When does 'volunteering' become 'exploitation'? The Greens must start putting their principles into practice.

I was overwhelmed with pride when I was elected as Chair of the Green Party of England and Wales Executive (GPEx) in September 2016. Members had a choice, and put their faith in a disabled woman under 30. I was no stranger to working hard for the Party and I was under no illusions about what the role would entail.

I stood because I believe we are nothing as Greens if we do not live our values and I thought I could help us to do just that. But after just over a year in post, I felt I was left with no option but to stand down.

One of the major problems the Green Party faces is of course we do not have the income of other parties who have no problem courting big business. This means that while some members working long, hard hours for the party do get to return home with a wage packet or an allowance, for every person in this category there are many times more who work similarly hard behind the scenes – just as I was, every day, long into the night – without remuneration.

I am extremely proud to see so many women in prominent publicly elected roles in our party, and a growing number of non-binary members in key internal positions. But while women still do the majority of housework and care when they get home from work, we will still have inequality in the ability to volunteer.

In general, members volunteering long hours either have to be of an age or economic position when they do not need remuneration for their time, or, struggling to find employment – because perhaps they are just out of education, parental leave, or have particular disabilities. They have to have no other paying alternative.

But at what point does ‘giving people who have no other options an opportunity to do something meaningful’ become ‘exploitation’? When does ‘volunteering’ become ‘working for free’?

Disability Greens were well aware of the problem, and submitted a time-banking scheme to our organisational strategy as one way of providing some short term recognition as we all work towards the kind of social transformation that often seems so far away.

I know the party’s CEO is keen to implement it, but with influential voices pushing in other directions, no progress has been made.

I tried to submit a motion to conference to investigate an allowance for roles, such as the GPEx Chair, which are essentially incompatible with a full-time job. Many were sympathetic. Others – even on GPEx or similar committees – said ‘we all work hard for the party’ and ‘this should be about philanthropy not money’. Sadly, a warm philanthropic glow doesn’t pay my rent.

Studies show that when you pay nothing for something, its perceived merit decreases. Over the past months, I started to believe what others were sadly starting to show – that I actually was worth what I was being paid for my labour. Nothing. But I still wanted to support those many members including staff who are doing such a great job, often against the odds.

What pushed me to make the final decision to step down was the contrast between the views espoused by elected members regularly in the media, and actions internally.

I couldn’t watch any more interviews about disability and gender equality when other disabled women like me had voiced our feelings of exploitation to those very people with no outcome.

I cringed as our staff worked in far from ideal conditions and we spoke of a four day working week. All large organisations will have rare cases of harassment – and at the very least we should be ensuring those who give their time for free are treated properly. But yet again, we spoke when the spotlight was on other parties – when I know how much better we could be doing ourselves.

After the Green surge, we had the potential to become more that a one hit wonder. Caroline Lucas is beyond doubt an excellent MP, but can anyone live up to the image that has been created for her?

If we are going to be able to become more than “Cult Caroline”, we need to stop acting like one. We need to encourage thanks – but also constructive scrutiny of those who speak for us in public.

It is still as important as ever that the Greens continue to provide an alternative voice in UK politics. We are still the only party serious about protecting our environment rather than gaining cheap economic points scored on the back of yet more polluting industry. We are the only party that recognises that it is economic security we need, not endless growth. And I for one would never join a party that has never looked close to electing anyone other than a man.

But to continue to provide that alternative voice, we need to do more to ensure we are all living our values. Why should anyone vote for us, particularly in the current political climate, if we are just another political party, saying one thing in public and doing another in private?

In a grassroots party it is easy not to think about what happens at the centre. But there is currently a “Holistic Review” going on, which was initiated this Autumn Conference. I know many are concerned that the sudden push to ‘remove obstacles for effective working’ this time round will also risk removing the democratic decision making that separates us from other parties.

So, if you are a member, please help ensure that this provides a genuine opportunity to address some of the issues I’ve described. By doing that, the Greens retain the democratic and egalitarian pillars that make me still proud to be a member.

Clare Phipps was Chair of the Green Party of England and Wales’ Executive from September 2016 to now.

A version of this article was first published at Bright Green. 

6 Responses to “Why I’ve resigned as Chair of the Green Party’s Executive”

1. 

   Owain Sutton

   November 28, 2017

   Robert thinks we should use other parties as exemplars….

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