The next General Election - the most important since 1997 - is a few weeks away. It will be a choice between Labour and the Tories. It is not a referendum on Labour.
To us the party differences are clear. Nowhere is this truer than on the economy and job security – top issues for Unite members.
With Labour clear and consistent actions to lock in the recovery, keep investing in jobs and skills, support businesses and families and keep people in their homes.
Under the Tories deep, draconian, ideologically driven cuts axing a million public sector jobs and tens of thousands in the private sector while giving unfair and unwarranted tax breaks to the rich.
The opinion polls have rattled the Tories. Their 15+ point lead last year has been slashed to around 6...and it’s still falling. But be warned they will now redouble their efforts especially in the key marginals. They don’t care about the anger around the Ashcroft millions. They are happy to try to buy the election. We can’t let this happen.
What all of us in Unite need to recognise is in those self-same marginals the Unite membership is usually larger than the majority being defended. Make sure you vote as a Unite member for Labour and ensure the Tories have wasted their City friends' money and Ashcroft's millions.
The real and enduring power and responsibility of Unite members is the vote for Labour you cast. We cannot repeat this often enough at every occasion between now and Election Day.
Unite believes it is Labour that best serves the interests of our members. That is not to say Labour have done everything they need to. But given the choice of draconian Tory cuts and tax breaks for the rich or Labour’s focused spending; we believe it is Labour who will grow the economy and lock in the fragile recovery.
Unite4Labour has been created for you and Unite members to access key information and get involved, in particular, by using our virtual phone bank. It's already proving popular with hundreds signing up and using it on our "Talk Thursday" sessions.
With large numbers of members in all the Labour held parliamentary seats, especially the key marginals, you and the union are important players politically. Our strategy is clear. We want Labour to win. We want Unite members’ voices heard.
You, as a Unite member, have a critical role to play in determining yours and your country’s future.
Many thanks for your support as a Unite member.
Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley
Joint General Secretaries, Unite the union