UNION FUNDS AND POLITICS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26201, 26 August 1950, Page 2

UNION FUNDS AND POLITICS

Sir, —The majority of trade unionists don’t attend meetings—too ignorant, dumb, apathetic, smugly comfortable, or too socially elevated. A small minority attend meetings and formulate union policy for the absent majority. The minority sometimes direct their executive financially to support a political objective. As all unionists are notified of their periodic meetings, one viewpoint defines this procedure as being perfectly democratic, while another construes it as being “minority dictatorship,” depriving the poor absent fish of their “democratic” right to determine their own political allegiance. Contemporary legislation proposes to subject all union political donations to majority secret ballot, and not by direction of the union executive. Such legislation will only confirm a practice not unknown now, and will not turn the apathetic shoal 'into active participants, although signs are apparent that the diminishing quid is proving a good incentive.—Yours, etc., A. E. E. IVORY. August 24, 1950.