Follow-up meetings to the ‘Trade Unionists for a New Party’ campaign launch on July 21st to plan detailed work in individual unions have now been held for members of Unite the Union, the Communications Workers Union (CWU), the University and Colleges Union (UCU), UNISON, the National Education Union (NEU) and the GMB.
A report of the 220-strong meeting of Unite activists has been published at https://www.tusc.org.uk/21880/12-08-2025/unite-for-a-new-party-meeting-sets-union-specific-campaign-plan/. Below is the report of the CWU meeting, with others to be posted here in the coming days. ■
CWU members for a new party meet
Activists from across the Communication Workers Union (CWU) attended a meeting on Monday 11 August, following on from the 21st July ‘Trade Unionists for a New Party’ campaign launch. Dave Nellist, a former ‘workers’ MP on a worker’s wage’ when he was a Labour MP from 1983-1992, chaired the discussion.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward sent his apologies as he was away, and Jeremy Corbyn sent a video message.
Many of the attendees contributed to the debate on the tactics and strategy needed to get better political representation for our union, all in a personal capacity. The first came from Deji Olayinka, chair of UTAW (tech workers) branch, introducing a model motion (below). The motion isn’t just for branches to discuss, but to call on the union leadership to engage, as Andy Gibb, former national executive member, stressed.
Alex Bradley, CWU Bristol AMAL Branch officer, argued that we need to reach out to members and open up discussions at the branch level on what kind of party we want. Alex Shepley, Manchester Branch Women’s officer, highlighted that if the party built on Corbyn’s manifesto promises of nationalising Royal Mail, BT and Openreach it would attract, unite and re-engage union members who had been turned off by the union’s relationship to Starmer’s Labour.
There was a shared understanding that we shouldn’t wait for a new party – the focus was on the concrete steps that we could take now to ensure the union’s political funds can be used to fund the best political representation for members and the wider working class, which could cut across Reform’s rise.
This includes members having the opportunity to evaluate the current CWU-funded MPs to determine whether they are “loyal to the labour movement or the Labour Party?” as Alex posed it. Duncan Davis, UTAW Branch Secretary, called for clear rulebook provisions securing branches’ rights to fund the best candidates including those outside of Labour.
Gary Clark, former Scotland No. 2 Branch Secretary, said that while there are still people who want to stay in Labour, there is a mood for this step among the majority. He explained that branches can ask for motions to be discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC), and that a policy forum would be held if branches representing over 40% of members asked for one.
Shireen Asaw, UTAW Education Officer, reported on the political representation branch working group that she has organised, which is already drawing together the kinds of policies that members want. Adil Shaikh from the Manchester telecoms branch raised that the TUC conference in September is another opportunity to raise this amongst leading trade unionists.
It was agreed to have a follow-up meeting in September or at the latest early October to discuss the progress that has been made, with reports of how the issue is being addressed in the union, meetings discussing the model motion etc – of setbacks as well as successes – being sent to [email protected] ■
Model motion for CWU branches
This CWU branch notes:
● The CWU gave over £170,000 to Labour MPs in the 12 months prior to the 2024 election.
● The CWU initiated New Deal For Workers has been watered down by Labour to appease bosses with many changes delayed. The Tory 2016 Trade Union Act and the ban on secondary action could have been repealed on day 1 yet unions remain handcuffed.
● The vicious anti-worker attacks carried through with conscious political support by this Labour government and Labour-controlled councils including strike breaking as seen in Birmingham.
● The cuts to services, as well as attacks on the trans community, migrants, disabled people, and ongoing support for the onslaught in Gaza.
● Developments related to the founding of a new political trade union-based party. Including:
– Unite conference voted to reassess the union’s relationship with Labour;
– The statement on the creation of a new political party by the bakers’ union (BFAWU) Executive Council (at https://www.bfawu.org/statement-on-the-creation-of-a-new-political-party/);
– The statement by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana calling for a new political party “rooted in our communities, trade unions and social movements”, with over 700,000 people signing up to be kept informed which includes many CWU members.
This branch believes:
● These are potentially positive developments toward establishing a political voice for CWU members, the working class and the wider communities we live and work in.
● A new party will be stronger and have more political authority if trade unions – collectively representing more than six million members – participate in the founding of a new party and are represented in the democratic decision-making process of a new party.
● With motions passed at the Unite policy conference and UCU conference opening up discussions in those unions about their political strategy, it is vital that CWU members are not left behind in discussions now taking place across our movement.
Therefore this CWU branch agrees to do the following and urgently write to the chair of the NEC, the regional political committees, and Dave Ward to:
● Push for a discussion at all levels of CWU about our relationship with Labour and the need for a political strategy that supports our members taking action.
● Instruct branch political officers, regional official and regional political committees to organise members’ meetings with CWU-backed Labour MPs as part of a review of the voting record of those MPs in line with CWU policy.
● To take steps to create a formal CWU parliamentary group of MPs that support our policy including MPs outside of Labour such as Corbyn and the Independent Alliance MPs.
● Launch a union-wide consultation about the best use of the union’s political fund, including the question of funding candidates outside the Labour Party who support CWU agreed policy.
● To convene a special policy forum and rules conference in 2026 to draw political and organisational conclusions, potentially including the building of a new workers party, standing and supporting workers candidates, calling for a conference across unions to build a political alternative for workers on a pro-worker, socialist programme.
● To encourage members of our branch to stand as candidates in next year’s local elections, linking up with other trade unionists, and to campaign for our union’s policies. ■
Other Trade Unionists for a New Party follow-up meetings details:
Initial follow-up meetings to work out the details of what to do next in individual unions are being organised in other unions too. Registration details for those already arranged are listed below. And watch out for union-specific meetings for members of the RMT, NAPO and others in the coming weeks.
USDAW – Sunday 31st August, 7pm – https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/voIeXUOaQkGNiB-kC7FMPg#/registration
PCS – Tuesday 9th September, 6-30pm – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/n8DgsAnBRkONsN1ILTRyxA#/registration