I’m a proud trade unionist, and I know you are too.
Trade unions helped found the Labour Party, and if I am elected as leader that link will never be broken. On the contrary, I want to strengthen your relationship with the Labour Party so I will not tolerate those inside or outside our movement who want to put that relationship at risk.
Rather than being dominated by threats to withdraw funding or back other parties, let this leadership election give a voice to the many trade union members who now face a fresh assault on their rights at work because Labour failed to beat the Tories in the election. That includes union members who chose not vote Labour this time. I also want to hear from working people who have not yet joined a trade union, and hear why that is.
And I promise that I will always be an ally for you. I will tolerate no weakening of protections for working people or the basic rights of trade unions while I’m leader. If they’re implemented by this Tory government, the Labour government I will lead will reverse them.
As Harriet Harman said yesterday we need a frank, open and honest debate about why Labour failed so badly and what we need to do to win in 2020. This is the time for hard truths – and that’s the kind of campaign, and party, that I will lead.
Too many people in Britain today feel like they’re powerless. One of the great strengths of the trade union movement is to take power from the centre and put power into the hands of the many. That’s what I’m about too – and I want Britain’s trade unionists, and anyone else who cares about making those changes, to join me on this journey.
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