RMT Special General Meeting

Submitted by Janine on 9 February, 2004 - 10:13

I attended, as a visitor, the RMT SGM on Feb 6th in Glasgow. As you will all be aware the Union rejected the bullying tactics of the LP and upheld the decision of last years AGM to allow the political fund to be used to support other organisations other than the LP.
The main argument against the rule change was that support does not mean affiliation even though during the debate at the AGM the word affiliation was used on numerous occasions, this was rejected as nonsense as were other points against the rule change

One pro LP delegate finshed his contribution by claiming that this Government were the most pro worker and pro union Government we could have! (other unions please note)

Yet again during a debate on the political fund no LP member could give valid reasons for remaining solely affiliated to the LP, all they could offer were poor attempts at stifling debate.

I applaud the AGM & SGM decisions and look forward, in Scotland, to closer links with the SSP

Comments

Submitted by Janine on Wed, 11/02/2004 - 09:39

Thanks for your report, Dougie. I am pleased that the SGM voted to reaffirm the decisions of last year's AGM and the decisions of the Executive in allowing Scottish branches to support the SSP.

However, although resolutions from branches were circulated to SGM delegates, there was no voting on them. I understand that the union's Rule Book was not helpful here, but I think it was a real shame that the seven resolutions submitted by branches did not get a proper hearing.

We need more debate on what to do from now. Perhaps it looks a bit clearer in Scotland than it does in England & Wales, where there is not an alternative party deserving of the union's support. The danger down here is that the union will end up giving its endorsement to non-working-class parties and candidatures. How would you feel if the RMT backed the SNP? - because Bob Crow's suggestion of support for Plaid Cymru amounts to the same thing.

To take this debate forward, I would recommend the resolution submitted by East Midlands branch, and would encourage other RMT branches to submit it to this year's AGM. You can read the text on this website.

Submitted by Janine on Wed, 11/02/2004 - 09:41

You can read the resolution I referred to in my previous comment here.

Submitted by AWL on Wed, 11/02/2004 - 14:53

The RMT SGM in Glasgow on the 6th of February voted overwhelmingly to uphold their decision to allow the Union to affiliate to other organisations outside of the Labour Party.Only eight delegates voted against.

This historic decision has put the Union outside of the rules of the Labour Party, and as of 12:00 midday on the 7th of February we are no longer affiliated to the party that we helped to form.

This has come about because of the party's constant betrayal of our members in the rail, shipping and road transport industries. Their policy of privatisation is alien to our Union and its rules.

The Labour Party have said that we are outside of the party's rules and have expelled us. in reality they have been outside our rules since they scrapped Clause Four and entered into their policy of privatisation.

It is an indication of what Blair has done to our party that we are in this position.

A campaign should be launched now to expose Blair's role in this affair and for our reaffiliation.

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