Socialist Party member stands for Unite (T&G) general executive

Rob Williams, a Socialist Party member and the convenor at the Visteon car plant in Swansea, is standing for election to the general executive council of Unite (T&G).

Rob says in his election leaflet: "I am opposed to 'concession bargaining', where unelected full time officials encourage our members to accept worse pay and conditions instead of organising a fight-back. This strategy inevitably ends in the employer making further threats in the future and coming back for even more cuts!

"Despite having our backs against the wall in Visteon we have won significant victories by being prepared to mobilise the membership against management's attacks on our jobs, terms, conditions and pensions. I believe elected shop stewards are the union officials that are closest to the membership and have the authority to determine the tactics and strategy to defend our members' interests...

"I'm also standing because we need to break the link with New Labour.

"Not a penny more to this pro-big business party that privatises our public services and maintains Thatcher's anti-trade union laws which make it easier for the bosses to stop us fighting back.

"But we shouldn't become a non-political union. We should start the campaign to form a new mass workers' party based on the trade unions to give all working people a socialist alternative."

The ballot closes on 28 March.

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In The Socialist 4 March 2008:

Unite for a living wage