Labor left caucus concerned over insistence on Shorten from the right

[Matilda]

Labor's left is concerned that the rightwing faction is attempting to force its members to vote for the right's leadership candidate Bill Shorten, a practice they say has not been used since the Hawke/Keating showdowns of the 1990s.

The left claims the "lock", imposed at meetings of the right last week, means right wing MPs who wanted to vote for left candidate Anthony Albanese in the caucus ballot on 10 October now aren't able to do so.

(snip)

Albanese was considered to have a clear advantage in the grassroots ballot, but the right and right-affiliated unions are making an all out effort in favour of Shorten, with the Australian Workers Union, the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association and the National Union of Workers all pitching in to help Shorten's grassroots campaign

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/17/labor-right-wing-support-shorten


They never, ever learn - these are the people who have been responsible for the revolving door of Labor leaders, going back to the days of Beazley and Crean. These are the people who allowed the Labor mates to run NSW like their own personal fiefdom for their own crooked purposes. They fought against the implementation of the new rules for electing the Labor leader, and they're still fighting to prevent the will of the people being done.

I don't hate Bill Shorten; from all accounts he has a genuine commitment to Labor values, but he has a big communication problem. He has a sharp brain, but he's a poor communicator. Like Gillard, when he has to deliver a prepared speech, he comes across as wooden and unconvincing.

I think that Albo, with his wit and flair, and his down-to-earth personality, is the best person to united Labor at this time, and all the indications from the rank and file are that they support him. Many people, myself included, have begun to think it might be worth their while joining the party officially if the people are at last to have a real say.

But if the right-wing, led by the trade union movement (representing just 18% of workers in this country) take control once again, I'm finished with them.

[Ken Burch]

1. So why are these guys so fixated on putting Shorten in the leadership?

Doesn't he represent the "more of the same" tendency?

If he does, what possible case is there for choosing him?

It's not like "more of the same" could possibly work next time if it failed so badly this time.

[Matilda]

2. Because Shorten is ex-trade union boss (AWU),

who are mostly on the right-wing of the party, and the Right think they can control him.

Albo is from the left-wing of the party, and the unions will have no muscle where he's concerned.

I don't think the right-wing of the party cares if Labor loses, as long as they retain control of the party. That attitude has already cost Labor dearly both federally and in the states, yet they keep on doing things the way they always have.

[Ken Burch]

3. Point of information: are there no left-wing unions in Australia?

You'd think that some of them would be...or are they ALL run by Les Patterson types?

[Matilda]

4. I'm not an expert on unions,

but there are some union office holders who are left-wing. Senator Doug Cameron, formerly of the AMWU, is definitely a leftie, but mostly they seem to be controlled by the Catholic right-wing of the party. This is the main reason why former PM Julia Gillard opposed same-sex marriage - her own lifestyle and personality would seem to dictate that she would hold the opposite view, but the right-wing put her in power, and she couldn't cross them. They are vehemently opposed to marriage equality, especially the strong shopworkers' union, led by Catholic Joe de Bruyn. If she had defied them, she'd have been done like a dinner.

In my work, I have to liaise at times with the MEAA (Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance), which comprises actors, entertainers, journalists, and backstage workers. Many of these people are Labor voters, and the union definitely leans to the left, but they're a rarity.

Here's a link to an article that came out prior to the election, in which Joe de Bruyn not-so-subtly threatens Kevin Rudd. For "Labor heartland", read "trade unions, especially mine".

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/election-2013/kevin-rudds-silence-on-gays-a-bid-to-save-votes/story-fn9qr68y-1226701643043#

Edit to add: The Australian is a Murdoch paper, so the content will always be anti-Labor.