Cash wins RMT election

Submitted by Matthew on 24 September, 2014 - 11:14 Author: Ollie Moore

Mick Cash has won the election for General Secretary of the rail union RMT by a large margin, with nearly 9,000 votes to the 4,000 of his nearest rival, Alan Pottage.

John Leach, supported by Workers’ Liberty, came fourth, with 1,428 votes. Steve Hedley won 1,885 votes, and Alex Gordon won 1,176.

The election turnout was low, around 20%.

Although Cash’s election material used militant rhetoric, his record is far more moderate. Cash has a more cautious and conciliatory attitude to industrial strategy than his predecessor Bob Crow. It will be a step backwards if his leadership makes it harder for members to take action against their employers. Cash is also infamous for failing to vote against the Iraq war when he represented the RMT on the Labour Party Executive — hardly suggestive of a rebellious or oppositional spirit.

Grassroots RMT members will have to organise independently to create a counter-pressure on the leadership.

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