UNISON conference reports: UNISON general secretary has announced plans to suspend funding to local Labour parties, saying members were tired of "feeding the hand that bites them."
Dave Prentis said on Tuesday there would be no more "blank cheques" for Labour, adding union payments to constituencies should be suspended. UNISON will only support Labour candidates willing to stand up for its values of public service, he told the union's annual conference in Brighton. He received a standing ovation from delegates when he called on the union's Labour Link section to suspend all constituency payments. Condemning attacks by the government on public-sector workers, Mr Prentis promised UNISON would lead a "unified cross-union fightback to defend our public service values.
"We must go forward. We are an independent-minded union."
"Delegates, our union is at a crossroads. I call on Labour Link to suspend all consituency development payments. No more blank cheques!" he said to a mid-speech standing ovation.
Explaining that union members felt let down by Labour, Mr Prentis warned the government it was not enough to moan how bad the Tories would be. "Conference, it's not just about a Labour government warning us that the Tories will cut spending by 10 per cent. We expect that. "Our members will simply not vote Labour if they feel deserted by them." Giving details of the much-publicised "Million voices for change," Mr Prentis said: "It is a political campaign to voice the anger and fear our members feel. Our campaign of action.
"Our union will bring together an alliance of all public-sector unions - an alliance to fight job cuts - to defend our public services," said Mr Prentis.
He poked fun at the shenanigans of new Labour ministers who tried to remove Gordon Brown from his premiership.
In a sideswipe at the exorbitant expenses claims of MPs, he compared their situation to that of low-paid union members. "One law for them, one law for our members - who face employer cross-checks between salary and benefits. Any fraud and our members are sacked!" Speaking to the Star afterward, Mr Prentis explained UNISON would approach the TUC to co-ordinate this "huge campaign to defend our NHS and our jobs."
However Mr Prentis refused to endorse the People's Charter for Change saying "parts of the charter would endanger the pensions of our members." "Our campaign was raised first. We are the biggest public-sector union and we will lead the fightback against privatisation."
