Elections Follow

THE ELECTION for the general secretary of Britain's fifth biggest union has started.

OVER ONE million members of the new Amicus union will have a chance to decide the future of their union when ballot papers go out for the national executive elections next Monday.

The chance for a powerful socialist challenge to New Labour was given a major boost at a 1,300-strong rally in London last week when a new coalition representing the spirit of struggle and resistance set its sights on key elections due on 'Super Thursday', 10 June 2004

AROUND A third of the undergraduates at King's College, Cambridge University, are expected to withhold their rent. This is despite the scare tactics used by the head of the college (who stood as a Tory in the 1997 parliamentary elections) and the college bursar (who was a key figure in the privatisation of the railways).

ANTI-CAPITALIST forces moved to the centre stage of French politics last weekend. The country's two main far left organisations announced their united electoral challenge in important regional and European elections due next June-the same time as similar elections in Britain.

Sheffield SOME 110 people came to a Sheffield Coalition Against Racism meeting at Sheffield town hall on Friday of last week. Since the local elections in May, when the Nazi BNP polled 18 percent in Brightside and 11 percent in Handsworth, there has been a desire to see united opposition to the Nazis in Sheffield.

Elections MEMBERS OF the RMT rail workers' union are currently voting to elect a new president. The previous president, John Cogger, died earlier this year. Socialists should make sure they campaign and vote for Tony Donaghy. We need to make sure that right wing candidates such as Colin Cook don't get a look-in.

JACK DROMEY has been elected as deputy leader of the TGWU, one of Britain's most powerful unions. He was elected overwhelmingly, polling 62,422 votes compared with his nearest rival, Graham Stevenson who took 29,363 votes. A third candidate, Barry Camfield, took 24,145 votes. Only around 15 percent of TGWU members voted. The election campaign didn't catch anyone's imagination.

THE NAZI BNP suffered two setbacks in by-elections on Thursday of last week. They failed to hold a council seat in Burnley or to capture a seat in the Mixenden ward, Calderdale, where they already hold one of the two council seats. In the Great Horton ward, Bradford, they were disqualified due to irregularities in their nomination papers.

LEFT WING candidates for the Amicus national executive elections are gaining support. The Amicus Unity Gazette slate is out to make the new, merged union a fighting democratic one.

THE ELECTION for deputy general secretary of the TGWU union, one of Britain's most important unions, is taking place.

ACTIVISTS IN the Amicus union are building support for the Amicus Unity Gazette slate that is standing in upcoming national executive elections. This is a great opportunity to create a strong union willing to stand up to the bosses and New Labour.