Statement: Vote Jerry Hicks!

15 March 2013

This local flyer was produced by local transport workers within UNITE. We reproduce it here. (SD editor)

The sudden election call in Unite was designed to discourage other candidates from coming forward. No election would have been held but for an energetic nomination campaign by Jerry Hicks, backed by the energy and good will of ordinary workers. As a result, bottom up democracy has already been strengthened in our Union and we have an election that our leadership most definitely did not want! They wanted instead to have McCluskey re-appointed. The Con-Dem Government, Labour and our elite Union leadership know the economic hardship that is to be heaped on working people, starting with the bedroom tax. Our Union leadership knows that these attacks, in the coming years, will expose their failure to fight back and would favour a rank and file candidate. Calling a snap early election is a cynical attempt to ensure the present General Secretary remains in power, backing a pro-austerity Labour Party at the next Westminster election. This undemocratic attempt to avoid an election has already been defeated! Now, onwards to a new dynamic, member controlled union!

The contrast between the candidates says it all! 
 

• Len McCluskey, after much delay, says he opposes the Black List,…. Jerry Hicks has BEEN Black Listed for years! 

• McCluskey earns at least £122,000 a year,….Hicks will accept an average industrial wage of £26,000 a year! 

• McCluskey will continue appointing Union Officials,….Hicks demands that all Union Officials be ELECTED! 

JIB electricians, with Hicks’ enthusiastic support, defied anti union laws and defeated a planned 30% pay cut,.….  McCluskey was nowhere in sight! Full timers dithered and delayed, referring to Hicks and the fighting sparks as “a Cancer” in the union, and were only eventually forced to act by the Sparks  growing success! A victory for the ordinary members that McCluskey now shamelessly tries to claim!

SUPPORT THE ORDINARY MEMBERS!……..VOTE JERRY HICKS!

PRODUCED BY:  THE TRADE UNION RANK AND FILE FOR A FIGHTING UNION! 
 
 

VOTE JERRY HICKS FOR;
 

• ELECTED UNION OFFICIALS.

• A LEADER ON AN AVERAGE WAGE, IN TOUCH WITH  AVERAGE WORKERS.

• A LEADER THAT SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN AN INDEPENDENT TRADE UNION RANK AND FILE.

• A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE THATCHERITE ANTI UNION LAWS.

• A GENUINE BOTTOM UP REORGANISATION AND REINVIGORATION OF OUR UNION. 

• MORE DEMOCRACY, MORE SAY, MORE MEMBER CONTROL.

VOTE HICKS!