Rail Union Splits with Labour

[toastedmonkey]

The Rail Union has split with labour, they were kicked out at noon today for supporting the SSP (Scotich Socialist Party), Labour told them they had to break their ties with the party (SSP)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3467637.stm

What does this mean for labour and socialism in the immediate and long term future?

[Intifada]

labour dumped socialism a long time ago. anway this is what tommy sheridan had to say about it...


“The RMT decision ushers in a new era of development in socialist politics.
“For over 100 years trade unionists have supported socialist policies but New Labour’s big business agenda is the enemy of socialist politics and more and more trade unionists are willing to admit this reality.
“The Scottish Socialist Party is a young party and small in comparison to Labour but we mustn’t forget that Labour started life as a small party as well.
“We make this appeal to every trade unionist in Scotland: should the members hard earned cash be poured into the coffers of New Labour to support their big business and millionaires agenda ?
“New Labour represents the millionaires in society, the SSP aspires to represent the millions.
“In the words of the RMT banner at the special conference;
The past we inherit, the future we build.”

[toastedmonkey]

Yes, but there was always the possiblity of it regaining it, its happened before and the unions are going to the left again.

[iloveatomickitten]

The other unions may simply follow the example and leave. No new party will have great success (as I see it) the labour movement is going out the window totally, for the moment. Labour with its 'new' look will fill up with 'new labour' types and then it's lost. I think a new start/party is needed.

[toastedmonkey]

Could a new party be succesful and if so over what time scale?

[Kez]

Originally posted by [email protected] 7 2004, 08:16 PM
The other unions may simply follow the example and leave.
Well considering it was the other unions who backed the ultimatum, i dont see this as the issue.

First we must assess situation

How big was RMT? 80,000 (relatively small)
What will happen to voice of RMT members? Its gone, the union branches now can pay whoever party, so now we have absurd situation where RMT members are paying Labour, Greens, Liberals, CPB and others. The voice in a party has gone in Scotland only another 2 branches have no gone for SSP.
I think it will be interesting come next year to see how situation moves, but RMT made this move at the worst time, when the struggle was intensifying in Labour. Crow was being the hero, but now hes nothing. It'll be interesting to see how members feel about him now.

[Thunk]

People who support the Labour party now are just reformists. We are not going to achieve a true socialist system by working within the capitalist system of bourgeois democracy. New Labour are a perfect example of how attempting to reform capitalism through party politics results in a fall into the right wing.

Popular revolution is real democracy. It is the system that must be changed, not just the people running it.

New Labour = Insoc.

[Kez]

well done kojack