Elect Roger Bannister:

A workers' leader on a worker's wage

SOCIALIST PARTY member Roger Bannister will be challenging public sector union UNISON's link with the Labour Party in the forthcoming general secretary election.

Roger is the only candidate posing a real challenge to the union's links with Labour. He has pledged to ballot the members on this issue if he is elected general secretary.

The two other candidates are clearly associated with the Labour Party.

On hearing of his success in the nomination process, Roger Bannister said:

"It is great news for UNISON members that they will have the opportunity to show their opposition to wasting millions of pounds of members' money on the Labour Party in this election. The other candidates are both Labour Party members who wish to see the status quo continue.

"Why should we bankroll a party that attacks our pensions, privatises public services and holds public sector pay down?"

Ballot papers are due to be distributed from 25 January. The ballot runs to 28 February and the result will be announced on 9 March.

From 17 January, Socialist Party branches will be targeting UNISON members' workplaces with leaflets explaining Roger's programme.

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In The Socialist 15 January 2005:

Tsunami disaster: cancel the debt