Motion #18

The Green Party's ambition to build stronger bonds with trade unions

Synopsis

 A motion to emphasise the Green Party’s desire to work hand-in-glove with trade unions in political, electoral, and other campaigns. The motion sets out the Party’s ambition to build permanent, substantial relationships with trade unions in order to achieve our shared goals of social and climate justice.

Motion

Conference believes:

• Working people need a strong political voice amid growing political, economic and ecological crises.
• The Labour Party is, yet again, drifting away from the aims and hopes of the working class.
• The Green Party recognises and cherishes the traditions we share with the trade union movement of mass action, resistance to oppression and liberation of working people.
• It is up to the Green Party to solidify itself as a voice of working people, strengthen institutional bonds with the trade union movement (including welcoming affiliation), show practical and meaningful solidarity, and promote workers’ interests.

Conferences resolves:

• For the leadership of the Party to meet with trade unions and explore opportunities to build powerful, long-lasting relationships between unions and the party, to achieve our common goals of empowering the working class and transforming the economy to work for people and the planet, not profit.
• For local and regional parties to collaborate closely with trade unions in political and electoral campaigns, including by selecting and fighting for trade unionists as candidates at elections in England and Wales.
• For the Party to put the liberation of working people, and trade unions, at the heart of its policy programme.