[Debate] Union rebellion against Ed Miliband grows

[Riaz K Tayob]

[Slow or rude awakening of Labour top brass in UK...]


  Union rebellion against Ed Miliband grows

GMB to consider affiliation with Labour over public sector pay stance, 
while PCS says policy will cost the party the election

  *
    Dan Milmo <http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/danmilmo>
  * guardian.co.uk <http://www.guardian.co.uk>, Tuesday 17 January 2012
    14.04 GMT
  * Article history
    <http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/17/union-rebellion-ed-miliband-grows#history-link-box>



GMB chief Paul Kenny says Ed Miliband's backing of a 1% public sector 
pay cap could have a profound impact on the union's relationship with 
Labour. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian

Britain's third largest trade union has raised the spectre of 
disafilliation from the Labour 
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/labour> party as the backlash 
against Ed Miliband <http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/edmiliband> grows.

The Labour leader is facing a growing trade union rebellion after the 
GMB and Public Commercial Services unions, key players in the 30 
November national strike, joined the condemnation of the party's support 
for a public sector pay squeeze.

The GMB general secretary, Paul Kenny, warned that backing a 1% pay cap 
could have a "profound impact" on the union's relationship with Labour . 
In a letter to union officials, Kenny said a weekend speech by Ed Balls, 
the shadow chancellor, could have negative consequences for the union's 
affiliation to Labour.

"I have spoken to Ed Milliband and Ed Balls to ensure they were aware of 
how wrong I think the policy they are now following is. It is now time 
for careful consideration and thought before the wider discussions begin 
on the long-term implications this new stance by the party has on GMB 
affiliation."

Len McCluskey, the leader of Britain's largest union, led the outbreak 
of union disquiet 
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/16/ed-miliband-leading-labour-destruction> 
on Monday in a Guardian article 
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/16/ed-miliband-leading-labour-destruction> 
in which he warned that Miliband was setting Labour on course for 
electoral disaster and undermining his own leadership by accepting 
government cuts and the cap on public sector pay.

Kenny said: "I will update everyone as events unfold but I have to say 
this is the most serious mistake they could have made and the Tories 
must be rubbing their hands with glee."

GMB is Britain's third-largest union, with 620,000 members compared with 
Unite's 1.4m. Unison, the second largest, has not commented.

Mark Serwotka, the leader of the largest civil service union, the PCS, 
told the Guardian that Labour would lose the next general election if it 
did not reverse its policy shift.

Union opposition to Miliband's position is significant because, as well 
as being the party's biggest source of funding, the union vote was 
crucial to securing his victory in the 2010 leadership contest.

Serwotka, whose union is not affiliated to the party, said: "This 
guarantees, probably, that Labour will lose [in 2015] and lose badly. 
And that is a disaster for everyone because we will have the Tories 
coming in and doing the same thing [cutting public spending], except 
even further."

"It is a massive strategic mistake to tack rightwards because it means 
that no one is now arguing the alternative economic view, other than the 
trade unions <http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/tradeunions>. A lot of 
core Labour voters who are looking for something different will ask 
themselves where they go now."

Serwotka said supporting spending cuts and a pay cap could benefit the 
nationalist vote in Wales and Scotland if Labour voters abandoned the 
party in its heartlands. A key figure in the 30 November strikes, 
Serwotka said the diminution of opposition to cuts within Westminster 
would encourage strike action as people turned to unions to show their 
discontent over government policies.

"The only other route to stop it is unfortunately industrial action and 
campaigning outside Westminster."

The leftwing Labour MP John McDonnell said McCluskey's article 
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/16/ed-miliband-leadership-threatened-blairite-coup> 
"sums up the general feeling amongst Labour party supporters of 
overwhelming disappointment".

McDonnell said: "Most people are reacting more in sorrow than in anger 
to what they see as Ed Miliband and Ed Balls' capitulation to Cameron's 
economic analysis.

"The economic crisis is a game-changer and for Labour leaders to react 
to it with the same old failed policies that mean ordinary people will 
pay for the crisis is such a crushing disappointment."

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