Steering Committee discussing policies

The founding Steering Committee of the Liberal Trade Unionists will be establishing a set of policies over the next week. These will be built around the Liberal Party's own policies on Trade Union and employee rights. They will also emphasise the modern radical Liberalism which we feel is a remedy for the troubles of society today.


Liberalism does have a place in the heart of the Trade Union movement, and Liberals should be proud of the fact that their radical forefathers actually helped found the movement and influenced it for many years. We are also confident, many people who believe they are natural socialists, may actually be Liberals at heart. Therefore we need a revived Liberal voice within the unions.


Liberalism values the individual, this is why we want your voice to influence our policies. If there is something you would like to see included, please get in touch with us at liberaltradeunionists@gmail.com.


Liberal Party Trade Union and Employee Rights Policy

The Trades Union movement has a key role in the development of workplace democracy. Worker representatives, shop stewards and trades union officials must be fully trained to adapt industrial democracy to their workplace. Liberals call for the introduction of a “Worker’s Charter”, clearly defining and safeguarding workers' and trades union rights. Such a charter would include the right of every worker to join or not to join a union, and democratic procedures for the conduct of ballots.

Liberals believe that, whilst employers have a right to protect genuine commercial interests, employees have a right to speak publicly on issues of public interest relating to their employer’s business. Liberals therefore call for the outlawing of comprehensive gagging clauses in contracts of employment or in terms of conditions of work.

To enable individuals to find opportunities for personal development, Liberals believe that people of all ages and in all occupations should be encouraged to take sabbatical periods at various stages of their working lives.