Socialist Party member Ted Woodley is seeking nomination to stand for the Midlands region seat on the transport union RMT’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
This contest is for a vacancy that has arisen due to the previous NEC member standing down before the end of her full term. Ted intends to also stand for the full term in the scheduled election this summer.
This will be a crucial set of elections for the RMT, coming as Keir Starmer’s Labour government has set a clear course of further austerity. With general secretary Mick Lynch retiring, the future direction of the union is at stake, and electing fighting NEC members who will face up to the reality of the Starmer government is essential.
Ted, a senior conductor, says:
I was inspired by the stand we took throughout the national rail dispute. We proved to the government and the rail bosses that if they want to take us on we will fight back. I believe that the RMT should play a central role in the trade union movement in building an industrial and political resistance to the bosses’ agenda.
I stand for a fighting strategy to restore the real-terms pay we have lost since the Covid pandemic, and to defend all jobs, pay and conditions across all grades. Bring outsourced workers back in-house and defend the railway pension scheme.
Campaigning by RMT has helped build public support for renationalisation of the railway. I welcome the commitment to nationalise the Train Operating Companies, but the highly profitable Rolling Stock Leasing Companies and freight operators should also be nationalised. We must be prepared to defend our jobs, terms and conditions under ‘Great British Railway’ and fight for a fully funded, unified and public-owned railway as part of an integrated public transport system.
RMT must help lead a national fightback against austerity – regardless of which party is in government.
I support RMT’s political strategy – we must only support politicians who support our union’s policies. No support for any politicians voting for cuts or privatisation in local or national government; we should be prepared to give support to independent anti-austerity, pro-trade union candidates.
I will ensure that RMT is a member-led union, with members engaged with and involved in all key decisions.
