RMT wins expulsion case

The RMT rail union has seen off an challenge from far-right activist Patrick Harrington, who claimed that the union had breached its rules in expelling him from membership.

Harrington had successfully applied for membership of the union in 2000 in the name of Sharp (his wife's maiden name). Subsequently some of the branch that accepted him into membership discovered that, in his birth name of Harrington, he was a prominent member of an organisation called the "Third Way" - which has its antecedents in the National Front.

The branch felt that this activity was contrary to the objects and rules of the union, and urged the general secretary to investigate. A disciplinary meeting was held and Harrington was expelled on the grounds that he had deceived the union by applying for membership under a false name. The union's annual general meeting upheld the decision.

He then tried to get the Certification Officer to overturn his expulsion, claiming that the union had excluded him on political grounds, had not informed him of these grounds and had failed to place his appeal against his expulsion before its AGM.

However, the Certification Officer ruled that Harrington had brought the case out of time, and did not accept his reasons for why this had happened.

The RMT welcomed the decision, adding: "Mr Harrington was dealt with fairly and squarely under the union's rules."