LABOUR UNIONS
WHO ARE LABOUR UNIONS?
Labour Unions are the 11 trade unions that are part of the Labour Party. We bring the collective voices of 4 million people to the heart of the party and campaign for a Labour Government that will transform the lives of working people for the better.
The Labour Party was formed out of the trade union movement to give working people their own political voice. The link from the workplace to the Party through 11 affiliated trade unions is what makes Labour unique. This link is more important than ever as we work together to tackle the urgent problems we face as a country, from stagnating wages to failing public services.
EVENTS AND EXHIBITION AT CONFERENCE
TULO FRINGE
TULO Breakfast Fringe: Solidarity with Trans Workers
Saturday 26 September, 8.15–9.00am
Albert Dock, Liverpool
Private event – invitation only
Location will be confirmed the day before. Email to register your interest:
teams@labourunions.org.uk
The affiliated unions all believe that women’s structures within the labour movement should be inclusive. This solidarity event, open to Party members of all genders, is centred on this principle.
Join us for refreshments and informal networking ahead of Labour Women’s Conference to discuss trans inclusion in the workplace, Party, and society.
TULO RECEPTION
Labour Unions and the Trade Union Group of Labour MPs are delighted to host our annual Trade Union Reception at Labour Party Conference, kindly sponsored by Thompsons Solicitors.
As Labour delivers the New Deal for Working People, the reception will bring together Labour MPs and affiliated trade unions to celebrate what our movement has achieved and look ahead to implementing new rights that strengthen workers and trade unions across the country.
Sunday 27 September, 5pm-7pm
Hall 2G, ACC Liverpool
Pick up your invitation from your trade union or visit the Labour Unions stand at G12.
LABOUR UNIONS STAND – G12
If you’re at Labour Party Conference, visit Stand G12. Find out about our campaigns, the 11 affiliated trade unions, and how union and Party activists working together can make sure that our country works for everyone.
On our stall, you’ll find activist leaflets and resources to take back to your CLP or union branch. We’ll have posters and badges, merchandise to buy, and even a selfie wall where you can show your support for delivering the New Deal for Working People in full.
The Labour Unions team will be on hand throughout Conference to talk through our big campaigns, answer questions, and give practical advice on how you can get involved.
SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE TRAIL
You can also join our Solidarity Conference Trail. Collect stamps from union stalls as you learn about their campaigns, and once you’ve filled your card, you can enter our prize draw to win a £50 book voucher and a framed New Deal poster.
Pick up a game card at an affiliated trade union stall and get started!
First time at Conference? Here’s how decisions are made
From its foundation, the Labour Party has been a partnership of working people, through their unions, and Party members. That’s why we make decisions together at Conference, with unions and CLPs each getting half the votes.
Hundreds of thousands of Party members are represented by CLP delegates, and millions of working people are represented by Trade Union delegates. When votes are close, or if someone requests one, the Chair can call a card vote. A show of hands isn’t always a good indication of what the result would be on a card vote, partly because there’s usually more CLP delegates than Trade Union delegates. During a card vote each CLP and union casts the exact number of votes for the people they represent, and these sets of votes are then weighted so both represent half of the total.
It’s a little complicated, but it’s fair – all union and party members are accounted for, and we make decisions as an equal partnership.
How do unions make decisions?
Trade unions are democratic, member-led bodies, grounded in the workplace, with reps elected to fight for members at work, and represent them in the union. The union’s priorities, campaigns and policies are decided by members and elected reps through each union’s individual structures.
Policy positions come up from the workplace, are taken forward by elected reps, and are debated, discussed and voted on by union conferences to become collective union policy.
Unions are based on the principle of collectivism – because we know from the workplace that we’re stronger when we stick together. That’s why each union’s delegates tend to vote the same way – because they’re there to represent union policy, decided by their members, not their individual view.
From time to time, issues come up at Labour Conference that a union doesn’t have policy on – these issues are normally debated and discussed by the delegation to agree a joint position.
Who are union delegates?
Unions are all different, but delegations to Labour Party Conference are generally made up of union activists who have been elected to represent their fellow members. They’re all individual members of the Labour Party.
Why do unions sometimes seem to be voting together?
Each union decides what position to take on the different issues that are discussed at Party Conference. Where a union has set policy on a particular issue, that will determine how their delegates vote – because their delegates are there to represent democratically-agreed union policy.
Sometimes, trade unions talk to each other about whether they can all support a particular position. Because unions believe in collectivism, and that we’re stronger when we stick together, it’s natural they will see if there’s a consensus across the movement. Sometimes they can agree, and adopt a joint position, but other times they have different policies and they have to agree to disagree.