Union leadership elections get underway

The elections of at least three new union general secretaries are due to get underway in the next few months.

First off the mark is the RMT transport union which has to find a replacement for Jimmy Knapp who died last summer. There are three nominations for the position - current assistant general secretary Bob Crow, education officer Ray Spry-Shute and South West and West regional organiser Phil Bialyk. RMT members were sent their ballot papers at the start of this month and the ballot closes in mid-February.

Balloting was also set to get underway this month in the AUT university lecturers' union. This follows last year's decision by former general secretary David Triesman to take up the same position in the Labour Party. Sally Hunt, the AUT's assistant general secretary, was adopted as the official candidate for the post at the end of November but there were also two nominations from branches - John Duffy (Birmingham University) and Martin Hughes (Durham University).

The Musicians Union should begin the process of electing a new general secretary in the next few months with a ballot expected in the summer. Former general secretary Derek Kay was removed from office last year following a vote of the membership to back the national executive against him.