from left Bob Crow and Alex Gordon

RAIL MARITIME AND TRANSPORT union RMT confirmed this morning that Bob Crow has been re-elected unopposed for a further five year term as General Secretary.

Bob Crow will begin his third five year term at the helm of the union in the New Year.

Bob received 131 nominations from RMT branches in a massive endorsement of his successful stewardship of the union.

Alex Gordon, RMT President, said;

“Bob Crow’s unopposed re-election as RMT General Secretary, with overwhelming support from our branches, is a total vindication of the industrial and political strategy that has been developed by the union under Bob’s leadership.

“Only this week, a fighting industrial campaign on the Virgin West Coast Main Line has secured our members a 10% pay increase at a time when workers are being told to accept pay freezes and pay cuts. Deals of 5% and over are the norm in many areas of the transport sector as RMT refuses to accept that our members should take a hit on their standards of living to bail out the bankers crisis.

“On the political front, we have worked with our sister unions to develop campaigns to defend UK train building at Bombardier in Derby, and to resist the McNulty Rail Review assault on jobs and services. Those campaigns are a model for militant working class action in the teeth of the ConDem Government assault on working people.

“And on the big issue of our times, the impending collapse of the euro and the whole corrupt edifice of the bankers’ Euro super-state, Bob Crow and RMT have been consistent in demanding withdrawal from the EU and in supporting our brothers and sisters across Europe in their fight against privatisation, job-losses and decimation of public services.

“RMT’s campaigning programme, with Bob Crow as our General Secretary, rolls on. From driverless tube trains, to the impending Government response to McNulty, through to the assault on bus services and shipping, we stand ready for the battles ahead.”