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Unions 21 asked each of the five Labour leadership candidates: Where’s the labour in Labour? How should the party approach trade unions and workforce policy?
Here is the contribution we received from Ed Balls:
Our party was born of out of the trade union movement. It gives Labour a direct link to millions of working people. Together we have achieved great things from the post-war welfare state and equal pay legislation to the minimum wage, better rights at work and sustained investment in schools and hospitals.
But that legacy is now at risk, with the Tory-Lib Dem government slashing public services, attacking our welfare state and pushing through deflationary cuts that will stifle growth, cost thousands of jobs in both the public and private sectors and could risk a new recession.
The first task of Labour’s new leader and the trade union movement must be to fight these disastrous policies.
So I have used this leadership contest to lead campaigns against the unfair VAT rise, resist the privatisation of the Royal Mail, defend public sector pensions and oppose cuts to new school buildings and free school meals. And I have set out that there is an economically credible alternative based on a more sensible timetable for deficit reduction, fair tax rises and a plan to promote jobs and growth.
Second, we must strengthen the historic link between our Party and the unions. I am proud of my record in government working with the trade unions. I was the first and only Cabinet Minister to implement the Living Wage for all staff and contracted staff in my Department.
As Schools Secretary, the social partnership model between government, unions and employers delivered investment and reforms and a better deal not just for teachers and support staff, but for parents and children too. I want this approach, based on working together and fairness not favours, to apply across government.
And we must strengthen the link in every constituency and union branch too, including by extending the £1 youth membership rate to members of affiliated unions joining Labour for the first time.
Third, we must secure a future Labour government with credible and radical policies.
We have to reconnect and rebuild trust with voters – on issues like jobs and housing – particularly skilled and unskilled workers on low and modest incomes who we lost in large numbers last time.
For unions, organising is key. Trade unions should have fair and reasonable access to workers and union members should be allowed to vote in ballots in non-postal forms such as secure and secret internet and workplace balloting.
Above all we need an active industrial and economic policy to promote jobs and growth and high quality public services – and show there is a radical and credible alternative to the deflationary Tory-Lib Dem cuts.
