Militant Left (CWI in Northern Ireland)
The largest trade union in the north of Ireland has gone through a very significant election campaign. In public sector union NIPSA, the Broad Left and Democracy Now candidates achieved a real victory in the elections for the ruling executive, the General Council.
Their numbers surged from five on the outgoing council to 16 on the incoming one. They will join Militant Left supporter Carmel Gates, elected general secretary.
The left campaign was focused on defending living standards and rebuilding the union’s battered democracy.
All Militant Left supporters who stood in the election were elected.
The campaign stated:
“The General Council is the body that should be steering the union through the pay disputes. Instead, while the rest of the union is engaged in the most important battles in years, we have a General Council that is completely out of touch and asleep at the wheel.”
The left stood for a general council that:
- Fights for inflation-busting pay rises
- Properly supports members who are on strike
- Keeps sectarian division out of NIPSA
- Gives back democratic control of NIPSA to members
In their election material, Militant Left candidates made clear they stand for a “socialist, working-class, cross-community labour alternative”.
