Union democracy

By Tim Row, Leicester Delivery Office Unit Rep There are no simple explanations for the CWU postal pay ballot defeat. The point is to learn the lessons and move on. The union said beforehand that the ballot represented the crossroads for Royal Mail. The defeat now represents the crossroads for the union. Simply blaming the defeat on headquarters, management propaganda or the "the North" doesn't begin to address anything. First, we need to acknowledge the fact that even if the 1,600 or so votes that made the difference had gone the other way, we would have been facing the situation of going...

By a postal worker It is crucial that a massive "Yes" vote is recorded in the forthcoming ballot for industrial action over Royal Mail's dirty trick pay offer. Of course Royal Mail boss Allan Leighton has claimed that a 4.5% pay rise over 18 months plus acceptance of massive job cuts is a "good deal". It's a great deal for Leighton and Co-the icing on the cake when you consider the £500,000 plus annual pay rates (plus bonuses worth up to £50,000 for one months work) that are being dished out to senior directors. It's also likely to be good deal for local managers who will be hoping a massive...

When I look at where the firefighters stand now, it reminds me of where Tube workers stood two years ago. I think that what happened to us next is a useful warning to you. In Spring 2001, we were battling against privatisation, had a huge ballot mandate, and had held a series of effective stoppages. Then our leadership attempted to foist a poor 'settlement' on us, but a reps' meeting voted to reject it and to call more strikes. Sound familiar? After that reps' meeting (in early April), we were angry with Bob Crow for trying to sell us short, but delighted with our success in knocking him back...

by John Moloney Members in the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCSU) have voted to hold annual elections for the National Executive and annual conferences. This means that there have to be NEC elections this year. The right wing-controlled NEC has refused to appoint election scrutineers as required by the constitution. The general secretary and the president have had to go to the High Court to seek permission to appoint the scrutineers themselves. This right-wing NEC were the people who tried to sack the general secretary Mark Serwotka a year and half after he been elected, claiming that...

By Kate Ahrens (Leicestershire Health UNISON, personal capacity) Candy Udwin and Dave Carr, Unison activists and SWP members, have been expelled from the union. The two were branch officers in the University of London Hospitals (UCLH) branch of the union and were finally expelled following a lengthy appeals process on charges relating to a leaflet that they produced during the dispute at the hospital over PFI. Although the decision of the original hearing four years ago was to expel them, they had remained members of the union throughout the appeal process. During that time, Dave Prentis was...

Members of the PCS civil service union have voted 31,322 to 18,926 in favour of annual (rather than two-yearly) elections for their union's National Executive, and 28,190 to 22,053 for annual (rather than two-yearly) union conferences. The ballot results were announced on 28 February. These changes had been voted through by large majorities at the union's conference, but union rules required a membership ballot on them as well. The union's right-wing Executive, which has devoted most of its energies to court cases trying to oust, or at least to shackle, left-wing General Secretary Mark...

Check out USDAW. A rule change proposed [through his lackeys] [by SIR Bill Connor] that this year's annual delegate meeting give control of branch funds to central office transferring a further 12.5 per cent to central office.

Hugh Lanning, the candidate defeated by Mark Serwotka for General Secretary of the civil servants' union PCS, spoke at a public rally in London on 19 June to support Mark against the "coup" which aims to stop him taking office. Outgoing General Secretary Barry Reamsbottom and his right-wing allies on the union's National Executive have declared, on the basis of "legal advice", that the election which Mark Serwotka won should never have happened! Although Reamsbottom has never been elected to anything in PCS; although both PCS conference and a ballot of PCS members voted to run General...

From a leaflet published by the Socialist Alliance Mark Serwotka was active and well-known as a socialist, both within his union and in broader fields, for many years before he was elected General Secretary. There was and is no secret about it. PCS members voted for him knowing who he is and what he stands for. Their vote was part of a growing trend for trade unionism to revive after many hard years. Several other unions have elected leaders seen as standing for more vigorous trade unionism - Bob Crowe in the RMT, Mick Rix in ASLEF, Billy Hayes in the CWU, Paul Mackney in NATFHE, Tony Woodley...

A Solidarity/ Workers' Liberty leaflet Against the PCS "coup": break the power of the "Moderates"! Democratise the union! o Uphold the elected General Secretary and President o Demand a recall conference o Press for re-run National Executive elections o Don't rely on the courts - mobilise the membership. If the courts back Reamsbottom, demand a fresh General Secretary election. CLEAR BATTLE lines have been drawn in the PCS civil servants' union. Unelected General Secretary Barry Reamsbottom and his allies have staged a "coup" by declaring that the election for a new General Secretary won by...