Pensions dispute prompts UNISON to scale back support for Labour Party

Public services union UNISON is playing down its decision to suspend support for the Labour Party as a result of its pensions dispute with the government (see this issue’s news section).

It had been reported that UNISON’s affiliated political fund committee, Labour Link, had agreed to cease financial and other support for the May local election campaign because of the union’s industrial action over the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Although that action was suspended last month, the pensions issue is not resolved.

UNISON campaigns officer Daniel Zeichner told Labour Research the union was still paying its affiliation fee but is “not doing anything extra”.

In Scotland the union has adopted a more forthright stance, refusing to fund Labour’s campaign in last month’s Moray by-election.

Before polling day Dave Watson, head of policy for UNISON in Scotland, told The Sunday Times: “We are not giving any money to the Labour campaign in Moray, we won’t be urging people to vote Labour or asking members to help with leafleting.”

Meanwhile UNISON is stepping up its work to fight the British National Party (BNP) in the local elections. It is taking out adverts in the national and regional press with the message that racial hatred destroys lives, and urging people to vote to keep the BNP out.