The Guardian Trade unions not so very long ago dominated elections, general secretaries standing shoulder to shoulder with Labour leaders as Tory leaders issued chilling warnings about the threat organised labour posed to democracy. John Major made union power a minor issue four years ago, forcing Tony Blair on to the defensive. Barely a peep. The 70 unions affiliated to the TUC represent 6.8m workers, making it arguably the country's biggest voluntary sector. Union membership is slowly climbing after nearly two decades and the European Commission is pressing Britain to strengthen employment rights, particularly on consultation ahead of major company decisions.
Workers are, after all, voters.
The Tories have been forced to accept that the minimum wage, guaranteed four weeks paid holiday and other popular reforms as fading memories of that winter of discontent make it difficult to frighten voters with the TUC bogeyman. Labour remains nervous that some of its new friends in the business community could be frightened off if Tony Blair is seen hobnobbing with union leaders and still heavily reliant on their donations. Self-imposed gagging orders have also been adopted by union leaders who, asked by Millbank not to rock the boat, have uttered little more than muted criticism of proposals to privatise swaths of key public services such as health and education. It is as if there is a conspiracy of silence. To set out their stall, union leaders need to distance themselves from the Labour party and its campaign.