Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation

The Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation (TULO) was set up in 1994 by a motion to the Labour Party's Annual Conference. It had several forerunning organisations that co-ordinated trade union support for the Labour Party at election times such as trade unions for a Labour Victory and Trade Unionists For Labour. TULO is different in that, as a more formal organisation, it serves the dual purposes of not only co-ordinating trade union support for the Labour Party at elections, but also of acting as the channel of communication between the Party and its union partners on an ongoing basis.

Since 2002, the role of TULO has become more proactive in its activities.

Politically, TULO has become more vocal as a basis for trade union policies within the Labour Party, including employment rights, support for British manufacturing, opposition to the Private Finance Initiative, and better pensions. This activity led to the formulation of the Warwick Agreement (2004) between the Party and its affiliated trade unions, which formed the basis for much of the 2005 Labour Manifesto.

The organisation has also become the leading organistion in developing new forms of union campaigning, predominantly through the mobilisation of trade unionists in marginal parliamentary constituencies. This is considered to have increased Labour's majority by 15 seats in the 2005 General Election.

TULO has been especially active on the issue of Party Funding, where it has sought to protect the engagement of trade unions in politics and to defend the role of the trade unions inside the Labour Pary against the attacks of the Conservative Party.

National TULO Committee

There are 16 trade unions currently affiliated to the Labour Party at national level. On affiliation to the Labour Party, every union automatically becomes a member of the National Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation and its General Secretary is entitled to sit on the National TULO Committee, if they are an individual member of the Labour Party. The Committee is jointly chaired by a member from the union side, currently Tony Dubbins, and the Labour Party Chair, Harriet Harman.

The TULO National Officer since 2002 has been Byron Taylor, a former trade union officer.

The TULO Regional Officer since 2006 has been Helen Symons.

The National Trade Union Labour Party Liaison Organisation Committee comprises:
* General Secretaries of all Labour's affiliated unions
* Labour Party Leader
* Labour Party Deputy Leader
* General Secretary of the Party
* Deputy General Secretary of the Party
* Chair of the NEC
* Convenor of the NEC trade union Group
* Nominee from the trade union Group of MPs
* Nominee from the trade union Group of MEPs

External links

* [http://www.unionstogether.org.uk Official TULO Website]