Mick Lynch’s RMT union fails to back TUC motion condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Mick Lynch’s RMT union fails to back TUC motion condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as firefighters’ union votes against as it blasts ‘imperialist interests’ arming Ukraine’s ‘far-right’
Major trade unions have refused to support a motion condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Both the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and the Fire Brigades Union failed to back a vote to censure Vladimir Putin‘s military assault.
The unions declined to support yesterday’s motion at the TUC Congress in Liverpool despite it being passed with the support of other major unions.
The motion stated that the TUC Congress ‘unequivocally condemns Russia’s illegal, aggressive invasion of Ukraine’.
But the RMT, headed by Mick Lynch, abstained on the vote. And the FBU voted against the motion as they blasted ‘imperialist interests’ on ‘both sides’ of the conflict.
The FBU also expressed concerns about arming Ukraine’s ‘far right’.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers ( RMT ), headed by Mick Lynch (pictured), and the Fire Brigades Union failed to back a vote to censure Russia’s invasion
FBU representative Jamie Newell spoke against the motion, titled Composite 21, because he claimed it was ‘one of UK military intervention’
The motion, which was passed with the support of other unions, stated that the TUC Congress ‘unequivocally condemns’ Vladimir Putin’s ‘illegal, aggressive invasion of Ukraine’
Speaking at the conference in Liverpool, FBU representative Jamie Newell branded Russia’s invasion a ‘crime’ and said his union condemned it.
But he spoke against the motion, titled Composite 21, because he claimed it was ‘one of UK military intervention’.
‘We are proud of our history of internationalism, we oppose this composite,’ he added.
‘The space for workers to debate this has been shut down.’
‘We do not believe that the escalation of war offers anything to the working class in Russia or Ukraine.’
The RMT did not comment on yesterday’s vote but a spokesman pointed to the union’s continued condemnation of Putin’s invasion and their call for the immediate withdrawal of Russia troops.