There WILL be a contested election for UNITE General Secretary

Yesterday Jerry Hicks received confirmation from Electoral Reform that he had 56 valid nominations - enough to get on the ballot paper and give 1.5 million UNITE members a chance to vote - a real election rather than a coronation.

There are still two weeks left for more nomination meetings (which must be held by 15 February 2013), so keep them coming in.  I explained why and how to nominate in a previous post.

The election gives an opportunity to put to all UNITE's members arguments for a more serious fightback - turning fine words into real action, for a more robust relationship with Labour, and for greater accountability of officers to the members they represent.

Jerry's press release responding to the PCS NEC's decision to ballot their members for action in March shows clearly how his election campaign can help increase the pressure for action against cuts and austerity.

Whatever the eventual result of the election (and this snap election remains tilted towards Len McCluskey), the bigger the campaign and vote for Jerry, the more UNITE's leadership (whoever that is) will take on parts of Jerry's agenda and the more UNITE's membership will feel confident to keep pushing for it.  This effect will be felt far beyond UNITE too - in other unions General Secretaries and activists alike will be watching the size of the left challenge to a left General Secretary and it is bound to affect their confidence and trajectory too - all helping to build the fightback.

If you are holding a nomination meeting, don't forget to take a collection for Jerry's campaign.  He's been blacklisted and out of work since being sacked for union activities, and is up against someone on a six-figure salary.  No union funds can be used for the campaign.  If you're leafleting etc outside workplaces, don't forget to take along UNITE membership forms to recruit any non-members you meet.

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McCluskey calls on Labour Council to refuse to implement the attack on services

The Manchester Coalition Against Cuts web site is showing Len McCluskey, UNITE's General Secretary, signing up to a petition calling on the Labour Council to refuse to implement cuts.

While UNITE has had a policy of opposing all cuts since May 2011, which pledges support for councillors who do oppose cuts, the union has, until now, not done much to encourage Labour councillors to act on that policy.  Indeed, the silence has been deafening on the odd occasions when councillors have refused to vote for cuts and have duly been disciplined by Labour.

If this marks a hardening of UNITE's stance it is very welcome.  Would it have happened if the General Secretary election didn't seem increasingly likely to be contested?

The signature comes in the wake of bit protests in Manchester against the lastest round of cuts, and councillors starting to consider opposing them for the first time.  A Councillors Against Cuts web site has appeared with increasing numbers pledging to vote against cuts.  This is a development to be encouraged.

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DHL-Howdens workers fight for their jobs

54 UNITE members employed in Widnes by DHL as delivery drivers for Howdens (joinery and kitchens) are fighting for their jobs against plans to close their depot.

Early in January they were given just 30 days warning of the intention to close the depot, threatening all their jobs.  They say "consultation" has been a farce and complain of attempted bullying and intimidation.

The workers believe that the work will be shifted to Yorkshire.  Given that the goods come from Runcorn, this would add costs in time, money and the environment.  The workers believe there is no genuine business case for the closure, but see it as an attack on a well unionised workforce.

An industrial action ballot is underway, but the delays required for compliance with the anti-union laws mean that action could barely have begun by the time the site closes.  This should be a warning to all workers given the government's plans to cut the minimum consultation period for large scale redundancies from 90 days to 45 - a step that would force many workers to defy the law if they are serious about fighting for their jobs.

The UNITE members are not sitting back and waiting though.  When not on shift, they have been busy staging protests.  Today they were at the Howdens Joinery in Manchester, right near my own workplace.  A few of us went to show solidarity and join the protest in our dinner break:

There is nothing more depressing than reading news stories about hundreds of jobs being lost without a fight.  This is usually due to workers lacking confidence and organisation.  Any group of workers fighting to save their jobs deserve everyone's support - if they win it can only raise the confidence of others.

You can find out more about the fight to save the Widnes jobs on Facebook (widnes.drivers) or Twitter (@WidnesDrivers) or Flickr.

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