Northern Ireland Carmel Gates, a member of the Socialist Party (North Irish section of the CWI), was recently elected President of North Ireland’s largest trade union, NIPSA. Another CWI member, Padraig Mulholland, just missed winning the Vice Presidency by a few hundred votes. Gates joins five other CWI members on the General Council who are campaigning to rebuild the union and its fighting traditions. The election took place during NIPSA’s national conference, reflecting a groundswell of support for the left wing of the union. Resolutions were passed donating 40,000 pounds to striking firefighters, supporting airport security workers who had lost their jobs, and calling for a socialist federation of the Middle East.
Nigeria Lanre Arogundade, a member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (Nigerian section of the CWI), ran for the Nigerian National Senate and House of Representatives. Arogundade stood as a candidate of the National Conscience Party, a growing radical anti-establishment party. On April 12 he received 9.6% of the vote – third out of 30 candidates.