Union Funding

[testing times]

Something that I've been wondering about.

I don't understand at all why union officials are being paid by HBC through public funding. However, should the continuance of this be put to a vote in the council chamber, how would it be possible for labour councillors to be allowed a vote? As clear beneficiaries of the present arrangement by which UNISON in particular makes significant contributions to the Labour Party, surely they would have a pecuniary interest and therefore should not be allowed to vote on the matter?

[SRMoore]

I stood up an made some very uncomfortable facts and figures known during the October council meeting and anybody present will tell you how Labour reacted.

I've been pushing for months to have the union funding budget cut and I put a very convincing and serious case to Mr Drummond at the meeting but he was obviously too scared of Labour at the time to speak out against it and I was heckled and booed from the Labour ranks and union officials in the corner.

If you want to see how Labour councils prioritise their spending you need not look further than Middlesbrough. Despite all of the budget and service cuts, public funded union subsidy budget has been ringfenced.

I say no more.

[SRMoore]

Ha ha. Yes, that was the meeting. The Association meets on the second Thursday of the month for a social/meeting over a curry. Had to dash off to make it.

[steveL]

aha...so a prior arranged meeting that you couldn't get out of was it? A bit like the one Keith Fisher had to attend in London then.

[SRMoore]

Did I attend both? Yes I believe I did.

(Please don't cross threads)

[fred c]

Given the Tory Party`s well known proclivity to demonise The Trade Union Movement

Where does the local tory party leader & his fellow councillors stand on this issue

Why didn`t one of them bring this union funding issue to the notice of the public

Why didn`t one of them propose that the ratepayers should no longer fund this practice

Have they any intention of trying to change the current policy

Are they going to keep stumm & hope it never rears its head again

[SRMoore]

Given the Tory Party`s well known proclivity to demonise The Trade Union Movement

Where does the local tory party leader & his fellow councillors stand on this issue
Email them and ask

Why didn`t one of them bring this union funding issue to the notice of the public
As above really but it was a member of the local Conservative party who dug out the figures and brought it to the notice of the public

Why didn`t one of them propose that the ratepayers should no longer fund this practice
Working on it

Have they any intention of trying to change the current policy
I do and I ain't going to give up on it

Are they going to keep stumm & hope it never rears its head again
The issue will continue to rear its head so if that were their policy it wouldn't work

Would elected members of Hartlepool first support the Conservatives if they did push this? I'd hope so but I have to unfortunately remind myself that other than Brash, who spoke out in defence of the union, not a single councillor of any other party gave as much as a mumble.

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

My personal opinion is that unions have joined the ambulance chasing culture and are more interested in no win no fee compensation claims than fighting for a decent living wage and good working conditions. (I am speaking from what I see in a large private company.)

If it is the same in the council then I see no reason for them to be funded by the council tax payer when there are providing the same service as other ambulance chasers that advertise on the radio every 5 minutes.

[SRMoore]

I will ask HF councillors in person next time I see them Stephen. I asked on here as I know that at least one or two post on here and they could possibly have answered my question more quickly. I can assure you that my question was asked with sincerity and not as a sly dig.

As Geoff should now know, I am more concerned with building bridges and uniting the opposition than petty politics. I'll be the first to admit that I so very easily fell into that trap when I first started out, as you well know, so I apologise and hope we can all act like adults and do what is best for Hartlepool and the residents.

When you launched HF you said the party didn't care what political outlook people took so long as they had a genuine desire to put Hartlepool first. I have always strived to put Hartlepool first but I'm not going to hide the fact that I believe in conservatism so I respectfully request that we focus on the positives and work on that.

[steveL]

I don't think this baton will ever be picked up by the local Tory councillors even if it is being pushed by ytheir central office. It will fall to PHF to give the issue the profile it deserves and even then, I doubt very much if any of the three Tory councillors would speak up in support - even if it is national policy.

I suspect that support from Labour when it matters on the planning committee is seen as a far higher priority.

[steveL]

I notice that no one has answered TT's original question. Does anyone know the answer to it? I don't. On the one hand it seems clear cut but I just don't ever see it happening.

[SRMoore]

It is actually a very good point TT makes and one that I don't know the 'legal' answer to. Certainly worth ilooking into.

[fred c]

I notice that no one has answered TT's original question. Does anyone know the answer to it? I don't. On the one hand it seems clear cut but I just don't ever see it happening.

If you look through the register of interest forms of various councillors i beleive that there are several labour councillors who list Unison as a declared interest....... If they have declared that, they should not be allowed to vote on the proposal as it would be a clear breach of their declared interests....

[fred c]

Given the Tory Party`s well known proclivity to demonise The Trade Union Movement

Where does the local tory party leader & his fellow councillors stand on this issue
Email them and ask

I don`t need to.... i can look at their voting records

Why didn`t one of them bring this union funding issue to the notice of the public
As above really but it was a member of the local Conservative party who dug out the figures and brought it to the notice of the public

You did well there Shane

Why didn`t one of them propose that the ratepayers should no longer fund this practice
Working on it

You didn`t answer this.....Why didn`t a sitting Tory councillor propose it

Have they any intention of trying to change the current policy
I do and I ain't going to give up on it

Again.... good on you Shane..... But what about the sitting Tory councillors

Are they going to keep stumm & hope it never rears its head again
The issue will continue to rear its head so if that were their policy it wouldn't work

Are they going to keep stumm & hope it never rears its head again

Would elected members of Hartlepool first support the Conservatives if they did push this? I'd hope so but I have to unfortunately remind myself that other than Brash, who spoke out in defence of the union, not a single councillor of any other party gave as much as a mumble.

Again....... look at the voting record

[steveL]

Interesting point really. If, for example, PHF proposed bring this public funding to an end, which is something that really should be considered given the council's present financial state, can you think of any reason, Shane, why the three Tory Councillors would oppose it? I ask because I think there's a very good chance that they would.