Boost for Corbyn as major trade union agrees to affiliate to Momentum

Labour’s fifth largest trade union has said it will affiliate to Momentum.

The CWU, which is Britain’s largest communication workers union, is joining up with the pro-Corbyn campaigning organisation.

The decision was made by the union’s NEC unanimously, the New Statesman reported, and now has to be approved at CWU’s conference. They hold the event in either April or May of each year.

Dave Ward, the union’s general secretary, said: “The general election showed the value of Momentum as part of the wider Labour movement and it has established itself as a major political force in the UK. It has a key role to play in securing a transformative Labour government and we look forward to working with Momentum to help deliver this at the earliest opportunity.”

“In the election Momentum helped reach out to new groups of voters and worked to mobilise, train and organise thousands of activists for Labour’s campaign. The CWU will now be joining Momentum in its campaign to unseat prominent Conservative MPs and seeking to work with Momentum to re-assert trade union values in society today.”

The union tweeted:

#TheCWU are delighted to be affiliating to @PeoplesMomentum https://t.co/ZrsxkBVFEI

— The CWU (@CWUnews) August 23, 2017

The CWU has 190,000 members in the communications industry, making it the largest in the country.