The Herald
TOM GORDON, Scottish Political Correspondent February 05 2004

THOUSANDS of postal workers have voted to affiliate to the Scottish Socialist party in support of the RMT union if the latter severs its ties with the Labour party.
The Scotland No 2 branch of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) voted overwhelmingly to back the SSP in sympathy with the RMT earlier this week. The branch represents about 4000 delivery staff, counter staff and mail sorters in Edinburgh, Lothians, Fife, central Scotland and the Borders.
The move comes on the eve of a meeting in Glasgow tomorrow when the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in Glasgow will decide whether to reverse an earlier decision to allow five Scottish branches to switch from Labour to the SSP.
Labour has warned the union it breached the party's rules by allowing the change. Last week, Labour's national executive committee (NEC) said that if the RMT did not reverse its decision, the union would be viewed as being outside Labour and the split would be final.
Derek Durkin, secretary of the CWU branch threatening to switch, said: "Our members are angry at the recent decision of the NEC of the Labour party to expel the RMT from membership should they uphold their decision to allow their Scottish branches to affiliate to the SSP.
"We view this as an attack on the principle of free trade unionism in this country."
He said the affiliation threat applied only to the No 2 branch level, and ties with Labour would be maintained at local constituency level. This would give the SSP only a few hundred pounds a year, he said, but the symbolism of the switch was more important.
Mr Durkin also said the move could cause a fight with the CWU's London headquarters, and could result in expulsion from the Labour party.
Tommy Sheridan, leader of the SSP, said: "I hope the RMT decide to support branches that have democratically debated and decided to affiliate to the SSP. However, it is their union, it is their rule book, and it is their political fund."
A Labour spokesman said: "We would urge the CWU branch to rethink its decision, just as we would urge the RMT to rethink its decision. They are both far stronger within the Labour party than outside it."
The CWU's London HQ said union policy stated branches could not affiliate to parties other than Labour.