Searchable article text
RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2018 :: RMTnews
8
The RMT special general
meeting held in Doncaster at the
end of May agreed to align the
union towards Labour and
encourage its members to be
active in the party whilst
remaining unaffiliated.
Following a consultation
with union branches and
regional councils an RMT SGM
agreed a recommendation from
the union’s national executive
committee to align the union
towards the Labour Party and
encourage its 80,000 plus
members to be active in the
Labour Party, whilst remaining
unaffiliated.
The SGM also adopted a
recommendation from the NEC
that will allow the unions 200
plus branches and regional
councils to use their political
funds to back Labour at
elections, whilst Labour
continues to support key RMT
policies on transport and trade
union rights.
RMT branches are also
encouraged to develop relations
with local Labour Parties. The
meeting agreed that the union
should consider what other steps
it can take to support, defend,
and develop the socialist
advances that have been made
within the Labour Party. SGM
made specific note of the huge
progress that has been made
within Labour around the
adoption of core RMT policies
including public ownership,
workers’ rights and the support
for the campaign to keep the
guard on the train.
RMT general secretary Mick
Cash said that the consultation
had shown that the views of
within the union were finely
balanced and the SGM had
decided that whilst we do not
support affiliation at this
current time there is the
potential for the union to
affiliate to the Labour Party at a
future date if there is clearer
support for this.
“Many of our members have
reacted angrily to constant
attempts by a hard core of
Labour MPs to undermine
Jeremy Corbyn and the radical
progressive changes he has
made to Labour.
"In contrast there is a clear
desire amongst RMT members to
support Jeremy Corbyn and the
left leadership of the Labour
Party and that is why we are
now be putting in place other
concrete steps to throw the
weight of RMT behind
supporting the socialist
advances that have been made
in the Labour Party, this will
include aligning ourselves
towards Labour, encouraging
members to be active in Labour
and allowing our branches and
regions to fund Labour
candidates,” he said.
POLITICAL
STRATEGY AGREED
RMT special general meeting (SGM) agrees to align
union towards Labour whilst remaining unaffiliated
Mick Cash with Jeremy
Corbyn at last years AGM