Mick Rix - Political Views

Political Views

Rix joined the Labour Party in February 1980. Rix created the left wing FUWL group (Fed Up With Losing)in 1999 after a discussion with Kenny Cameron, Alan Sapper and Ken Gill. In the public and media terms FUWL was known as the Awkward Squad, who Kevin Maguire gave it's media name in an article in the guardian on 9/11. Rix insisted that the FUWL group had not to ape the left of the old days, but had to include a senior officer, senior lay member and a trusted staffer, so that the decisions made at FUWL meetings would go through the various networks of unions internal structures. FUWL had an insistence that it was not the preserve of males, and included the very powerful TUC women's network, along with the editor of the morning star. FUWL became a powerful block on the TUC. FUWL basically wrote the policy agenda and in 2001 it ended the right wing dominance at the TUC on policy, and in winning elections to the general council elections in a number of union. FUWL worked with the Campaign group of MP's on a whole host of projects. Rix was responsible for creating the influential Justice for Colombia (JFC) group in late 2000. This helped raise awareness of the deaths and murders of trade unionists taking place. When Rix formed this influential group within the British Trade Union movement, there were over 250 trade unionists being murdered in Colombia each year. By the time Rix had moved on, this figure had been cut to around 50 to 70 a year, with regular visits and fact finding missions to Colombia taking place by leading trade unionists, journalists, solicitors, politicians, and NGO's. Rix even met the Vice President, now President Santos, and berated him over the inpuity taking place in all of these murders. Nearly every trade union in the UK, and the TUC play an active part in JFC. Rix along with others were founders in creating the Stop the War Coalition, but later resigned from the organisation.Rix spoke at most of STWC large popular demonstrations, and there is a very famous photo of him speaking passionately against the war in Iraq. Rix is active in the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, (has visited Cuba many times) and holds the CTC medal, and the Che Guevara medal, presented to him by the general secretary of the Cuban CTC. Rix has met with many leading Cubans, including Castro. Rix also helped Denis Goldberg the South African anti apartheid activist, with his activities with the woodcraft folk on numerous occasions until his return to South Africa. Rix has visited many countries meeting leading trade unionists and politicians. It is rumoured that Rix has a large contact group in the movement, and can count on many Labour MP's as personal friends.