Unite members, including Socialist Party members, have been leafleting at workplaces all round the country for fighting socialist candidates in the Unite Executive Council elections.
Dara FitzGerald reports from West London
We leafleted and spoke to drivers at bus stands in West London.
It went quite well. Almost everyone hadn’t voted yet, and were amenable to the ‘Workers Unite – Back to the Workplace’ slate of candidates.
One guy asked if Unite disaffiliated from Labour would we affiliate to something else. We said we need a new workers’ party. He said: “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
Some of the branches had nominated the Workers Unite slate. We spoke to drivers from one which had nominated the United Left slate (which is opposing Sharon Graham’s manifesto), but some drivers there seem to be annoyed that they weren’t told about the election.
A bunch of drivers knew about the elections but still hadn’t received ballot papers, so it was well worth doing.
In the elections to Unite’s Executive Council, the industrial and political approach of the union is at stake.
Candidates to vote for to maintain and extend Sharon Graham’s manifesto include:
- Len Hockey – London and Eastern
- Tanis Belsham-Wray – Community, Youth Workers and Not for Profit
- Dave Walsh – Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians
- John Williams – LGBT+
- The other candidates on the Workers Unite slate: backtotheworkplace.org/executive-council-candidates
to join Suzanne Muna and four others already elected unopposed. The election runs till 27 April
