Labour Link in positive mood

There was a positive feeling in the UNISON National Labour Link Committee today, perhaps because of the success of the Temporary and Agency Workers Bill (which goes to show why our link with Labour is so important).

We received updates on this an a number of other issues that UNISON Labour Link is taking up in Parliament. The UNISON Group of MP's have been helping us get our message to Government on the pay campaign, and we are doing a great deal of work across Government departments on the Single Equalities Bill, which is not long away from being published.

We received UNISON's submissions to the Labour Party policy process (called Partnership in Power). These are strong submissions reflecting UNISON policy in a number of areas, including some important policy for young people around apprenticeships and reducing the voting age to 16.

This was also the meeting which deals with a lot of the issues around UNISON National Labour Link Forum which is taking place in Gateshead in July. We discussed our position on the motions submitted by regions, self-organised groups and the National Young Members Forum. There were some excellent motions on issues that are affecting our members and how the Labour Link can tackle them, with just a few that we were not happy with without improvements.

And as the last meeting before the may elections we had to talk about them. Labour Link will be working with the GPF to get the vote out against the BNP. We will also be supporting Labour in the elections for the London Assembly/Mayor, and English (some councils) and welsh local government. A Key election this time is for London Mayor, and we believe Ken Rocks!