RMT Special General Meeting agrees to align union towards Labour and encourage its members to be active in the party whilst remaining unaffiliated

Following a consultation with union Branches and Regional Councils a Special General Meeting (SGM) of the RMT has today agreed to a recommendation from the unions National Executive committee to align the RMT towards the Labour Party and encourage its 80,000 plus members to be active in the Labour Party, whilst remaining unaffiliated.

The SGM also adopted a recommendation from the NEC that will allow the unions 200 plus Branches and Regional Councils to use their political funds to back Labour at elections, whilst Labour continues to support key RMT policies on transport and trade union rights.

RMT Branches are also to be encouraged to develop relations with local Labour Parties.

The Special General Meeting also agreed that the union should consider what other steps it can take to support, defend, and develop the socialist advances that have been made within the Labour Party.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said:

"Our consultation has shown that the views of our Branches and Regions are finely balanced and the SGM has decided that whilst we do not support affiliation at this current time there is the potential for the union to affiliate to the Labour Party at a future date if there is clearer support for this. Many of our members have also reacted angrily to constant attempts by a hard core of Labour MPs to undermine Jeremy Corbyn and the radical progressive changes he has made to Labour.

"In contrast there is a clear desire amongst RMT members to support Jeremy Corbyn and the left leadership of the Labour Party and that is why we are now be putting in place other concrete steps to throw the weight of the RMT behind supporting the socialist advances that have been made in the Labour Party, this will include aligning ourselves towards Labour, encouraging members to be active in Labour and allowing our Branches and Regions to fund Labour candidates."