[A-List] Scotland: trade unions & the SSP

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

This is a very positive step. At last the unionism inherent in organised
labour is being challenged and found wanting, thanks largely to New Labour's
ever rightward shift, and the provision of a clear alternative north of
Berwick. The most positive result arising from this could be some serious
thought among trade unions in England as to what sort of politics they
should be engaging in, hopefully giving impetus to the establishment of a
clear socialist alternative that has a clear grasp of the national question.

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Postal staff vote to back RMT in link-up with Scottish Socialists
TOM GORDON, Scottish Political Correspondent
The Herald, February 05 2004

THOUSANDS of postal workers have voted to affiliate to the Scottish
Socialist party in support of the RMT union if the latter severs its ties
with the Labour party.
The Scotland No 2 branch of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) voted
overwhelmingly to back the SSP in sympathy with the RMT earlier this week.
The branch represents about 4000 delivery staff, counter staff and mail
sorters in Edinburgh, Lothians, Fife, central Scotland and the Borders.

The move comes on the eve of a meeting in Glasgow tomorrow when the Rail,
Maritime and Transport union in Glasgow will decide whether to reverse an
earlier decision to allow five Scottish branches to switch from Labour to
the SSP.

Labour has warned the union it breached the party's rules by allowing the
change. Last week, Labour's national executive committee (NEC) said that if
the RMT did not reverse its decision, the union would be viewed as being
outside Labour and the split would be final.

Derek Durkin, secretary of the CWU branch threatening to switch, said: "Our
members are angry at the recent decision of the NEC of the Labour party to
expel the RMT from membership should they uphold their decision to allow
their Scottish branches to affiliate to the SSP.

"We view this as an attack on the principle of free trade unionism in this
country."

He said the affiliation threat applied only to the No 2 branch level, and
ties with Labour would be maintained at local constituency level. This would
give the SSP only a few hundred pounds a year, he said, but the symbolism of
the switch was more important.

Mr Durkin also said the move could cause a fight with the CWU's London
headquarters, and could result in expulsion from the Labour party.

Tommy Sheridan, leader of the SSP, said: "I hope the RMT decide to support
branches that have democratically debated and decided to affiliate to the
SSP. However, it is their union, it is their rule book, and it is their
political fund."

A Labour spokesman said: "We would urge the CWU branch to rethink its
decision, just as we would urge the RMT to rethink its decision. They are
both far stronger within the Labour party than outside it."

The CWU's London HQ said union policy stated branches could not affiliate to
parties other than Labour.