We haven't seen much in the mainstream media about the proposed merger of Unite, the Northern Distribution Union and the Service and Food Workers Union. For a start, the meerger will create the country's largest private sector union. But the implications are very interesting for CTU and the Labour Party. Why? Because the newly merged union is likely to be headed by Laila Harré. Laila is now sitting pretty for a run at the CTU Presidency next time around. Why is this significant? Laila is not a member of the Labour Party, indeed she is planning the establishment of a new party to be established to the left of Labour (it seems that Laila and Matt are waiting for Labour to be decimated at the polls, and for Helen Clark to stand down, and for rightist Phil Goff to be eleected the new Labour leader before making their move). CTU under hostile control could be hugely significant for Labour Party funding should majoor unions decide to affiliate to Laila's Party, as opposed to Labour.
Congratulations to AUT jounalism student Jamie Melbourne-Hayward for reporting on this development.
