Union Wild Card Seeks to Trump Modernisers From Within

By Kevin Curran and Hilary Wainwright

The GMB leader has been represented as the wild card in the UK union pack.

The GMB has taken steps towards changing the union relationship to the Labour Party. Curran says that "if members assess their local MP as diametrically opposed to what the members stand for, they can withdraw the union's money and spend it elsewhere. GMB member remember Curran as defending New Labour staunchly in its first term. He says they felt that the new ministers needed time to fit into their new roles. The second term would be crucial. Now, with the second term nearly finished the lack of a decent agenda from New Labour and its overall direction means the union is totally disengaged from the Party.

The unions seemed to achieve some success at a National Policy Forum in July, leading to agreements on rights at work. The unions need to stick together to make sure the politicians don't back away from the agreement.

(Red Pepper; issue 124, October 2004)