For a democratic and fighting USDAW - vote Robbie Segal for President and National Executive

After receiving an outstanding 40% of the vote in the recent election for General Secretary of USDAW (Shopworkers union), Robbie Segal has been asked to stand for President of the Union by rank and file members fed up of a leadership completely craven in their acceptance of all that New Labour and the bosses throw at their members. She is also standing to be reelected as a member of the National Executive.

Shopworkers are some of Britain's lowest paid and most exploited workers. They are punished for being ill, and even pregnant, by punitive and bullying management, and many lack basic job security. All this while New Labour supporting USDAW General Secretary John Hannett receives over £100,000 per year and a chauffered Jaguar for his use!

Robbie stands for greater democracy in the Union, and for members to have a say over whether their Union should keep using their subs to fund New Labour, who have done nothing to protect workers against the vicious management of companies such as Tescos.

Robbie wants USDAW to be transformed into a union that really fights for its members, meaning no sweetheart deals with employers and Government, but action to defend and extend workers rights and conditions in the workplace.

In her campaign for General Secretary, Robbie rejected the salary and perks attached with the job, and would have only accepted the average wage of a Tesco worker if elected. Similarly, if elected President she will reject all the perks and frivolous expenses associated with such a position. She is standing to serve USDAW members, and make the union more effective in winning for them, not to serve her own interests or fatten her wallet. She is standing for reelection to the National Executive to continue to argue for all this, and for the rights of the workers she represents, as a Tesco worker herself.

The time has come to say we have had enough!

Enough of bullying bosses!
Enough of poverty pay!
Enough of being punished for being sick!
Enough of cosying up to New Labour and the supermarket bosses!
Enough of the undemocratic gravy train at the top of USDAW!
Enough of insecure, temporary contracts!

Vote Robbie Segal, for a democratic, fighting USDAW.

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The election runs from today (January 19th) to Friday 13th February.

If you would like more information, either contact us at socialistpartydevon@gmail.com, or visit Robbie's website at www.robbiesegal.org

If you would like some campaign leaflets for your workplace, or your local shop, please contact us ASAP at the email address above.

Excellent result for Socialist candidate in USDAW election

Socialist Party member Robbie Segal shook the entire shopworkers' union USDAW by gaining 40% of the vote for General Secretary in the ballot result announced today. Robbie is a Tesco worker who on shoe-string resources with a tiny band of activists in a David and Goliath battle faced the entire USDAW official machine. The whole right wing union full time bureaucracy was mobilised to crush her, but she still managed to gain over 18,000 votes winning the moral victory by far.

The incumbent, John Hannett, had the entire union behind him - except the members. He appears in the union journal and other union publications every month. Robbie was virtually unknown to most of the members other than those that have known her first-hand as a fighter over the years.

As an example, three NEC members were flown into the Central London branch meeting to argue against one Socialist Party member to secure the nomination of all the London branches for Hannett.

But Robbie's programme clearly appealed to the members by calling for an £8 minimum wage for all, no to partnership between the union and the employers- as there is in Tesco, for democracy within the union, and for an alternative to New Labour for ordinary people to have a party that genuinely represents them.

Robbie also pledged to reject the £100,000 Hannett took and to continue on her Tesco wage.

The result is in no way a ringing endorsement of the current leadership. The low turnout of 13.2% reflected the fact that Hannett did his very best to subdue the issue, by calling a summer election, calling no debates with Robbie and producing no other material other than the ballot paper and a letter to the branches demanding their support. Hannett's support cannot be seen as a vote of confidence in his performance in the job. In fact, quite the opposite.

This result, for a clearly socialist candidate in the USDAW General Secretary election is testimony to the changing mood in the unions.

USDAW has for many years been the bastion of the right wing with an avid New Labourite leadership. John Hannett pulled all the stops out to use the union bureaucratic machine in his favour for this election. Robbie's brave stand, under continual threats from the right wing, has given a voice to the ordinary members. This must be built for the future.

John Hannett: 27,320

Robbie Segal (Socialist candidate): 18,673

Total number that voted: 46,002 (out of 348,278 members)

To view Robbie's election video, go to www.socialistparty.org.uk/vids/robbie_segal.wmv

USDAW national public meeting to discuss the election results and plan for future action is this Saturday, 20th September, Lucas Arms, 245A Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8QZ. Nearest station, Kings Cross St Pancras. If you are interested in going to this meeting, you can contact Robbie by emailing robbie@robbiesegal.org or by phoning 07776 195 563.