by René Lavanchy
DOWNING STREET is poised to announce a “green collar jobs revolution” intended to boost manufacturing and the renewable energy industry, in a move they hope will win support from trade unions and the grassroots Labour Party on the eve of the National Policy Forum.
The Government plans to create more jobs in both renewable and nuclear energy and in related manufacturing sectors, with a promise of increased training and investment. At the same time, unions will be able to monitor companies’ green credentials through “environmental shop stewards”.
The announcement this weekend – along with an offer of more flexible working time for parents and the work-life balance – is intended to placate Labour’s affiliated unions, who are expected to be angry
when Gordon Brown rejects demands for secondary picketing and other parts of the Warwick II agenda.
A Downing Street aide said: “We want to get an agreed agenda, not just with the trade unions but with the constituencies as well. Sure, there are going to be disagreements, there always are but it is not in our interest to ratchet up differences into a big row. We are not in that territory.”
The package reflects concern among constituency Labour Party members for the environment, which has featured prominently in the amendments to the policy documents being worked on at the four-day Warwick meeting.
A deal between the Government and the rest of the NPF looks increasingly likely this weekend after unions signalled they were not prepared to wage a “stand-up, knock-down” fight with ministers. They have tabled a broad range of amendments which they hope have electoral appeal – and will be accepted by the policy forum. However, one of the biggest potential flashpoints is over private sector provision of the public services.
Ministers are also expected to announce a long-anticipated extension of flexible working rights. The maximum age for children whose parents can legally request flexible working will be raised from six to 16, benefiting 4.5 million people. The Independent also reported this week that paid parental leave will be extended from 39 to 52 weeks.
However, many other issues popular with unions and CLPs will be unresolved when the NPF meets. Equality minister Harriet Harman is unlikely to accept demands for compulsory auditing of company pay to ensure equality between men and women, despite having promised it in last year’s deputy leadership contest.
Earlier this week, Labour’s joint policy commission vetted the roughly 4,500 policy amendments. A commission member said: “It’s clear that there was popularity around themes reflected in both trade union amendments and constituency ones. Even on the Colombia issue, the desire to for the government to no longer give military training and aid that’s been very much driven by unions, I see a lot of constituencies have put in a lot of [similar] amendments”.
CLPs have also come out strongly in support of equal rights for temporary and agency workers and the right to reinstatement for employees who win employment tribunals.
The increased size of the NPF this year has made the vote threshold for amendments higher. Minority positions require the support of one-fifth of the entire policy forum to reach the annual conference. One NPF member predicted long discussions and knife-edge voting.
