Socialist Appeal - Socialist Appeal Supports Jerry Hicks’ Campaign for General Secretary

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Socialist Appeal Supports Jerry Hicks’ Campaign for General Secretary

By Jerry Hicks

Tuesday, 23 December 2008

Socialist Appeal supports Jerry Hicks

A Message from Jerry Hicks:

It is with great pleasure and pride that I am able to say that we have secured more than enough branch and workplace reps nominations to be on the ballot paper for the election of General Secretary Amicus Section scheduled for February and March.

This incredible achievement represents tremendous reward for all the efforts that so many people have made during the course of the nomination period.

The scale of recognition by way of support has without any question or doubt vindicated the decision to challenge Derek Simpson’s right to remain in office for 8 years without holding an election. It also presents us with a fantastic opportunity to not only influence the debate in its breadth and depth, but given the number of nominations received, makes it possible to consider the prospect of even greater things and even dare to dream of winning!

At the time of the initial challenge back in May of this year not one of the other candidates was either brave enough or willing to come out in support of the action. Now they all say how many problems the Union faces, “how we cannot afford to have Derek Simpson re-elected” or that the “finances are spinning out of control”, “the merger is in tatters”, that “the union has been too easy on New Labour”.

Not one of them however said anything about these matters to anyone for so long and that begs the question of their judgement when they would have all waited another two years before trying to tackle the numerous issues facing us.

Over the coming weeks the campaign proper will begin in earnest. We will be rightly and proudly able to say that there is a very clear choice in matters of substance, policy and style - how we relate as a Union to the employers, how we rebalance our relationship with the government and how we bridge the gap that has become a chasm between the union and its members.

A chance for change or more of the same, top down bureaucracy or bottom up control over decision and direction.

A straight choice between the person who sought to stay in office illegally and who is responsible for the problems, or one of those who stayed silent when so many things were going wrong or someone who stood up and decided to confront the issues by challenging the leadership. It is not what someone says, it is what someone does that matters. Action over inertia, principle over hypocrisy.

In the meantime I hope that you have a good Christmas and a very happy New Year. 2009 may be many things but it won’t be dull!

Many thanks and kind regards, Jerry.

'Keep on keeping on'.

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