Workers Struggle

Corbyn blocked: Model motions for union branches

April 10, 2023

(Photo credit: Paul McGowan)

It is now official. After a vote on Labour’s NEC last week, initiated by Starmer, Jeremy Corbyn has been officially blocked from seeking re-election as a Labour MP at the next general election.

Socialist Alternative believes that we cannot delay. Corbyn should immediately call a mass rally in his constituency to declare he is standing independently of Labour. A mass campaign for an independent Corbyn candidacy would be an important step forward, as well as an opportunity to place firmly on the agenda the need build a new party for working class people. We need a new left party of struggle through which trade unionists, climate campaigners and all those fighting oppression can organise through from below. Read more on this here.

Socialist Alternative has put together a series of model motions which can be moved in trade union branches. If you would like help in getting this motion passed in your branch, please contact us at info@socialistalternative.net!

Unions affiliated to Labour, except UNISON

This union notes the de-selection of Jeremy Corbyn as the Labour candidate for Islington North at the next general election by the Labour Party National Executive Committee, and resolves:

To condemn the decision of the Labour Party NEC
That no support should be given to the Labour candidate in Islington North ahead of, or at the next general election
That no support should be given to any Labour representative who does not condemn this decision
To call upon the national leadership of our union to invite Jeremy Corbyn to be a guest speaker at the next National Conference of our union, or the next National Executive Committee/Council meeting if conference does not meet until 2024
To issue a press release covering the above
To organise a discussion about political organisation for working people and whether Labour remains a viable vehicle for this, and to call upon our union nationally to do the same
To request a report from our union’s representatives on the Labour NEC as to which way they voted over Jeremy Corbyn’s deselection
To publish this motion in our branch’s member-orientated communications
To forward this motion to other bodies of our union and the wider labour movement, as appropriate
To submit this as a motion or emergency motion to the next National Conference of our union, or the next National Executive Committee/Council meeting if conference does not meet until 2024

UNISON

This branch notes the de-selection of Jeremy Corbyn as the Labour candidate for Islington North at the next general election by the Labour Party National Executive Committee. This branch resolves:

To call upon the Labour Link officer to condemn the decision of the Labour Party NEC
To call upon the Labour Link officer to request from Unison’s national Labour Link that no support should be given to the Labour candidate in Islington North ahead of or at the next general election
To call upon the Labour Link officer to request from Unison’s national Labour Link that no support should be given to any Labour representative who does not condemn this decision
To call upon the National Executive Council to invite Jeremy Corbyn to be a guest speaker at National Delegates Conference 2023
To issue a press release covering the above
In conjunction with the branch Labour Link officer, to organise a discussion about political organisation for working people and whether Labour remains a viable vehicle for this
To request a report from our union’s representatives on the Labour NEC as to which way they voted over Jeremy Corbyn’s deselection
To publish this motion in our branch’s member-orientated communications
To forward this motion to other bodies of UNISON and the wider labour movement, as appropriate by rule
To call upon the Labour Link officer to submit an emergency motion to National Delegates Conference 2023 via the Labour Link encompassing points 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 with appropriate rewording to address the national structures of UNISON rather than branch structures.

Unions not affiliated to Labour

This union notes the de-selection of Jeremy Corbyn as the Labour candidate for Islington North at the next general election by the Labour Party National Executive Committee, and resolves as follows:

To condemn the decision of the Labour Party NEC
To call upon Jeremy Corbyn to stand as an independent and to start his campaign now
To give full support to Jeremy if he stands as an independent, including by helping to establish local solidarity group(s) in the area covered by our union body to mobilise support
To call upon our national union leadership to ensure that no support is given to the Labour candidate in Islington North ahead of or at the next general election
That no support should be given to any Labour representative who does not condemn this decision
To call upon the national leadership of our union to invite Jeremy Corbyn to be a guest speaker at the next National Conference of our union, or the next National Executive Committee/Council meeting if conference does not meet until 2024
To organise a discussion about political organisation for working people including the question of establishing a new left party of struggle based upon the trade unions and social movements, and to call upon our union nationally to do the same
To issue a press release covering the above
To publish this motion in our branch’s member-orientated communications
To forward this motion to other bodies of our union and the wider labour movement, as appropriate
To submit this as a motion or emergency motion to the next National Conference of our union, or the next National Executive Committee/Council meeting if conference does not meet until 2024