Union leaders pledged their support for Labour's ID card scheme at a meeting with government representatives.
`He who pays the piper calls the tune'. Once a common saying, not often heard these days.
Obviously (I hope) the payer is the unions, the piper is the Labour party and the tune is the tune which the unions want to hear. Labour, being broke, has to play the union's tune or go bust.
Just as obviously, `he who pays the piper calls the tune' also applies to the Conservatives and probably to all political parties around the world.
But the tune which the unions are paying Labour to play is different - it's about our civil liberties.
At least that's one way of interpreting it, but another way of interpreting is that the unions are playing Labour's tune.
Which is the most accurate interpretation? The second, almost certainly.
Newspaper report mentioning union support for Labour ID card scheme
[Rep]

How very silly of them. I can only imagine they have done a deal with Labour. We will give you more wedge and support your ID cards in return for.....?

Who knows, but whatever it is it will probably be a messy arrangement. Brown has had more strikes in is year of power then I believe Tony had in 10 years. Labour also know they need the Unions to stay afloat and to at least retain some seats at the next GE.

The Unions also know since their height membership has fallen dramatically and so other then the money factor hold very little power compared to Scargills days.

Ea of dune
[Rep]

Perhaps the unions should ask their members
[Rep]

Guys, I think the truth is even uglier than what the BBC reports. You might like to check this but:

Originally Posted by :
The delegate conference voted against ID cards. The Executive's policiys criteria prevented it from actually doing anything about it.

NO2ID :: View topic - BBC: Labour rejects union strike calls
[Rep]

Why does this not surprise me....:-)

Ea of dune
[Rep]

The problem with political unions is it actually hurts their supposed task more than it helps them. I did not join the union at my work because of its political policies and its funding of the Labour party.

If they were really there to help the workers then they should do that and not lose whatever shred of credibility they had by playing ball with the Labour party. I know of many others who have refused to join for the same reason. Their aims as a sham.
[Rep]

I do think unions should have political roles. They are one of the wage-earner's greatest accesses to having his voice heard. I simply don't like the way many carry it out.
[Rep]

What's wrong with the Solidarity trade union? Why don't more people join it?
[Rep]

I agree with Smidgey here, if I joined a Trade Union I wouldn't want money I pay in fees each month being handed over to Labour who are screweing over everyone who wants to work in this country.
The Unions would be better off standing their own Independent candidates for Parliament in areas where they have a big support base.
Hopefully them disengaging with Labour would kill the party off too.

Ea of dune
[Rep]

Originally Posted by Ea of Dune:
I agree with Smidgey here, if I joined a Trade Union I wouldn't want money I pay in fees each month being handed over to Labour who are screweing over everyone who wants to work in this country.
The Unions would be better off standing their own Independent candidates for Parliament in areas where they have a big support base.

I think that was once the point of the Labour. Back when it was a half decent party.
[Rep]