RMT conference takes strong stand in solidarity with China’s workers

At the end of last month, the conference of UK rail, maritime and transport union RMT voted for a strong motion of solidarity with the Uyghur people and the wider working class of China, against the Chinese regime, while also opposing “Cold War posturing” towards from Western governments and Sinophobia. This motion was passed overwhelmingly.

For a report from a delegate, see the Uyghur Solidarity Campaign website here.

The conference also, more narrowly, rejected a motion to support the “No Cold War” campaign, which has platformed apologism for the Chinese state and denials of its oppression of the Uyghurs. The motion also propose a delegation to meet with China’s state-controlled “trade unions”, which could only have functioned to make propaganda for the regime.

See below for the text of both motions.

This excellent stance is all the more striking given that Stalinist-type politics – viewing China and similar states as socialist or at least some kind of progressive system – has certainly had a great deal of strength in the RMT. It is surely another indicator of the healthy attitude of solidarity with workers in China prevalent among most UK labour movement activists.

In 2019, women RMT activists organised an open letter to Cathay Pacific about its sacking of trade union activists, which was given to both management and workers at Hong Kong International Airport by an RMT activist travelling through Hong Kong.

RMT now joins PCS and UCU as a union whose conference has taken a clear working-class internationalist position on China this year. We look forward to stepping up our work with RMT activists and officers in the months ahead.

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Motion that was passed:

Motion that was defeated: