If there has been a weakness in this long campaign it A CONSTITUTIONAL crisis has erupted in the RMT after has been the absence of a link with other campaigns Reg Hopkins, the union's against privatisation in the Blairite President, walked out NHS, the railways and the of a special national conference underground, as well as the of the union, closing it down privatisation of before any debate had taken education in other London place. boroughs such as Hackney. Hopkins objected to a prostill, a victory is a victory posal by the left-dominated nd campaigners against PFI Standing Orders Committee.
heart from the They put before the conferlead from ence an item dealing with the right-wing Executive overturning an earlier conference decision to reballot in a disputed Executive election. Rather than face a challenge to his chairing, Hopkins stormed out, closing down the conference. Acting in the absence of limmy Knapp, Assistant General Secretary, Vernon Hince, then withdrew all admin staff, making it impossible to continue.
Despite this, three quarters of the conference delegates stayed behind to meet informally - agreeing a motion of censure on both Hopkins and Hince, to be circulated to all RMT Branches. A battle is now on to reconvene the meeting, which also has to deal with a number of Rule change proposals which would open up the democracy of the union. Following this debacle the right has threatened to move against those calling for a recall conference - but their plans have now been thrown into disarray with the results of internal national elections. President Hopkins has been thrown out by the membership, to be replaced in the New Year by the left's candidate, Phil Boston, a former Executive member.
Boston had stood on a clear platform opposing Labour's transport policies and for the liberating of the union's political fund to be used to support campaigns and candidates who ctually agree with the RMT's olicies of renationalisation of the railways.
At the same time the left on - again the Executive has been strengthened by the election of Alex Gordon to represent the South West. A leading train crew activist, Gordon has been central to the campaign for industrial action to defend the safety role of Guards on trains as well as leading the campaign to liberate the political fund.
His victory will be important as RMT train crews are preparing to ballot for a national strike in the New Year.
The background to all this is that Jimmy Knapp is seriously ill. While all RMT members would wish him well, in his