Labour Link

What is Labour Link?

UNISON Labour Link is one of the two sections of UNISON's political fund (the other being the General Political Fund). The purpose of Labour Link is to give UNISON members a very direct way of getting their views across to Labour Party politicians through political lobbying. When members join UNISON they are given the opportunity to opt in to Labour Link (formerly known as the Affiliated political Fund). Members' contributions to this fund help to facilitate our lobbying within the Labour Party. Our General Political Fund supports national campaigns and is not affiliated to any political party.

Why does it exist?

Labour Link uses the funds generated from members' contributions to promote UNISON members' views and to argue for UNISON policies which will improve working terms and conditions, help protect public services and create a better society. It is the opposite of a blank cheque for Labour; Labour Link works tirelessly to keep up the pressure on the Labour Party and uses its valuable links to get UNISON's agenda heard.

How does it work?

Labour Link lobbies the Labour Party through their policy forum process, at their party conferences, in constituencies and through the UNISON group of MPs at Westminster. UNISON Labour Link branch offices, national staff and lay members work closely with UNISON's different service groups, regions and other parts of UNISON to get our concerns onto the Labour party agenda and into government policy.

The National UNISON Labour Link committee is made up of 23 members; 12 elected from UNISON Labour Link levy paying members of the NEC and 11 elected by ballot, one in each region.

Labour Link activities in the South West Region are promoted and co-ordinated by the SW Regional Labour Link Committee which meets five times a year, the first of each year's meetings being the Labour Link Regional Forum at which the Regional Committee is elected and delegates are elected to attend the Labour Link Annual Forum and Labour Party Conferences. Each branch can send up to two representatives to the regional forum and branches with more than 1000 members can send up to four representatives. All representatives to Labour Link meetings and events have to be members of the Labour Party as well as levy payers. The dates of the SW regional Labour Link meetings for 2012 are below.

Meeting dates 2012:

Annual Forum	Saturday, 4 February (Taunton)
Quarterly meetings	(TBC)
	(TBC)
	(TBC)
	(TBC)

Other significant dates:

Labour Party National Conference (Manchester)	30 September to 4 October
Labour Link Annual Forum (Cardiff)	6 and 7 July

How can you get involved?

If you would like to join the Regional committee you need to ask your branch to send you as a delegate to the regional Labour Link Annual Forum where delegates are elected onto the regional committee. You also need to be a Labour Link levy (APF) payer and a fully paid up member of the Labour Party.

You can also put yourself forward for election as your branch Labour Link officer and your main activities in this role would involve promoting political and policy discussions within your branch, encouraging colleagues to join the Labour Party, dealing with your branch Labour Link correspondence, taking care of and administering any paperwork and forms required for branch delegates to Labour Link meetings and events, liaising with local Constituency Labour Parties, running local Labour Link campaigns and helping out with council and general elections and liaising with Labour Link regional contacts.