Affiliated trade union
Encyclopedia
In British politics, the term affiliated trade union refers to a trade union
that has an affiliation to the British Labour Party
.
The Party was created by the trade unions and socialist societies
in 1900 as the Labour Representation Committee. Since then, the unions have retained close institutional links with the Party, although these arrangements have been strained significantly in recent years, with the RMT
and Fire Brigades Union
severing their links.
Affiliation means that the unions pay an affiliation fee to the Labour Party; in return, they and their members receive the privileges of affiliated membership. Unions select twelve of the thirty-two members of the Labour National Executive Committee
and elect fifty per cent of the delegates to Labour Party Conference. In many cases, local union branches also affiliate to Constituency Labour Parties and their members who are also individual members of the Party may represent the Union as delegates on Labour Party structures.
Members of the unions may opt out of the affiliation, so that the member is not allowed to take part in any Labour Party ballots (such as the leadership election) in which other members of the affiliated union are involved.
Since 1994, affiliated trade unions have organised themselves into TULO - The Trade Union & Labour Party Liaison Organisation, with a small number of staff to manage the relationship between the unions and the Party. A national TULO committee, with the unions' general secretaries, the Party Leader and Deputy Leader, General Secretary
and NEC Chair and MPs' representatives, meets regularly to co-ordinate work and policy.
The General Federation of Trade Unions
(GFTU) represents its members, seven of the smaller unions, on many of the committees if they cannot send a delegate.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
that has an affiliation to the British Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
The Party was created by the trade unions and socialist societies
Socialist societies
A socialist society is a membership organisation that is affiliated with the Labour Party in the UK.The best-known socialist society is the Fabian Society, founded in 1884, some years before the creation of the Labour Party itself . The Society's membership is relatively small , but in Labour...
in 1900 as the Labour Representation Committee. Since then, the unions have retained close institutional links with the Party, although these arrangements have been strained significantly in recent years, with the RMT
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom which unionises transport workers. It has more than 80,000 members, and its current general secretary is Bob Crow...
and Fire Brigades Union
Fire Brigades Union
The Fire Brigades Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom for wholetime Firefighters , Retained Duty System and Emergency Control Room staff...
severing their links.
Affiliation means that the unions pay an affiliation fee to the Labour Party; in return, they and their members receive the privileges of affiliated membership. Unions select twelve of the thirty-two members of the Labour National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
and elect fifty per cent of the delegates to Labour Party Conference. In many cases, local union branches also affiliate to Constituency Labour Parties and their members who are also individual members of the Party may represent the Union as delegates on Labour Party structures.
Members of the unions may opt out of the affiliation, so that the member is not allowed to take part in any Labour Party ballots (such as the leadership election) in which other members of the affiliated union are involved.
Since 1994, affiliated trade unions have organised themselves into TULO - The Trade Union & Labour Party Liaison Organisation, with a small number of staff to manage the relationship between the unions and the Party. A national TULO committee, with the unions' general secretaries, the Party Leader and Deputy Leader, General Secretary
General Secretary of the Labour Party
The General Secretary is the most senior employee of the British Labour Party, and acts as the non-voting secretary to the National Executive Committee...
and NEC Chair and MPs' representatives, meets regularly to co-ordinate work and policy.
Affiliated unions
As of August 2007, the trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party are:- Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and FiremenAssociated Society of Locomotive Engineers and FiremenThe Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen is the trade union representing railway workers in Great Britain who are train drivers or in the line of promotion to train driver....
(ASLEF) - Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre UnionBroadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre UnionThe Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom. It has around 26,500 members who work in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure and interactive media....
(BECTU) - Bakers, Food and Allied Workers UnionBakers, Food and Allied Workers UnionThe Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1847 in Manchester, it is a trade-based union of workers in the food industry....
(BFAWU) - CommunityCommunity (trade union)Community is a UK trade union representing workers in the iron and steel, domestic appliance manufacturing, clothing, textiles, footwear and betting industries as well as workers in voluntary organisations, workshops for visually impaired and disabled people, community-care providers and housing...
(formerly KFAT & ISTC) - Communication Workers UnionCommunication Workers Union (UK)The Communication Workers Union is the main trade union in the United Kingdom for people working for telephone, cable, DSL and postal delivery companies, with 215,000 members....
(CWU) - GMB
- Musicians UnionMusicians' Union (UK)-About the MU:The Musicians' Union is an organisation which represents over 30,000 musicians working in all sectors of the UK music business.-Campaigns:The MU stages regular campaigns in relation to relevant musical and industrial issues...
(MU) - National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and ShotfirersNational Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and ShotfirersThe National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers represents colliery deputies and under-officials in the coal industry. NACODS was established as a national organisation in 1910...
(NACODS) - National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)
- Transport Salaried Staffs' AssociationTransport Salaried Staffs' AssociationThe Transport Salaried Staffs' Association is a trade union for "white collar" workers in the transport industry in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland...
(TSSA) - Union of Construction, Allied Trades and TechniciansUnion of Construction, Allied Trades and TechniciansThe Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians is a British and Irish trade union which represents, as of December 2009, 127,433 workers in construction and allied trades, an increase of nearly 17,000 since 2003....
(UCATT) - UNISONUNISONUNISON is the largest trade union in the United Kingdom with over 1.3 million members.The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National and Local Government Officers Association , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service...
- AmicusAmicusAmicus was the United Kingdom's second-largest trade union, and the largest private sector union, formed by the merger of Manufacturing Science and Finance, the AEEU agreed in 2001, and two smaller unions, UNIFI and the GPMU...
(UNITE - Amicus Section) - Transport and General Workers Union (UNITE - TGWU Section)
- UnityUnity (trade union)Unity, formerly the Ceramic and Allied Trades Union, is a British trade union, created in the early 19th century to protect pottery workers from dangerous conditions of their field. In 2006 it changed its name to Unity....
(formerly the Ceramic and Allied Trades Union - CATU) - Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied WorkersUnion of Shop, Distributive and Allied WorkersThe Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom. Consisting of over 405,000 members, USDAW is the UK's fourth largest and fastest growing trade union. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade...
(USDAW)
The General Federation of Trade Unions
General Federation of Trade Unions (UK)
The General Federation of Trade Unions is a national trade union centre in the United Kingdom. It has 35 affiliates with a membership of just over 214,000 and describes itself as the "federation for specialist unions".-History:...
(GFTU) represents its members, seven of the smaller unions, on many of the committees if they cannot send a delegate.