I believe that there is still confusion among some on the forum in regard to the various levels of affiliation by the trade unions. If we again take Unite it is written into their rule book that the organisation will affiliate to the Labour party and that rule is always reaffirmed and voted on at every biannual conference it holds and is funded centrally.
The district and regions subscribe to the above funding dependent on their size and membership numbers. Those district, regional and most of all national affiliations are the ones which attract the attention of the national press and other media, which often is deliberate in not informing its readers etc of the democratic decision process taken on the making of those affiliations.
The industrial and now community branch spending is decided on by the branch officers by way of the local structures they have. Much of that spending goes into assisting members in such things as industrial tribunals, education courses and distress caused by loss of earnings through workplace accident etc. The foregoing can also include funding of any local Momentum structure if they wish, which may be not be large by each individual branch but can be substantial when totaled together.
The above does not attract the attention of the press and media in the way that the National affiliations do, as the largely autonomous branch structure is lay member organized which makes them I believe less interesting to the attention of the media.
