Election website launched by unions

Trade unions affiliated to the Labour party have opened a website in anticipation of a General Election in May.

Called "Unions Together", the site is intended to draw together volunteers in the trade union movement who are willing to campaign for a Labour victory.

However, in contrast to the Labour Party's official online presence, the union-run site acknowledges that the movement has often had disagreements with the party, but nevertheless warns that a Tory victory would wreck much of the good work done by New Labour.

BECTU is still affiliated to the party, after running a postal ballot of members in 2003 which produced a majority of two-thirds in favour of remaining with Labour. During the run-up to the ballot union officials were careful to point out that members were being asked to vote in the interests of BECTU as a union, and not on an individual basis.

Unions Together features many of the new legal provisions for trade unionists that would not have been introduced without a Labour government that were highlighted during BECTU's affiliation ballot.

Among these are improved rights for union recognition in workplaces, better protection against unfair dismissal, and the minimum wage.

Under a social compact struck with unions last year, known as the Warwick Agreement, Labour is committed to further investment in education and the NHS.

The unions' Labour-supporting website is at: www.unionstogether.org.uk