over of members money to political parties. There are also donations that are made (often at branch level). In my experience rank and file members on the whole are receptive to the idea that their subs shouldn't go to support Labour or Respect but that unions should campaign on behalf of members free of any ties (ie on pensions). I am actually surprised given Labour's record that the rank and file case for disaffiliation to Labour hasn't gained more momentum.
Political funds can be quite complicated. They're what the unions use for political campaigning, including things like anti-racism campaigns. They are also what the unions use to fund political parties, which with very few exceptions means New Labour.
Unison, as noted above has two seperate funds. One for general political campaigning, one for funding New Labour. That sounds more democratic but, predictably, it's actually a stitch up. In practice it means that the Labour fund is controlled by Labour loyalists and attempts to interfere with it or get rid of it can be ruled out of order at conference. It's a way of further sealing the Labour link off from uppitty rank and file members.
Some unions have political funds but are not affiliated to Labour. The obvious examples are the RMT, which is affiliated to the SSP in Scotland and unaffiliated elsewhere, the FBU and as of quite recently the PCS.
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Explain a bit more how the political funds work? Whats a non-affiliated one?