ISSUE NUMBER 8, VOLUME 13 July/August 2011

Essential reading for today’s transport worker

STOP PRESS! RMT AND TSSA BEGIN MERGER TALKS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

TUBE DRIVER 1911 RAIL STRIKE AGM REPORT REINSTATED PAGE 12 PAGE 17 www.rmt.orwwwwr rmmt org.ukuk PAGE 6

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews contents EDITORIAL Page 4 BOMBARDIER HEATHROW EXPRESS WIN Page 5 THOUSANDS RALLY AT DURHAM GALA SCANDAL Page 6 HEATHROW EXPRESS MEMBERS TO TAKE his government’s collusion in the The next step in the campaign will be FURTHER ACTION Tdestruction of the train-building the Save Our Railways lobby of industry in this country by awarding a Parliament on October 25 at Methodist Page 7 £1.4 billion Thameslink contract to the Hall in Westminster. Try and be there TUBE DRIVER ARWYN THOMAS RE- German transnational Siemens instead of and remember that attendance is a INSTATED Derby-based Bombardier has exposed legitimate item for branch expenditure. Page 8 the rotten nature of this coalition. RMT members at Heathrow Express SAVING BOMBARDIER JOBS! It now appears that the consultancy and Mitie have successfully fought for Page 9 firm MVA which advised the government well-deserved pay increases and Tube on the deal was the same one used by driver Arwyn Thomas has joined fellow PARLIAMENTARY COLUMN Siemens to help it win the contract over driver Eamonn Lynch in winning re- Page 10 Bombardier. instatement. NO TO UNSAFE RICKSHAWS CLOGGING Siemens is well known for its murky Road freight members at DHL UP CENTRAL LONDON business practices and it has now Coventry have also won an improved Page 11 emerged that one of partner firms in the offer which has been put out for STOP GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR LONGER deal, 3i, has close links to the Prime referendum following the threat of strike LORRIES Minister and the Business Secretary action. Vince Cable. These victories would not had been Page 12 This Lib Dem/Tory lash up has been won without the solidarity and unity 1911-A STRIKE FOR LIBERTY exposed as a government that slavishly created by organisation at the workplace Page 14 follows the needs of corporate power at where it matters. STATE OF THE UNION the expense of the UK jobs and, This will also make the difference in Page 16 ultimately, the economy. the bus sector where First Devon and The magnificent protest in Derby Cornwall members are fighting the axing COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES should be the start of a campaign to of staff transport and at Webberbus Page 17 demand that the government stops which has reneged on implementing a AGM REPORT hiding behind European Union pay deal agreed last year. Page 22 procurement rules and starts defending For offshore workers safety is still an our industries. issue with serious oil and gas spills UNION LEARNING AT FORT WILLIAM It is time that the politicians were occurring every week. RMT is Page 23 held to account and stopped this demanding more powers for safety reps REMEMBERING SLAVERY industrial vandalism. and for companies to worry less about Page 24 As Derby County manager Nigel how to avoid paying tax and more SERIOUS NORTH SEA OIL AND GAS Clough has pointed out, it is not too late about safety on the rigs. SPILLS-EVERY WEEK to reverse this scandalous decision and The importance of political give thousands of workers in the town a campaigning has been highlighted by Page 25 future. the recent victory which will see PRESIDENT’S COLUMN If you want to see what happens in seafarers and offshore workers included Page 26 society when you remove the hope of a in the automatic enrolment provisions of ORGANISING CATERING WORKERS job, an education, a home and a future the 2008 Pensions Act. just look at what is occurring in our EC member Malcolm Dunning had Page 28 inner cities. noticed the exclusion of seafarers in the BRANCH SECRETARIES MEET IN GREAT Years of decline in our manufacturing Act, raised the issue with John YARMOUTH base, social dumping and growing McDonnell MP, who did the business as Page 29 joblessness combined with education usual and got that exclusion reversed. DEBATING DISABILITIES cuts create a toxic mix that can spark However more work needs to be done Page 31 the sort of mindless anti-social on the shipping side as the Scottish behaviour as seen recently on our TV government has announced plans to THE BOXER WHO WAS SCARED OF screens. ‘unbundle’ ferry services to the Northern NOBODY Yet the McNulty report on the future Isles, allowing operators to “cherry-pick” Page 32 of our railways is recommending even more profitable routes and harm FROM CLEANER TO HEALTH AND SAFETY more privatisation and fragmentation services. ADVISOR– A LEARNING JOURNEY that has already decimated the transport Rapacious and greedy capitalism is Page 33 sector here and, now, across the EU. making a mess of the world economy so Despite this RMT has successfully why should we believe that it would not CROSSWORD forced Liverpool councillors to drop their do the same with lifeline ferry services? Page 34 bid to privatise and take control of track CREDIT UNION - and signalling from Network Rail, as All the best OPEN A JUNIOR DEPOSIT ACCOUNT! recommended by McNulty, and hand them over to Merseyrail. RMT News is compiled and originated by National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD. Tel: 020 7387 4771. Fax: 020 7529 8808. e-mail [email protected] The information contained in this publication is believed to be correct but cannot be When you have finished with this magazine give it to a guaranteed. All rights reserved. RMT News is designed by Bighand Creative and printed by Leycol Printers. General editor: Bob Crow. Managing editor: workmate who is not in your union. Even better, ask them to Brian Denny. No part of this document may be reproduced without prior written approval of RMT. No liability is accepted for any errors or omissions. join RMT by filling in the application form opposite Copyright RMT 2011

3 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews HEATHROW EXPRESS WIN RMT members working at Heathrow Express they had given the union an overwhelming RMT general secretary Bob Crow said voted overwhelmingly for an improved offer mandate for strike action, on a huge that HEX members deserved an offer for from the company after taking rock solid 48 turnout, in response to a company pay offer their hard work which had generated hour strike that forced the total closure of that fell well short of current RPI inflation company profits of over £6 million on a the Heathrow Connect service. and was loaded with strings. turnover of £60 million. The union suspended further strike action Members backed a two-year deal which “RMT was always ready to negotiate and an overtime ban to allow for the included a 4.9 per cent increase effective seriously to put in place a fair pay package referendum ballot of members on the January 2011 with pension contributions that will take us through the Olympics improved offer. amended accordingly and an increase of RPI period and recognised the contribution our RMT represents the vast majority of staff plus 0.6 per cent or a minimum increase of members make to delivering a highly at Heathrow Express across all grades and 3.5 per cent in year two. successful and profitable service,” he said.

MITIE PAY VICTORY MT train cleaning crews employed by backdated to April 2010 this year, a 3.5 per per cent jump in profits and the company Rthe Mitie company and servicing First cent increase backdated to April 2011 and a brands itself as an “outsourcing specialist” Great Western trains voted overwhelmingly three per cent increase effective April 2012. mopping up facilities contracts in both the to accept an improved pay offer following In addition to the pay increase, private and public sectors. Yet it had only the threat of strike action. management agreed to withdraw any originally offered 1.25 per cent pay rise for The entire workforce on the contract was proposals to move members from two- 2010 and no more than one per cent from balloted in a long-running dispute over weekly paid to monthly paid. This would April next year. pensions, payment of wages and a failure to also put all new starters employed since the RMT general secretary Bob Crow communicate. TUPE from ISS to Mitie from the beginning congratulated the members for their resolve Cardiff and Swansea train cleaners’ had of the contract onto two-weekly pay. and continuing support during long and already taken three days of 24 hour strike The agreement is the first pay increase difficult negotiations. action in the fight for dignity at work. that the union has won on this contract and “RMT representatives should also be Further strike action was suspended it will lift members’ pay above the National congratulated for their commitment and pending talks and a referendum of members Minimum Wage. hard work shown in negotiating the offer,” which accepted a three per cent increase Mitie recently announced a massive 13 he said.

4 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews FIRST DEVON THOUSANDS RALLY AND CORNWALL ACTION AT DURHAM GALA SUSPENDED MT branch and regional the 33 Chilean miners rescued their government refused to n overtime ban due to begin Rbanners were carried last year after spending two pay them wages for the 69 days Aby bus driver members at through the streets of Durham months underground. they were trapped underground. First Devon and Cornwall has in early July as part of the Introducing Mr Alrama, Mr Hopper also called on the been suspended as the company huge Durham miners’ gala Durham Miners Association TUC to organise a co-ordinated has agreed to talks in a dispute which attracted over 130,000 general secretary Davy Hopper fight back against Con Dem over the axing of essential staff people this year. said that he would rather share government cuts. transport. Heavy rain storms failed to a platform with him than Bob Crow backed the call for In May, the company dampen the spirits of those Labour leader Ed Milliband who co-ordinated action across the announced that it was taking part in the 127th miners had pulled out of addressing labour movement to defend withdrawing its “Staff Trooper” gala which included over 40 the gala over the fact the RMT jobs and public services. service for employees and marching bands and over 100 general secretary Bob Crow was “The Con-Dems have thrown members voted overwhelmingly hundred union banners. also speaking. down the gauntlet and we will for action short of a strike. Among the speakers was Mr Hopper pledged support not be found wanting,” he said. The “Staff Trooper” was a bus Carlos Bugueno Alrama, one of for the Chilean miners after operating in the early mornings to get staff to work and has been part of the working conditions since before the privatisation of services. Members relied on the transport to get to work and the company had refused point-blank to enter in to dialogue with RMT to either change their decision or modify their proposals leaving no option but to ballot members at Plymouth. The company has now agreed to enter into meaningful talks to resolve the issue. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that by standing shoulder to shoulder management had got the message that the union would not stand idly by while it stripped away long- standing terms and conditions. “It is now down to First Devon and Cornwall to get back round the table and enter into meaningful discussions on the Y issue of staff transport,” he said.

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TUBE DRIVER ARWYN THOMAS RE-INSTATED second Tube driver at the would not have got their jobs on at least two occasions and revealed that police had not Acentre of a series of strikes back,” he said. there has been absolutely no submitted all CCTV footage as has been found to have been Following Arwyn’s dismissal, suggestion even in they were required to do. unfairly sacked by London the union won an ‘interim management’s propaganda that Steve said that the charges Underground by a tribunal and relief’ Employment Tribunal any physical contact occurred. had been “politically motivated” has been re-instated. which clearly ruled that LU A conviction against Steve and LU had used the conviction The tribunal found that sacked him for his trade union Hedley that he had assaulted a to ban him from LU offices. Arwyn Thomas, a driver at activities, and the Tribunal worker during strike action in London Underground has Morden depot with an ordered LUL to pay Arwyn’s March was also overturned by a accepted the findings of the exemplary employment record wages until a full Tribunal was court of appeal after it was court and lifted the ban. after 30 years of service, should convened. not have been sacked. The chair of the Tribunal Yet London Underground even took the very unusual step threw at least £250,000 at of asking LUL to take a fifteen- RMT REJECTS LATEST trying to defend its minute adjournment and victimisation of Arwyn. consider reinstating Arwyn TUBE PAY OFFER Sacked Bakerloo Line tube Thomas immediately which they driver Eamonn Lynch had also refused. MT has formally rejected years two to five is only a earlier won his employment RMT regional organiser Steve Rthe latest pay offer from small fraction above RPI. tribunal case for unfair Hedley said that at the full London Underground as it “This would leave London dismissal on the grounds of Employment Tribunal Arwyn was only a fractional increase Underground staff vulnerable trade union activities and was came across as a very to only 4.75 per cent which is to real-terms pay cuts in re-instated. straightforward and credible still significantly below years when RPI under- RMT general secretary Bob witness, in contrast to LUL inflation, as the RPI figure for estimates the real rise in Crow said that London managers who appeared February was 5.5 per cent. living costs, as it often does Underground knew in January disingenuous, contradicting RMT general secretary Bob and would leave us unable to that their case against Arwyn, themselves and each other and Crow said that members were claim for further increases like that against Eamonn Lynch, indeed were proven to be giving currently experiencing until 2016,” he said. had fallen flat on its face when totally inaccurate information significant increases in the LU has dismissed claim for the interim tribunal judged that by the CCTV evidence produced. costs of living, the latest a minimum flat-rate pay Arwyn had been sacked for his The charges against Arwyn being the outrageous price increase, which would benefit trade-union activities. were that he abused a Tube rises announced by British lower paid grades, and a “Yet without the resolve Lines employee acting as a CSA Gas. reduction in working hours shown by RMT members on at Morden depot. “Moreover, LU’s offer is for and offered little or nothing London Underground and the However CCTV showed that a five-year settlement which on our other claims for strike action taken in defence of Arwyn was pursued across the is too long duration, improved conditions. two victimised union reps they station and physically blocked especially when the offer for

6 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews STOPPING MCNULTY IN ITS TRACKS MT has welcomed the decision by local veretical integration. the environment pay for the mess rail RLiverpool councillors to listen to the “We are better under government privatisation created. union and drop their bid to privatise and control,” he said. “That’s why we are taking this protest take control of track and signalling from RMT general secretary Bob Crow said right to his doorstep to make the case for Network Rail and hand them over to that common sense had prevailed in public ownership - the solution to Merseyrail. Merseytravel and it was the first defeat for fragmentation and profiteering that Mr The move has been widely seen as a slap the McNulty proposals to break up Network McNulty has totally ignored,” Bob said. in the face to the Department of Transport Rail Bob Crow also led a delegation to the and its controversial McNulty report which “What the train operators are calling Railtex Exhibition where McNulty was recommends, among other measures, the vertical integration is nothing of the sort speaking. fragmentation of Network Rail and local and would only amount to more dangerous In the Q&A session, Bob pointed out that ‘vertical’ integration. fragmentation of infrastructure. his report actually “persecutes” rail workers. Merseytravel, which operates Merseyrail “The only safe and sensible way to “The suggestion that hard working rail and has floated the idea of taking over achieve vertical integration is to re-unite all workers will be denied a pay rise in line Network Rail work locally, revealed that the rail operations with infrastructure in a with inflation will never be accepted by bodies that run the company – the single publicly accountable structure,” he RMT,” he said. D Integrated Travel Authority and the said. He said that McNulty had failed to Passenger Travel Executive – are to RMT and TSSA also held a joint consult rail workers, their unions or the “discontinue negotiations regarding localism demonstration outside Liverpool’s BT travelling public when he was putting given the current uncertainty and union Conference Centre recently when Sir Roy together his report. opposition”. McNulty addressed a major railway industry McNulty admitted that RMT had done a “Members don’t want Merseyside to be conference “terrific job” for its members by negotiating emblematic of the issues surrounding the Protesters warned that McNulty’s Value pay rises that average 15 per cent higher implementation of Sir Roy McNulty’s report for Money report would have terrible than expected since privatisation and for reducing the cost of the UK’s railways,” consequences for every rail worker and finished by saying that this had to stop. a statement said. every rail user as he wanted to slash jobs, The union has produced a pamphlet on Merseytravel transport chief, Labour impose pay freezes and reduce safety. the McNulty Report, Paying for Privatisation councillor Mark Dowd, led the U-turn after “The McNulty report is a recipe for available from Unity House. Email heading up a £1.5 million campaign for disaster that will make staff, passengers and [email protected]

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SAVING BOMBARDIER JOBS! Over 10,000 march in Derby to demand that the government halts demise of train building in Britain RMT general secretary Bob Crow that has now been exposed by Germany and recently lost its demanded that MPs fight to RMT as completely bogus,” Bob appeal to get a fine of €400 save 1,400 train building jobs Crow said. million overturned for forming a after the government handed He said that the loss of cartel. Siemens of Germany the Britain's last train making The Daily Mirror newspaper contract for 1,200 new carriages company was the direct result of joined the ‘battle for for Thameslink route instead of successive government’s Bombardier’ campaign backed Derby-based Bombardier. colluding with harsh EU ‘public by Derby County football club “It is time MPs were brought procurement’, ‘competition’ and manager Nigel Clough and his to account,” he told over 10,000 ‘liberalisation’ rules. players. Nigel Clough said: “We protesters in Derby to huge “The logic of all British Bombardier workers and their support the campaign to make applause. governments since the Thatcher children carried a huge banner the government think again. “I have been told it would be period has been to comply with onto the pitch during the first “The contract won’t be ‘protectionist’ to build our own EU demands for privatisation match of the season against signed off until the end of the trains in this country, but the and the tendering out of public Birmingham City and players year, so there is still time to job of MPs is to protect our contracts to the lowest bidder wore Save Our Rail Industry – make a change”. industries and our jobs,” he regardless of the consequences,” Derby United T-shirts. said. he said. The union has destroyed Meanwhile French and government claims that they German governments have NETWORK RAIL could not influence the outcome largely ignored these EU rules of the Thameslink contract and and loaded the contracts to take SIGNALS JOB LOSSES save the Bombardier train into account the economic and Network Rail has announced current Promotion Transfer and building plant in Derby. social impact locally. that it intends to reduce Redundancy Arrangements In a Parliamentary question, “In the last three years nearly dramatically the number of (PTR&R) and in addition we will Transport Minister Theresa 100 per cent of train building signallers it currently employs be seeking a shorter working under its long term operations week, increased annual leave Villiers was forced to admit that contracts in both countries have strategy. and voluntary retirement at 55. her government could have built gone to their own respective Network Rail intends to reduce RMT general secretary Bob in the wider economic impact of firms like Alstom in France and signallers from the current level Crow said that the union would shifting the work overseas Siemens in Germany and, as a of 6,000 to 2,000 over the next not agree to anything that before awarding it to Siemens in result, they now dominate the 30 years by centralising compromises the job security, the tendering process demanded industry in Europe,” Bob told signalboxes and by use of new safety or standards of living of by European Union rules. protesters. technologies. our members. The minister also admitted The union has also raised It is also their intention to "We are not opposed to new reduce the ECRO Centres from technology but we are clear that over £15 million of UK serious questions with the the current 13 to two and halve that any changes that may taxpayers money was spent on government about the business the number of ECROs they arise should be advisers engaged in the practices of Siemens. employ. accommodated through a tendering process. The anti-union company was RMT has made it clear that it shorter working week, “Throughout this carve up found guilty of paying €15 will not accept any compulsory additional annual leave and the the government has claimed million to the chairman of a redundancies and expects right to retire at 55 on full pension entitlement," he said. that their hands are tied, a claim “non-traditional” union in Network Rail to abide by the

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JARVIS Parliamentary column BOSSES OFF THE HOOK BACK MT has called for tighter regulation of Rcompany directors after Paris Moayedi, the boss of rail company Jarvis at the time BOMBARDIER of the Potters Bar disaster, floated a new “green energy” company on the stock market. Not a single Jarvis director has received any punishment for their role in the seven The government’s complete for Crossrail or for high speed rail. In deaths at Potters Bar even though the disregard for our national interests short we could be witnessing the last company was found partly responsible. was graphically demonstrated by its stand of British train manufacturing. decision to award the Thameslink After Potters Bar, Jarvis subsequently Of course the government is trying to rolling stock contract to Siemens staggered on under the leadership of blame everyone else for the rather than Bombardier – the UK’s ! former Tory minister Steven Norris before catastrophe. It claims the previous last train manufacturer. going bust and dumping hundreds of government was to blame because it workers out of work and reneging on The extent of the Government’s drew up a contract that did not allow wages and pensions commitments which indifference was then highlighted in a it to take into account the impact any are currently subject to RMT legal action. parliamentary answer from the Rail decision would have on UK jobs. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said Minister, Teresa Villiers, to a question Complete nonsense. The that it was outrageous that the Jarvis tabled by my parliamentary colleague government had more than a year to John Denham. The answer read as look at the contract and it has bosses involved in the Potters Bar disaster follows: always been in its gift to change had not only got away without any contract terms if it chose to. In fact “Department for Transport officials punishment but were now floating new there is a clause in the tender confirmed the result of the companies on the stock market. documentation that gave the procurement evaluation on an “That shows just how lax the law is in Transport Secretary a large degree of anonymised basis and made a this country when it comes to regulating latitude to keep this contract in the recommendation, to a Department company directors and we will be working UK. The fourth paragraph on page for Transport board sub-committee 16 reads: with our Parliamentary group to demand meeting on 4 May 2011. The tougher legislation. Secretary of State for Transport, "The issue of this Invitation to Tender “Hundreds of our members ended up ...was asked to endorse this in no way commits the Secretary of out of work and owed thousands of recommendation, with the bids still State to award the Thameslink pounds when Jarvis went bust and yet top anonymised, on 12 May 2011. He Rolling Stock Programme to any bosses like Steven Norris walked away and was informed of the bidders’ person or party. The Secretary of straight into other well-paid work like identities later that same day after he State reserves the right to terminate chairing conferences on the McNulty rail had endorsed the recommendation.” the competition, to award the Thameslink Rolling Stock carve up,” he said. “Anonymised” means that the details Programme without prior notice, to Sacked Jarvis workers and former Jarvis of the bidder for this massive £1.4 change the basis, the procedures billion train manufacturing and employees who have seen their pensions and the timescales set out or maintenance contract were hidden. destroyed held a vigil outside the Leeds referred to in this document, or to In other words the Transport Employment Tribunals where a case reject any or all Proposals and to Secretary did not know when he management hearing was heard, in order terminate discussions with any or all endorsed the recommendation of his to set out the future conduct of unfair Bidders at any time. Nothing in this officials that he was awarding the dismissal applications for over 500 of the Invitation to Tender should be contract to a German rather than interpreted as a commitment by the 1,400 affected ex-employees. UK-based company! The tragic Secretary of State to award the Justice for Jarvis Workers co-ordinator reality is that rather than standing up Thameslink Rolling Stock Bill Rawcliffe said that Deloittes for British manufacturing he was Programme to a Bidder." Administrators had revealed that the then simply endorsing a box ticking Labour government’s decision to wash its exercise from his civil servants. Equally preposterous is for the hands of privatised rail workers employed government to blame EU law. In the This madness has led to the last five years Germany has had 98 by the company when it went bust announcement of over 1,400 job per cent of their trains built resulted in workers being sacked without losses at Bombardier in Derby with domestically, in France it is 100 per wages, with no proper redundancy the likelihood of further job losses in cent and in Spain it is 90 per cent. payments and with over 3,500 pensions the autumn. The plan to build the All that these countries do is legally destroyed. Thameslink trains in Germany also frame their contracts so that the threatens at least a further 12,000 “It is a scandal that we have successive social and economic impact of any jobs in the UK supply chain. The governments in the UK that refuse to take decision can be taken into account. responsibility for their citizens and who decision could adversely impact on have no interest in protecting jobs and the prospect of a UK-based train Chris Williamson MP, manufacturer bidding to supply trains Derby North skills in the UK rail industry,” he said.

9 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews NO TO UNSAFE CALLING RICKSHAWS CLOGGING UP BUS CENTRAL LONDON WORKERS MT Parliamentary group through the windscreen, be Rconvener John McDonnell fitted with one or more MP has been pursuing the automatic windscreen wipers issue of security and capable of clearing the monitoring equipment on windscreen so that the driver CONGESTION: buses with some success after has an adequate view of the Rickshaw the union failed to get road in front of both sides of drivers clog adequate responses from the vehicle and to the front of bus lanes VOSA and the Department for the vehicle”. Transport. Buses must be fitted with The union has now speedometers under established that there is no Regulation 35 of the 1986 legal requirement to have a Regs: “Every motor vehicle periscope on a bus. The only shall be fitted with a relevant requirement is speedometer which, if the regulation 33 of the Public vehicle is first used on or Service Vehicles (Conditions after 1st April 1984, shall be of Fitness, Equipment, Use capable of indicating speed in MT Parliamentary convenor taken the decisive action on and Certification) Regulations both miles per hour and RJohn McDonnell MP has behalf of RMT taxi drivers to get 1981 (SI 1981/257) which kilometres per hour, either successfully objected to the TFL this Bill knocked back it would states that: “Except in the simultaneously, or by the London Local Authorities Bill at have had dire consequences for case of a vehicle which has a operation of a switch”. Second Reading - specifically on passenger safety. seating capacity not Any statutory requirement the grounds that it would lead "The clauses that TFL were exceeding 12 passengers, depends upon the equipment to the continued proliferation of trying to bulldoze through made adequate means shall be and in some cases upon unlicensed, unsafe rickshaws little or no provision for any provided in every vehicle to contractual fulfilment. RMT’s clogging up central London statutory minimum standards to enable passengers on any Parliamentary group has The RMT Parliamentary be applied or for any checks to deck to signal the driver”. secured a meeting with the group objection means that the be carried out on the rickshaws, This could be a periscope, Bus Minister, Norman Baker Bill will have to be presented their riders, or their operators. CCTV or another device. where this matter will be on again for second reading on “Nor would there have been There is also no the agenda. It would be September 6 at which point any provisions for any training requirement for buses to be beneficial if the union could RMT will keep objecting until to be required or for compulsory fitted with CCTV, although in present some evidence of the final debate on the Bill is registration. London all buses must have where these weak regulations given. "It is shocking that TFL have CCTV as it is Transport for have caused practical The union intends to use this refused to negotiate on this London specification to problems for our drivers. breathing space to force TFL to issue and that instead they are qualify for route bidding. Please email any negotiate on the revised content ignoring the recommendation of Buses must have information you have of of the Bill and to take tough previous Parliamentary windscreen wipers under instances where equipment is action against the unsafe and Committees that a compulsory Regulation 34 of the Road installed but not working unlicensed spread of rickshaws. registration scheme for Vehicles (Construction and properly and/or where there RMT general secretary Bob rickshaws/pedicabs should be Use) Regulations 1986 (SI have been breaches of the Crow said that the union’s taxi explored. 1986/1078) which states that: regulations. You can email in branch members didn't want the “RMT and our MPs will “Every vehicle fitted with a confidence as your name and rickshaws as they see them as continue to fight on this issue to windscreen shall, unless the your employer are not unsafe, increasing congestion defend the licensed taxi trade driver can obtain an adequate required for this evidence and with no check on who is fit against this attack on their view to the front of the gathering. Please email and proper to operate them. livelihoods," Bob said. vehicle without looking [email protected]. "If John McDonnell hadn't

10 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews STOP GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR LONGER LORRIES Philippa Edmunds of Freight on Rail calls on RMT members to help campaign against government plans to increase the length of lorries by seven foot A campaigning coalition is asking people to lobby their MP to oppose the government’s proposal for seven foot longer HGVs which would be a threat to road safety and the environment. Freight on Rail, backed by the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Maria Eagle and a coalition made up of the Campaign for Better Transport, CTC - the national cyclists’ organisation, Friends of the Earth, Living Streets, RoadPeace and Sustrans are warning that the plans could put small hauliers out of business, decimate consumer rail freight growth and lead to more collisions and more road deaths. to the logistics sector, with some times more likely to be involved able to make use of the extra The government’s claims that 84 per cent of the quoted cost in fatal crashes on local roads volume and therefore to road operators will increase savings associated with longer than cars. increase their efficiency, the their share of goods traffic as a lorries coming from reduced rail Despite this the government bulk of freight operators and result of introducing longer costs. claims that that longer lorries users are not big companies or lorries, despite its stated The government’s would lead to a zero increase in big hauliers, and these will lose commitment to increase justification is based on the fatalities by assuming that 85 out by having to buy and run consumer rail freight which is assumption that longer lorries per cent of collisions involving new longer vehicles for general backed by the public. will result in fewer road trips, HGVs are unaffected by length. use, mostly not utilizing the Consumer rail freight has but previous increases in length These conclusions are not extra capacity. both grown and increased and/or weight have simply credible as it is generally Small and medium sized market share for the eighth resulted in the same amount of acknowledged that collisions are hauliers who have been consecutive year and now lorries on the roads but with normally caused by a publically muted in their outstrips coal traffic. lower loads. combination of factors. How can concerns about longer trailers The government’s own Government figures show a seven foot longer lorry trailer for fear of jeopardizing research shows that the that more than one in four that occupies 17 per cent more relationships with their introduction of these longer lorries are driving around empty road space, acknowledged by customers stand to lose up to lorries would reduce domestic and almost half of lorries are the government to have greater £1.8 billion over five years in rail freight growth by two thirds neither constrained by weight or tail swings and more depreciation costs on their by 2025, and fails to properly volume of cargo, ie partially susceptibility to cross winds, not trucks, a figure that the DfT has address the viability of the loaded, so if they cannot fill increase road crashes. not even attempted to calculate. remaining traffic on rail. existing sized lorries, why will While the big logistics • For more details go to Worse, the analysis goes onto they be able to fill bigger ones? operators tied to supermarket www.freightonrail.org.uk state this reduction as a benefit HGVs are already almost four logistics will undoubtedly be

11 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews 1911- A STRIKE FOR LIBERTY RMT president Alex Gordon marks the centenary of a strike that led three railway unions to put aside their differences and form the National Union of Railwaymen

August this year sees the became for a while the most Coal Combine. against demands for a two- centenary of Britain’s first powerful organisation ever On January 9, 1911 Liverpool shillings per week wage increase national railway strike. August created by British workers to ship-repairers struck for better and a reduction from 60 to 54 1911 was a turning point in fight for their interests. pay and the National Sailors’ hours per week. Unofficial trade union organisation, which The frustration and anger of and Firemens’ Union held mass railway strikes continued to created the National Union of railway workers built up from meetings in London, Cardiff, spread from Hull, Bristol, Railwaymen (NUR), Britain’s 1907 when the Amalgamated Bristol, Southampton, Hull, Swansea and Manchester first industrial union in Society of Railway Glasgow, Grimsby, Dublin and through June and July. February 1913 and hastened the Servants(ASRS) All Grades Manchester under the slogan On ‘Bloody Sunday’ August Labour Movement's awakening Movement to cut working hours, ‘War Is Now Declared: Seamen 13 1911 a mass strike meeting at everywhere. raise wages and secure union Strike Hard and Strike For St George’s Plateau outside The causes of the 1911 strike recognition was diverted into a Liberty on 14 June 1911’. Liverpool’s Lime Street station are familiar today. Wage levels ‘Conciliation Scheme’ that left A 72-day national seamen’s was attacked by police from fell 10 per cent between 1900- pay and conditions unchanged. strike began in Southampton on Birmingham. The Liverpool 1910, while prices rose and Tom Lowth, of the General 9 June 1911 and spread like strike committee declared a bosses used anti-union laws to Railway Workers’ Union (GRWU) wildfire around British ports. In general strike from midnight stop workers taking strike said: “It does not look to me Liverpool, Tom Mann the August 14. action. like a very satisfactory charismatic leader of the Tom Mann announced: “A The August 1911 rail strike settlement” and he was right. National Transport Workers’ strike of all transport men of all was one element in a huge By August 1910 Lord Claude Federation (NTWF) was invited classes; of railway workers, upsurge of worker militancy Hamilton, Chairman of the to chair the strike committee. passenger as well as goods men, between 1910-14 known as ‘The Railway Companies Association Mann arrived at Liverpool docks drivers, stokers. It will mean all Great Unrest’. Overall union boasted: “The union of course is on 14 June 1911, while the connected with the ferry boats, membership doubled to 4.1 not recognised in any way. Not government sent 3,000 troops to tug boats, river tender men, million. Numbers of strike days a loophole as far as I can see occupy the city and anchored a Dock Board men, Overhead and rocketed from two million in has been left open for them”. Royal Navy gunboat in the underground railways, flatmen, 1907, 10 million in 1911 and 41 The following month in Mersey. bargemen, dockers, coal heavers, million by 1912. The ‘Triple September 1910 a full-scale, The ASRS leadership tried to crane men, elevator men, Alliance’ of miners, dockers and workers’ revolt broke out led by negotiate a return to work by warehouse workers, carters, and railworkers forged through the South Wales Miners’ rail workers. However, the rail in fact every conceivable section industrial solidarity in 1913 Federation against the Cambrian companies were intransigent and branch of the great

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transport industry in Liverpool were ripped up and telegraph will down tools until this systems damaged. In Derby RMT Charles Watkins Memorial Lecture business is settled”. troops ordered to defend the September 7 2011 18.00 hours The strike initiated by railway station fixed bayonets seamen drew in 66,000 transport and charged unarmed rail Mander Hall, NUT offices, Hamilton House, Mabledon workers of all sectors who workers leading to pitched Place, London brought the Port of Liverpool to battles. In Long Eaton strikers a standstill. impounded trains and it took The guest speaker to deliver this year’s RMT Charles Y Watkins Memorial Lecture is leading academic Colin The following day August 15 100 troops to release them. a joint meeting of the Executive Chesterfield station burnt to the Waugh, author of ‘Plebs: the Lost Legacy of Committees of four rail unions ground. Independent Working Class Education’, free entry. (ASRS, GRWU, UPSS and The most violent scenes took ASLEF) made a joint call for a place in Llanelli, South Wales. The Royal Commission strike pushed leaders of three national rail strike unless the Strikers blocked the South Wales reported in November and failed railway unions (the ASRS, railway companies agreed to mainline stopping the Irish Mail. to meet any of the strikers’ GRWU and UPSS) to put aside immediate negotiations. Magistrates read the Riot Act as demands. However, the their differences and to have the The government offered rail strikers and their supporters significance of the strike lay in courage to start merger talks, bosses ‘every available soldier in sang ‘Sospan Fach’ (‘Little its demonstration of the which led in just over 12 the country’ and on 17 August Saucepan’) the song of Llanelli industrial power of transport months to the National Union of unions declared a national rail Rugby Club. Troops then workers acting together across Railwaymen, one of the largest strike in the famous ‘liberty opened fire on the crowd killing shipping, docks, railways and and most important trade telegram’, which proclaimed: two workers who supported the road transport sectors. unions in 20th century British “Your liberty is at stake. All striking railwaymen. The events of 1911 also labour history. railwaymen must strike at once. On August 18 the demonstrated the willingness of The loyalty of each means government offered a Royal railway workers of all grades to FURTHER READING: liberty for all”. Commission to discuss industrial Pulling Together: A Popular History of act together in solidarity to RMT (available free to RMT members Around 200,000 rail workers relations and union leaders achieve their aims and from [email protected] ); took strike action. Organised immediately called the strike off, undermined the grip of craft Philip Bagwell, The Railwaymen: The History of the National Union of attacks on parts of the rail although it took days for sectarianism, which the railway Railwaymen’ (London: Allen & Unwin, system included 1,000 workers workers to return to work in companies relied on to divide 1963); besieging a working signal box Manchester, Newcastle and other and rule their workforce. Bob Holton, British Syndicalism 1900- 1914: Myths and Realities (London: Pluto at Portishead, Bristol. Tracks centres. Most importantly the 1911 Press, 1976)

PULLINGpulling together TOGETHER A Popular History of RMT New free union publication gives an insight into the struggles, defeats and victories of members over 150 years

Pulling Together gives represents members in all members an engaging and sectors and grades of the colourfully illustrated window transport industry. on the history of the union up Pulling Together is to the present day. available free to members It tells the story of how the from Unity House, 39 Chalton union developed under very Street, London NW1 1JD with difficult circumstances against a stamped, addressed very powerful opponents and envelope or by e-mailing maintained itself as a [email protected] democratic, fighting organisation that today

13 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews STATE OF THE UNION

RMT president Alex Gordon interviews general secretary Bob Crow about the state of transport sector and future possibilities for building the union

t RMT's Annual General “Putting the Thameslink “We will go into talks with union would help other AMeeting in Fort William contract out to Siemens in TSSA on a positive note and transport workers including for recently, Bob Crow warned Germany is further evidence of RMT members will have the example bus, taxi and road delegates that the McNulty their desire to de-industrialise final say on any proposed freight workers, shipping and Review was the biggest attack Britain and to dilute the merger between our unions in a offshore energy members all of on railway workers since the strength of the trade union secret ballot,” he says. whom face cuts to public 1960s when Dr Beeching axed a movement without a democratic Bob is clear that the benefits spending, wages, pensions and third of the rail network. mandate to do so,” he says in of a merged industrial union jobs. Meanwhile this government his usual direct manner. will include the fact that where “It has been proved that by is putting train manufacturing The AGM was also abuzz TSSA and RMT members work TSSA and RMT campaigning in Britain on death row by with talk of a possible merger alongside each other, the bosses alongside each other trust and handing the Thameslink contract with sister rail union TSSA to won't be able to divide them. faith in each other’s abilities has to German company, Siemens. create a new all-grades union. “It will mean all of the come about. So I asked Bob Crow why these TSSA general secretary Gerry resources we have between both “We are two specialised attacks were happening and Doherty has invited RMT for unions can be used for one transport unions, so other what the union can do to defend formal talks so the only purpose - defending workers groups of transport and energy transport workers now and in question really is where do we against the bosses and workers will naturally fit into future? go from here? improving their pay and what is already well-known as a “The McNulty Review is “I hope we have a full-blown conditions,” he says. fighting democratic union. being used as an instrument by merger. RMT and TSSA members “This unity will increase our both the Con Dem government “The only question to ask working for Network Rail, Train industrial strength as well as our and the Labour Party that about a trade union merger is: Operating Companies and political clout as the size of our commissioned this report to “will it increase the strength of London Underground already Parliamentary group of Labour break up the railways, the workers? have a good history of MPs will increase along with emasculate trade unions, get rid “And the answer is yes, that's campaigning together against our political influence,” he says of jobs wholesale and attack the why the bosses’ right-wing press cuts in recent years. underlining the theme of unity terms and conditions of workers. are attacking the idea. Moreover a larger industrial that has marked out his tenure

14 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews as RMT general secretary which Union transport ‘liberalisation’, across Europe. stand up and be counted, defend is in its tenth year. state aid and ‘public “As our motto says, ‘Unity is themselves and win victories. It The last decade under Bob’s procurement’ rules. Strength’ - that is another has also inspired a new leadership has certainly been Earlier this year Bob met EU reason why these merger talks generation of trade unionists to memorable and RMT has won a Transport Commissioner Siim have come at the right time,” he believe that trade unions exist reputation as a union that Kallas over his new EU White says. primarily to represent their stands up for its members. Paper on Transport, which Bob’s straight forward and members and their class and What is the key RMT legacy includes a ban on the right to effective message has clearly that is an outlook and a legacy that can make a new merged strike by transport workers. energised RMT members and we can all be proud of. union a success for transport What lessons are there for given them the confidence to workers? transport workers from this neo- “I think over the last ten liberal EU agenda? years I have tried to get unity in “The EU Transport the union. Commissioner demonstrated in SAVE OUR RAILWAYS “That does not mean not his White Paper that the EU has RALLY AND LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT being able to have always been and continues to be disagreements. a vehicle for privatisation. 12.30pm Tuesday October 25 2011 “But it does mean respecting “The White Paper sets out a other people’s views that you vision for wholesale Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London disagree with and uniting privatisation of all transport behind decisions of the majority. services in Europe; rail buses, “I think if smaller, but docks, ferries and aircraft, The government is producing a Rail White Paper effective unions like ASLEF, coupled with swingeing new this autumn and if it decides to implement the Nautilus and URTU could come anti-trade union laws, which McNulty report, it would further fragment the together with TSSA and mean a minimum service must railway and shift even more power to private train ourselves, we could all leave a be provided whenever there is operators. This is the biggest attack on passengers and rail workers’ jobs, pay and conditions since legacy of a stronger union strike action. privatisation. defending workers and “Basically, EU anti-union improving life in general for laws aim to defeat the purpose Every available RMT member should attend this good, honest working men and of taking strike action, since the meeting and stand shoulder to shoulder with your women,” he says. trade unions would be required colleagues on October 25 to Save our Railways. During the same period to allow workers to cross their Branch Secretaries should note that attendance at attacks on seafarers, bus, rail own picket lines. the Rally is a legitimate item for Branch expenditure. and transport workers are “This must be resisted by Further details and dedicated publicity to follow. increasingly linked to European every transport trade union

15 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES Members of the Council of Executives are elected for three-year terms GENERAL GRADES COMMITTEE

REGION 1 REGION 2 REGION 3 REGION 4 SCOTLAND MANCHESTER AND NW ENGLAND NW ENGLAND AND NORTH WALES NORTH EAST GERRY McCANN CRAIG JOHNSTON ALAN TYRRELL MICKY THOMPSON JANUARY 2009 TO DECEMBER 2011 RECENTLY ELECTED REGIONAL ORGANISER JANUARY 2009 TO DECEMBER 2011 JANUARY 2010 TO DECEMBER 2012

REGION 5 REGION 6 REGION 7 REGION 8 YORKSHIRE AND LINCOLNSHIRE MIDLANDS SOUTH WALES AND WEST SOUTH WEST PETE MARCH PAUL WALKER OWEN HERBERT DAVE LETCHER JANUARY 2010 TO DECEMBER 2012 JANUARY 2011 TO DECEMBER 2013 JANUARY 2010 TO DECEMBER 2012 JANUARY 2010 TO DECEMBER 2012

REGION 9 REGION 10 REGION 11 REGION 12 SOUTH EAST LONDON AND ANGLIA LONDON TRANSPORT WESSEX GARRY HASSELL MICK LYNCH JANINE BOOTH SEAN HOYLE JANUARY 2009 TO DECEMBER 2011 JANUARY 2009 TO DECEMBER 2011 JANUARY 2010 TO DECEMBER 2012 JANUARY 2011 TO DECEMBER 2013

SHIPPING & OFFSHORE GRADES All terms of office are January 2009 to December 2011

Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 OFFSHORE MALCOLM DUNNING TONY LLOYD MARK CARDEN ANDY GORDON JAMES LAING

RECENTLY ELECTED ASSISTANT SHIPPING SECRETARY 16 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews A webcast of RMT’s AGM can be viewed in AGM 2011 the members area of the union’s website FORT WILLIAM

Delegates to RMT’s annual general meeting in Fort William resolved to fight the McNulty report, which recommends huge job cuts fragmentation and more privatisation in the rail industry, pledged to defend bus services, pensions, publicly-owned ferry services and to oppose anti-union laws, social dumping caused by EU rules and the victimisation of trade unionists around the world

NO TO MCNULTY • Increased fares McNulty report had highlighted with a report that some people The union called for a powerful • Greater commercial freedom many problems that the union may have heard of, the Serpell alliance of unions and rail for the TOCs had consistently raised in recent Report. years, including the expense of “Under the Serpell Report, if passenger groups to oppose Sir • Threats to regional and rural franchises, fragmentation and they’d have had their way, you Roy McNulty's controversial lines new report on the future of rail. growing public subsidy, which would have had an East Coast RMT general secretary Bob Crow The government- has risen to £4.6 billion Main Line, a West Coast Main warned the government not to commissioned study annually. Line, a line going off to Exeter implement the report, telling recommends a 30 per cent cut But he added: "McNulty and that would have been your delegates the union would fight in rail funding to be paid for doesn't even consider lot. every step of the way. by: nationalisation whatsoever in “They might hide it under He said that the union had his report. different names, whether it is a already started to campaign • Pay freezes and longer hours "Yet you can take back the Serpell Report, whether it is a against McNulty, producing a franchises and it won't cost you McNulty Report or whatever, the • Inferior conditions for new briefing to activists and a a penny. fact is, the railway would never entrants booklet for all activists and all “All you have to do is wait be any good until you put • Cuts in infrastructure and members to explain McNulty in for the franchise to be over, say bloody railwaymen in charge of signal workers more depth. thanks very much and take the it because we are the only • Driver Only Operation "We are going to hound the keys back,” he said. people that have got the government and McNulty down • De-staffing of stations and He said that McNulty was a knowledge about our industry,” in every single town and every ticket offices declaration of a war against he said. single depot. railway workers. Labour MP and RMT • Outsourcing of labour "We are going to put a lot of “We have to unite with parliamentary convener John • Attacks on railway pensions resources into this he won't passenger groups and other McDonnell MP slammed • The breakup of Network Rail know what's hit him. unions to defeat it," he said. McNulty as a recipe for “further "We are going to stop these • The further attack on the David Gott, Bassetlaw said fragmentation of the railway attacks on working people and freight industry that McNulty was “more, pure, network and cutting jobs”. we ask you to join us," he said. undiluted, Thatcherite policies. "We've done a job of • Reduced safety standards Bob acknowledged that the “We have been here in 1982, exposing McNulty but

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AGM 2011 - FORT WILLIAM

government will still try to campaign to bring the message Dave Gilbey, South Devon knowledge with most of the implement it. to the streets all the time. Bus said that pensions were elected members of both the "It will mean job cuts and Peter Pinkney, Teesside said deferred wages. British and European lowering conditions, all for that the TUC leadership should “We need a decent pension Parliaments. more profit,” he said. be listening to people and carry across the board for everyone in “The reason for this is the McDonnell noted that the on and show leadership. this country,” he said. few senior government figures Labour front bench was “I want you to go back to Dave criticised Stagecoach that know the details have kept opposing the breakup of your Trades Councils and other for gambling its pension scheme it secret as it is too sensitive to Network Rail. groups and get them involved on the stock exchange. be in the public sphere. But despite this success he and send a clear message to "You are gambling with “It is about the irreversible warned that the trade union David Cameron: Stuff your cuts, deferred wages and if there is a trade commitments allowing movement had been left with no stuff your big society and stuff collapse in the market you get transnational corporations to choice but to "bring down the your ‘We’re all in this nothing," he said. bring in cheap labour from government" before the next together’!,” he said to applause. Jackie Darby said that the outside the EU and allow these election. Defending pensions government’s raising of the workers to work within the EU. "They are systematically Conference backed calls for pension age for women to 66 is “The UK is the main and very dismantling the welfare state an increase in the basic state “outstandingly bad”. willing target for these before our eyes. pension and for the retention of “Our state pension is pitiful corporations and it will "Our role now is to bring the second state pension to be and it is wrong for well-fed undermine UK labour conditions down the government, we linked annually to average politicians, who will get a fat and displace UK workers. cannot wait," he said. earnings, the Retail Price Index pension whenever they choose “Indian labour will be flown or 2.5 per cent – whichever is to retire, to tell us that we have in and they will be paid at FIGHTING THE CUTS the highest. to work longer, pay more and Indian rates. Conference called on the TUC to The uprating of state, public get less when we are eventually “These workers will not be organise protests in every major and many private pensions in able to stop work,” she said. classed as immigrants and the city of the country against the line with the Consumer Price company will be holding their Con Dem government’s austerity Index (CPI) instead of the Retail NO TO EU SOCIAL DUMPING visas,” he said. measures and for a campaign Price Index (RPI) is motivated The union backed a campaign If the new trade deal is for investment in services and by a desire to drive down the against a proposed trade agreed would see Indian firms people and to oust the value of pensions. agreement being secretly such as TATA who operate in government from office. The CPI is consistently lower negotiated between India and the UK transfering India's Mick Tosh, Portsmouth said than the RPI, meaning that the European Union, due to be highly skilled IT, technical and that the country had a pensioners will see a long-term agreed in December, that will financial workers to Britain at government with no majority decline in the real value of their allow transnational corporations minimum rates of pay and and no mandate, yet it had pensions, estimated by Lord to bring in cheap labour to work without collective bargaining launched and ideological war Hutton in the Interim Report on in the UK on extremely low protection, legally paying them against the working class. the Public Service Pensions rates of pay. below the rate of the job and “The huge protest on March Commission as a total loss of 15 Moving the motion, Gary undercutting workers in Britain. 26 was a fantastic experience per cent of retirement income Abbott, Bristol pointed out to In return Western capital but it was quickly followed up for every individual pensioner. shocked delegates that the would have unprecedented by the Lib Dem Business Conference agreed that controversial deal would hurt investment opportunities into Secretary Vince Cable Britain already had one of the workers in Britain many of the Indian economy, particularly dismissing the demonstration by lowest state pension rates and to whom would be RMT members in the financial and retails announcing “we aren’t going to reduce it further by linking it to as well as workers in India yet sectors, threatening millions of change policy because of that.” CPI would drive more people, no-one is being told it is even jobs in India. He said that the trade union particularly women, into being discussed. Gary said that as part of the movement needed a rolling poverty. “You share your lack of deal was the Indian state able to

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AGM 2011 - FORT WILLIAM

Con Dem Coalition. the debate on protecting most of the single parents," she Delegates noted that the members from management said. Coalition government, attacks. She expressed solidarity with encouraged by the CBI, the Trade union activists Arwyn public-sector workers going on Institute of Directors and right- Thomas and Eamon Lynch were strike on June 30, adding: wing pressure groups like the sacked earlier this year on "Sixty-eight per cent of the Taxpayers Alliance and Policy spurious grounds. half-million jobs due to go in Exchange, were demanding still However managers agreed to the public sector are done by more draconian measures give them back their jobs women". against trade unions. following industrial action. Delegates also drew These include banning strike Mick Tosh said that RMT conference's attention to mass action, higher ballot turnouts, members were coming under closures of women's refuges removing collective bargaining attack "because we are an across the country. rights, extending the qualifying effective trade union". "It's the biggest social issue period for unfair dismissal from Insisting that the union must affecting women today - it can one year to two and introducing come to fore to defend reps who take life and ruin many lives," fees Employment Tribunals. get picked on by managers, Mr said Mandy Evans, Swansea. Jackie Darby said that it was Tosh recalled the second time he "I urge the union to to RMT’s great credit that it had was sacked and the "great politically campaign to raise won significant victories in spite support" he had received from awareness and help stop the of draconian anti-union laws. the union. closures of these facilities." She called for an alliance of Assistant general secretary Thandiwe Mabidoko, Surrey organisations to fight to remove Pat Sikorski hailed the pair's and Hants said there should be Bob Crow the anti-Trade Union laws and reinstatement as a "tremendous no hiding place for abusers. have ‘Mode 4 access’ to the EU- re-establish our hard won rights. victory for the union. "We all have brothers and allowing the transfer of cheap “The big advantage in the "Eamon and Arwyn were sisters and if you see someone non-unionised labour to Britain. alliance with the National Shop clearly sacked because of their being abused don't keep quiet," He said that the World Trade Stewards Network is in its co- trade union activities on London she said. Organisation claims ‘Mode 4’ is ordinating role. Underground," he said. not immigration, but rather “The NSSN is not subject to FIGHTING FOR DECENT WAGES ‘temporary labour movement’. sequestration and other legal DEFENDING WOMEN LU Engineering branch “Union basher Vince Cable is curbs and, working together, the Delegates agreed that successfully presented a motion aware of Mode 4. TUs and the NSSN can galvanise government cuts the calling for wage increases to “It’s the politics of the mad the movement, that time has disproportionately affected keep pace with the real level of house and will do irreparable now come,” she said. women and single mothers in inflation, especially from damage to manufacturing and Antony, Rowntree, East Ham particular and agreed to oppose companies that continue to service industries,” he said. said that the government and refuge closures. impose inflationary price rises, General secretary Bob Crow London mayor Boris Johnson Moving the unanimously make monopoly profits and said that sister rail unions in was being extremely backed motion, Janet Cassidy, hand out inflationary dividend India were opposed to Mode 4 hypocritical calling for North Clyde pointed out that payments. and the India-EU free trade deal proposals that say at least 50 women were more exposed to The motion also called for as it would have a detrimental per cent of the eligible the cuts due to childcare higher taxation on monopoly effect on their members and electorate must vote in favour responsibilities and low-paid profits, and a clamp down on India’s own manufacturing base. of a strike. work. tax evasion and avoidance, to “It’s social dumping - plain “He is not talking about 50 "Women are typically poorer help fund state pensions, and simple,” he said. per cent of those who vote, he is than men and they make up benefits and public services. Mick Stubbs, Southampton on about 50 per cent of the shipping said that Mode 4 was membership and it certainly not going to create a single job wasn’t 50 per cent of the for any person in the UK. electorate of the people of “All it is going to promote is London who put him in office. the UK as a sweatshop of And, out of the people who Europe and the race to the did vote for Johnson, a bottom starts here with ‘Mode significant number of them are 4’,” he said. regretting the day that they did,” he said. DEFENDING TRADE UNION RIGHTS Conference reaffirmed the DEFENDING REPS union’s demand for the removal Two sacked Tube workers who of anti-trade union laws and were recently reinstated pledged to oppose any new following a long fight by the legal threats proposed by the union formed a focal point in Gary Abbott

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AGM 2011 - FORT WILLIAM

Mr Sammuelsen, whose union represents 38,000 transport workers in New York City, explained to the delegates that his union and other “militant unions” had been dodging the “red bullets” from the media and employers in the US who are determined to keep labour standards at low levels. “Employers and their mouthpieces in the Rupert Murdoch media empire gladly throw out the commie label to try and divide us and pit us against one another. “As the famous former leader of our union and founder Mike Quill said: ‘I’d rather be a red than a rat. “We have been accused of being radical, intractable and Joe Todd malcontent. “Just like Quill, we would Jackie Darby called for declared his willingness to go to of our brothers the Miami Five," plead guilty to all those charges. concerted action in a wages jail for his members if they he said. “The dictionary defines offensive against the huge employer gave him no choice. He said that the Cuban radical as one who favour vested interests of business and Bob, the president of the government was "investing in drastic economic or political profit. Local 113 Amalgamated Transit transport" and described how reforms, and I would imagine “The measures promoted here Union in Toronto, exploded the "we as a union are carrying out that is everyone in this room,” must be a starting point in myth that the city was strategy to assimilate members he said. restoring decent living standards "progressive". with new technology". He said that circumstances and fairness. “If you think Toronto is a Contrasting the role of trade for transport workers in New “Large corporations pay a city that is pro-labour your view unions in Cuba with the York were still dire and he went pittance in tax compared with is out of date," he said, pointing situation in Britain, Mr Vazquez on the offensive against subway the workers who create their out that the union is not even said that Cuban workers were transit boss Jay Walder. wealth,” she said to applause. allowed to strike. "fully consulted" on government “He’s called me intractable in Backing the motion, Bob "Our job is not to be popular policies and developments in the the press because our union Crow asked why was it that with the public or the media, it economy. refused to sell our members jobs when energy bills and the price is to be a strong advocate for "All unions are involved in in favour of a whole bunch of of raw materials the employers the members," he said. "And this process at the concessions. pay it, but when it comes to man do working people need neighbourhood level and eight “TWU 100 is never going to workers’ wages they say, “Hang strong advocates. million Cubans are giving their fold to people like Jay Walder on a minute, we can’t afford "We will maintain the fight input. who look at us like we are a that cost any more”?. and if it means going to jail for "Only in a socialist system bunch of pond scum,” he said. “Our job as a trade union is taking strike action then we will can we win and defeat all But he said they had to maintain our members’ living do it,” he said. difficulties," he said. successfully reinstated over 900 standards and improve them Cuba Solidarity Campaign workers who had originally because we want to share the VIVA CUBA spokesman Bob Oram added: been sacked by Walder. wealth of the company. Cuban trade union leader Juan "You have within your RMT Detailing the union’s fight “We make most of the wealth Jose Polo Vazquez told RMT rulebook the commitment to strategy against attacks from and therefore some of that delegates that only the system socialism. Walder, Mr Sammuelsen said: wealth should be fairly of “socialism” is capable of "And the Cuban system “We’re considered malcontents distributed,” he said. dealing with the world's offers an alternative to the because we stand up for basic problems. world," he said. rights on the job. INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY Mr Vazquez thanked the “We enforce safety in the A number of sister transport union for its solidarity with NEW YORK workplace even if it means we unions attended conference and Cuba in frustrating the United US Transport Workers Union shut down work to achieve it. brought solidarity greetings States continuing illegal Local 100 president John “The labour movement has from around the world. blockade. Sammuelsen, representing ceded our greatest weapon the Canadian trade union leader "I bring my thankfulness for workers on the New York work stoppage. Bob Kinnear brought RMT all RMT solidarity, against the subway, brought solidarity “But there are so many laws delegates to their feet after he blockade and for the liberation greetings to conference. now that if you breathe the

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AGM 2011 - FORT WILLIAM word strike there are potential The outgoing president of fines and jail time. New Zealand’s Rail Maritime JOHN COGGER YOUTH AWARD Union leaders don’t want to and Transport Union, Jim Kelly, jepardise themselves or their was at RMT’s AGM, bringing organisations and members jobs. greetings alongside general But he insisted that simply secretary Wayne Butson, and investing in politicians in the building support and solidarity US to convince them to see it for the campaign to save the “the workers way” was not country’s train-making industry. enough. Ironically, Jim left his native “It’s a grave error and one Scotland in the early 1980s to that TWU 100 is looking to get escape the ravages of the Emma Baldwin recieves away from rapidly. Thatcher government – only to her award from Bob Crow “The US labour movement find that the New Zealand could learn a lot from you folks government privatised its rail The winner of the 2011 John she said. in the UK. network even before John Major Cogger youth award was Emma attended the 2008 “The money needs to go into sold off Britain’s. Emma Baldwin of Willesden annual young members’ organising members to put After years of seeing the branch. Emma was a delegate course attached to the AGM in ourselves into a position where assets sweated and starved of to last year’s AGM at the age Dublin and attended various we can fight. long-term investment by of 23 following a rule change courses and activities, one of “Taking RMT’s lead would be privateers, and after intense in 2009 to lower the term of the most memorable was considered radical but to the lobbying by RMTU and other membership to become a being on the Solidarity TWU 100 it makes common unions, Helen Clark’s Labour delegate. Brigade to Cuba in 2008. sense,” he said. government renationalised a re- “I am proud to be a “To say this was an Bringing an extended branded KiwiRail, alongside member of a fighting union experience of my life is standing ovation, Mr ferry services, in 2008 and and this is what first attracted definitely an understatement. Sammelsun added: “We’re earmarked NZ$500 million for me to the RMT. “Joining the “I will never forget being looking to follow RMT in a new rolling stock, with more for railway at 16 was a daunting in Revolution Square on May more internationalist outlook in electrification. experience and it is thanks to Day and watching a million the trade union movement, That drew a massive sigh of Watford branch and Stuart Cubans celebrate International which is increasingly important”. relief – but the election of a Cameron that I have become Workers Day with such National Party government in the activist I am today,” passion,” she said. KIWI RAIL WORKERS FIGHT TO 2008 saw the new premier, SAVE JOBS ‘smiling assassin’ John Key, rolling stock, yet KiwiRail has remains upbeat. It will be depressingly familiar announce that the vast bulk of given notice that nearly a “We need to pile the pressure to UK rail workers, but their the investment would be spent quarter of the skilled workers at on and we have been working brothers and sisters in New overseas. our workshops in Dunedin and hard to win support for the Zealand are fighting to keep “It makes no economic sense Lower Hutt are to lose their campaign, with public meetings, alive rail workshops threatened at all to have these trains built jobs. Facebook and Twitter campaigns with extinction by a right-wing abroad, when New Zealand has “Not only are they turning and online petition, and the government that has turned its the skills and the capacity to do tax-payers into benefit response has been great.” back on local skills and placed a the job,” says Jim. claimants, but they will be RMTU promises that the huge rolling-stock order in “The government is investing hitting the private sector arrival of the first tranche of China. half a billion dollars in new because all of that investment, wagons would be greeted with the workers’ wages, the lot, will pickets, blockades and other be spent overseas, and not in direct action, with support Dunedin and Hutt. promised from sister unions. As with the Thameslink Politically, the campaign has contract here in Britain, the NZ won massive backing from government took no heed of the ordinary people who know the social and wider economic importance of the workshops consequences of exporting the and the jobs, it has also been order. backed by chambers of “With no new orders on the commerce – which recognise books we know that unless there that the workshops are worth is a change of heart the future NZ$30 million in local trade – of both workshops will be and by local media. bleak.” It seems, as with Derby, that But with a close eye on the everyone is lined up against the election due in November, and government. with Labour committed to “We can win this,” said Jim. clawing the contracts back, Jim Thandiwe Mabidoko

21 UNION LEARNING AT FORT WILLIAM Mike Sargent of the RMT Union Learning Fund addressed a fringe meeting at AGM to explain the role it plays in the union An RMT AGM is always a presentation about the learning new kind of workplace development is worthwhile, special occasion with activists agenda, case studies illustrating representative the Union recruit ULRs and generally coming together from all over the benefits to members and a Learning Representative (ULR). support members to learn. the country to take on the very interesting and robust In 2002 ULRs, under the Three years ago, RMT running of our union as its question and answer session Employment Relations Act, submitted a bid to set up the supreme governing body. around ULRs within our union. gained statutory recognition. RMT Learning project with the This year the RMT Learning The question and answer Since this time ULF supported help of ULF funding and, team organised a fringe question was key. It was a projects, such as RMT Learning, through running events in meeting as part of the chance for delegates to really have together trained 22,000 workplaces, RMT Learning has proceedings to familiarise ensure they understood ULRs Union Learning Reps, covered found solid support throughout delegates with the work carried and what the learning agenda over 700 workplaces and the union. out by union learning reps and can do for the members, and created more than three The RMT Learning Team to ensure that the benefits of the union, as well as why quarters of a million learning who put on the fringe meeting the learning agenda is well employers would buy in. opportunities were; Graham Chesters, understood. The Union Learning Fund I became a ULR within my Development Worker (North), This is why RMT Learning (ULF) was set up in 1998 in company South Eastern Trains, John Dougherty Development has annually held ULR response to a government elected and supported by my Worker (North), Mike Sargent, conferences, seminars for report that highlighted the branch, and not long after I Shipping Development Worker, branch secretaries and attended skills gap between the UK and obtained full time seconded and delegate Ivor Riddell grades conferences and the rest of Europe. It was felt release to work in the project. Development Worker (South advisory conferences in order that the people best placed to Over the years I have East). Thanks to fringe chair to build an understanding of address the issue were workers worked through one project Peter Pinkney and all the many the work of ULRs and support themselves and in order to after another, funded by the delegates and guests that for what they do. achieve this trade unions were ULF, to raise awareness, attended. The meeting included a asked to promote and support a persuade employers that staff

22 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews REMEMBERING SLAVERY talks, walks, young people’s Sancho as well as the lives of The National Maritime activities and gallery tours hundreds of sailors from Africa culminating in a unique and the Caribbean over the Museum in Greenwich commemorative ceremony by centuries. the River Thames. To find out about the history holds events every year to This year’s events will of human bondage throughout explore the museum’s vast history, listen to Professor mark International Slavery collections relating to the Jeremy Black give his first transatlantic slave trade as well public talk based on his Remembrance day on as focussing on the many local forthcoming book ‘Slavery – A connections to be found in the New Global History’. August 23 Greenwich World Heritage site. Gallery tours around the The transatlantic slave trade was imprisonment or in horrendous On the day young people can Slavery, Trade and Empire responsible for the forced conditions during the so-called take part in David Neita’s very gallery will be led by the actor, migration of between 12-15 Middle Passage, the voyage popular Power of Poetry Burt Caesar, who will also be million people from Africa to from Africa to the Americas. workshops where they can the Master of ceremonies for the the Western Hemisphere from August 23 has been create their own verses ‘to move day. There will be an additional the middle of the 15th century designated by UNESCO as the masses’. There will also be a tour of the Queen’s House, to the end of the 19th century. International Slavery workshop where parents and where you can unlock the The trafficking of Africans by Remembrance Day. On that day children can contribute to a hidden stories behind the the major European countries in 1791 the first successful slave giant display of family collections in this stately house. during this period is sometimes uprising in the western treasures. All events are free and family referred to by African scholars hemisphere took place in Haiti. Enter our archives and friendly. All are welcome. as the Maafa ('great disaster' in This event led to the island's uncover true stories of slavery Swahili). It's now considered a independence and was a major and resistance from rare and crime against humanity. step towards the abolition of the revealing documents. Join in an The slave trade not only led transatlantic slave trade. Ethnovox gospel workshop to to the violent transportation The National Maritime learn the real messages behind overseas of millions of Africans Museum in Greenwich has some of our best-loved songs. but also to the deaths of many marked the day for the past 10 Join SI Martin on a hidden millions more. Nobody knows years to highlight transatlantic history trail around the the total number of people who slavery as a maritime history. It museum, Greenwich Park and died during slave raiding, has now evolved into a well- the waterfront to find out more transportation and established day of workshops, about writers like Equiano and

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SERIOUS NORTH SEA OIL AND GAS SPILLS-EVERY WEEK Union calls for prosecutions following more than 100 potentially lethal North Sea platform oil and gas spills in two years Leaked documents have revealed that Jake Molloy said that Deepwater Horizon its safety record in 2006 when a judge ruled serious spills of oil and gas from offshore showed that "even the most up-to-date, that it could have prevented the deaths of North Sea platforms are occurring at the cutting-edge safety technology can go two men if it had properly repaired a hole rate of one a week, undermining oil wrong if it is not maintained properly and in a corroding pipeline on a platform in the companies' claims to be doing everything not operated by competent people. Brent field. In the same year, one of Shell's possible to improve the safety of rigs. "We have been very lucky in the UK that own safety consultants, Bill Campbell, Documents obtained by The Guardian we have not had another major incident alleged that safety procedures in the North newspaper reveal leaks voluntarily declared with multiple fatalities. Sea had been ignored for years. by the oil companies to the safety regulator, “We have come very close on several Shell's then chief executive, Jereon van the Health and Safety Executive(HSE), in a occasions, very, very close. der Veer, admitted in a private email at the database set up after the Piper Alpha “It is more luck than good management time that the company had a second-rate disaster of 6 July 1988 which killed 167 in some cases and some operators don't give safety record and pledged to spend workers. a damn. substantial sums of money to improve it. RMT offshore organiser Jake Molloy “Because of the high price of oil, they are Other major oil companies which are welcomed the "naming and shaming" of cutting corners and some of them are high in the spills league include the Danish offenders and called for ‘rogue operators’ to overdue for prosecution," he said. conglomerate Maersk and Canadian firm be prosecuted. The two rigs with the most frequent oil Talisman, which both have a rig with five "We need the veil of secrecy and spills are owned by Shell and the French leaks. Four spills came from a rig known as anonymity lifted. conglomerate Total, yet Shell regularly Mungo Etap, which is owned by BP. "Hiding behind a clause in the Health claim in public that safety is their most Whistleblowers also told The Guardian and Safety at Work Act that makes releasing important commitment. newspaper that the list of spills recorded in such material commercially sensitive does The Shell-run platform responsible for the documents is the tip of the iceberg. not serve the industry well. the most spills, Brent Charlie, first began Other accidents are kept quiet because "We have learned lessons from Piper pumping oil in 1976 from its location 115 workers fear they cannot report them in Alpha and I believe the likelihood of miles north-east of Scotland. case they lose their jobs. One said that another Piper is remote as long as we don't The documents record seven leaks on it although everyone is formally told to report have rogue operators prepared to take over the two-year period, with the worst anything that goes wrong, staff adhere to an chances," he said. happening on 26 April last year when four informal code to remain silent to avoid a Shell has emerged as one of the top tonnes of leaked gas from one of its halt in drilling that loses money for the offenders despite promising to clean up its columns led to a shutdown of production. companies. act five years ago after a large accident in On another occasion, on September 30 The disclosures have provoked criticism which two oil workers died. 2009, safety inspectors ordered Shell to stop of the government over its claims that They reveal for the first time the names producing oil from Brent Charlie after gas regulation of the oil industry in the North of companies that have caused more than leaked from its ventilation system. Sea is one of the toughest in the world. 100 potentially lethal and largely The HSE has formally threatened to close Energy secretary Chris Huhne, a Lib Dem unpublicised oil and gas spills in the North down some operations on Brent Charlie MP, claimed earlier this year that the UK's Sea in 2009 and 2010. within two weeks over undisclosed safety safety and environmental regime was "one The documents, released under freedom issues. Since January this year, Shell has of the most robust in the world". of information legislation, record leaks stopped exporting oil from the rig and three But Labour MP for Aberdeen North Frank classed by the regulator as "major" or others in the Brent oilfield as the company Doran said that Chris Huhne needed to have "significant", which, if ignited, could cause struggles to put right safety problems. a rethink. “There is a continuing problem, of many deaths. Critics say the oldest rigs, built in the 70s particularly gas leakages, and that is a sign The HSE documents also undermine when oil was found in the North Sea, are that the infrastructure in the North Sea is claims by the major oil companies that last the most dangerous and fear safety is ageing and that maintenance and year's Deepwater Horizon explosion in the neglected as the platforms come to the end investment is still not sufficient to ensure Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 workers was of their productive commercial life. the safety of offshore workers. unlikely to ever happen to them. Shell came under intense criticism over “There is still a long way to go,” he said.

24 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews PENSION VICTORY President’s column FOR SEAFARERS AND OFFSHORE DEFENDING WORKERS WORKERS AND RMT has won a significant victory that will see seafarers and offshore workers included in the automatic enrolment DEMOCRACY provisions of the Pensions Act 2008. The victory, confirmed in a letter from Working people all over the world in they advocate as a solution to the Pensions Minister Steve Webb to RMT increasing numbers are turning again crisis of their economic system. In Parliamentary Convenor John McDonnell to their trade unions, which are Britain the great victories of our gaining renewed relevance by forefathers and mothers are all are confirmed that:îwe are proposing in broad fighting back against attacks on under threat from a new feudal era, terms that the Pensions Act 2008 workers’ rights and freedoms, the where power is exercised by provisions should apply to seafarers and policies of austerity and wage cuts, technocrats on behalf of finance offshore workers in the same way that which it is promised will restore capital. they apply to land-based workers. profitability to a tired and bankrupt No social or political gains can now political and economic system. “With this approach the location of the be taken for granted. Capitalism in employer would not be a key determining Global capitalism recycling the its current phase is a decadent dogmas of ‘neoliberalism’ – an system in decline, which has no factor in deciding whether an individual ideology that has prevailed in the UK more use for democratic legitimacy. is ordinarily working in GB, nor would now for 35 years– is mounting a No electorate in the world ever voted their nationality or place of residence, or frontal assault on the welfare state. for railway privatisation. Yet, no indeed the country of registration of the Monopoly capitalism’s British matter, whatever the financial ship”. enforcers Cameron, Clegg, Osborne markets demand, they must have. and Cable are redoubling their RMT executive committee member Rail privatisation is now being attacks on our class by threatening Malcolm Dunning had noticed the extended across the European Union trade unions with further anti-union – as RMT has predicted – as part of exclusion of seafarers while investigating legislation if we dare stand up to the EU’s new ‘Single European the possibilities of gaining pension defend our members. Railway Area’, to appease PFI provision for seafarers working for Yet have just received the welcome profiteers, ‘outsourcing’ rackets and shipping companies where there was no news of the reinstatement of our other financial interests and against pension scheme, using Norfolk Line loyal members, Eamonn Lynch and the wishes of workers and voters. [DFDS] as an example. Arwyn Thomas by London Capitalism now stands in opposition Underground and I know that you to government by consent and “Many seafarers have no pension will join me in extending warmest defends arbitrary rule by unelected provision at all and there are significant solidarity greetings to all trade technocrats. We will continue to numbers who have been in the Merchant unionists taking strike action on fight to make governments Navy scheme but have moved to June 30 to defend pensions in the accountable to those they rule over. companies that donít have provision who largest coordinated strike movement Our fighting, democratic trade union in this country for many years. face a void in their pension entitlements. stands in irreconcilable opposition to “I trawled through the Act to find that It is a disgrace, however, that the finance capital’s attacks on leader of the Labour Party, Ed democracy. What is a trade union seafarers and offshore workers were, once Miliband saw fit to attack the strike. after all? It is the distilled experience more, actually exempt despite the fact The so-called leader of the of day-to-day democracy practised that there had been no consultation with opposition can barely lead his own by working people. In our branches the union,” he said. party and he certainly isn’t leading and regional councils week after RMT’s Parliamentary group raised the much opposition to this illegitimate week we teach and relearn the importance of democratic debate issue with the government and John and unpopular government. In fact and decision-making and above all McDonnell MP secured a meeting with the pension attacks at the centre of the current dispute were designed by of collective responsibility. Pensions Minister Steven Webb who John Hutton, a minister in the To all delegates to this the confirmed that it would be possible to previous Labour government, who parliament of our union, especially to change the legislation but it would be was appointed to carry out his all first-time delegates, I remind you "complicated". pensions review by that government, all of your great responsibility. We On July 13, while the union was as was Sir Roy McNulty who recently will at all times be guided by our meeting to consider asking seafarers to published his “Value for money Rule Book and our Standing Orders, review of GB rail”. which are binding on all of us. Myself come forward as examples of the effects This Con-Dem coalition lacks even and all the officers and staff are here of this exemption, the minister confirmed the legitimacy of a general election to assist you in making your in writing that seafarers and offshore victory for its policies, which amount decisions. I wish you all good luck. workers would be now included in the to implementing the austerity diktats *This is an extract from the auto enrolment provisions. of the finance capitalists, the banks, president’s address to the 2011 RMT “This is a rare victory for shipping the monopolists of the EU and the AGM. See the full speech on RMTv: which could have a big impact within the IMF. www.rmtv.org.uk/video/video90/index.html industry and it is a great example of how Today democracy itself is now an impediment to the policies of effective our Parliamentary group is,” said privatisation and wage cuts, which Alex Gordon Malcolm.

25 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews ORGANISING CATERING WORKERS

Alan Pottage, head of RMT’s Organising and Education outlines the union’s campaign to recruit Rail Gourmet and Select Service Partners workers

Activists from the union’s It should also be remembered WORKPLACE VISITS local members so it’s vitally catering grades conference met that the union has members It is obvious that the only way important that local branches with assistant general secretary within the catering industry the union can make progress is commit to organising all Pat Sikorski, regional organiser with over thirty years RMT to ensure that branches commit workers within their area of Brian Whitehead, the organising membership so there is themselves to monthly activities responsibility. unit and the national executive definitely still a hard core of in the various workplaces. One- We know high turnover is a recently to work out a strategy catering workers who have off visits are less effective. problem. But the solution is not that would see organisation worked since the days of British It’s common sense really. to give up and not attempt to amongst catering workers Rail and Travellers Fare. RMT gets its strength from our build our organisation so we greatly improve. need to ensure monthly visits The workforce employed by take place. If our branches do Rail Gourmet and Select Service this we can conquer the Partners have been prioritised problem. because as it has been a difficult area to organise these workers in the past. One big problem is the high turnover of staff. After all, that’s what happens in a low pay sector. Many workers don’t hang about when a slightly better job becomes available. Incidentally, RMT always argues that improving pay and conditions is the best way for an employer to avoid a high turnover of staff. If you pay your workers a decent wage and treat them with dignity and respect then off course they will not want to leave.

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Gourmet) supported by members of our organising unit. All of our local activists who turned out to help were a credit to the union, which leaves me confident that we are going to crack this. It is a fact that the overwhelming majority of our members are recruited by an RMT local activist – normally the local rep. So it’s very important we have reps in place in every single location. Most workers judge their union by the local activists too. So simply recruiting members into the union isn’t enough. We also have to organise and that means So, the outcome of our long term is if our local The campaign started in filling vacancies for local reps. meeting with catering workers branches to keep speaking to Edinburgh in July and moved We have made a very good was to agree a programme of the workers. on to Newcastle, York, Leeds, start to the campaign and it workplace visits. A schedule was I am sure members reading Sheffield, Liverpool and shows that it is possible to drawn up and each branch this article will agree that it’s Manchester, recruiting over organise in these companies would meet the evening before always a good thing to see a seventy workers. More provided we roll up our sleeves the recruitment exercise in order high profile RMT presence in importantly, we now have a and get stuck in. The McNulty to fix future organising dates in their workplace. The union has number of members prepared to Review and the general mood of diaries and discuss any concerns produced hundreds of different become local representatives cuts means we are all under they may have. Unfortunately leaflets and posters over the and another priority is to make attack and the only way we can we have experience of past years that allow our message to sure these members receive defend ourselves is to get failures where we have been be put across on notice boards training and support. organised. As one Rail Gourmet unable to sustain regular but nothing beats seeing RMT Our organising team worker eloquently put it to her workplace visits. Therefore we reps walking around the consisted of Pat and Brian along workmates: “On our own we are know that the only way this workplace communicating with with local reps Troy Burton(SSP) like grains of sand BUT together campaign will succeed in the the workforce. and Simona Bilanicova (Rail we can form a mountain!” WHAT’S NEW ON RMTv Catch the latest video updates on RMT’s own on-line station at www.rmtv.org.uk

CHANNEL 1 – RMT IN ACTION Elaine Smith MSP: RMT Scottish Save Bombardier jobs – thousands parliamentary group report demonstrate in Derby Alex Gordon: president’s address RMT takes McNulty protest to his CHANNEL 3 – HISTORY CHANNEL doorstep – demonstration in Liverpool The People’s Flag – victory to consensus: CHANNEL 2 – NEWS BULLETINS third in the four-part documentary series Bob Crow talks about the possible TSSA on the history of the labour movement, by mergerRMT Chris Reeves AGM 2011: CHANNEL 4 – RMT EXTRA Bob Crow demolishes the McNulty report Durham Miners’ Gala 2011 John Samuelson: greetings from New York transport workers Cuba Si! – Garden party highlights John McDonnell MP: RMT parliamentary group report

27 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews

BRANCH SECRETARIES MEET IN GREAT YARMOUTH The annual conference of membership department. things such as loss of wages. observing a minutes silence. branch secretaries took place in He explained that RMT will be working with its It was recommended that Great Yarmouth this year, increasingly hostile anti-union Parliamentary group and conference donate £100 to the hosted superbly by Broadlands laws and legal judgements had campaigning with other unions memory of Angus McPherson Branch Branch Secretary Alan made it harder to ballot and injury victim support for all the work he has done for Brooks and the owner of the members for industrial action. groups to fight these proposals. this conference over the years. Hotel Victoria John Hemsley. Under these conditions any Conference was slightly Tayside Mountain Rescue Conference president Peter tiny discrepancy in the ballot overshadowed by the sudden Association was the charity Daniels welcomed delegates who could be exploited by employers death of Angus McPherson from recommended by the family. were treated to a trip to a local to ban strike action through the Drummond Miller Lawyers in Steve Smart the Regional micro-brewery and an courts. Scotland. Angus had been a Organiser for the area was entertaining visit to the Nelson Web resources for branch regular attendee to conference thanked for his contribution to Museum. officials were being developed for over 20 years and his conference and the Les Roberts Peter Daniels invited the which would allow them to presence would be sadly missed Memorial collection for the general secretary Bob Crow to update web pages themselves. Delegate Jim Philp said that Widows and Orphans fund give a state of the union address He said that full training Angus had he brought a raised £55.45p. with questions. would be provided. different approach to the In closing conference A guest speaker from Unity RMT solicitors Thompsons delegates attending conference president Peter Daniels invited Bank Laurie Bell outlined the representative Simon Clarke with a Scottish aspect to the all branch secretaries to attend role of the bank, which is revealed the union had won law. Delegates showed their next year’s conference taking specifically designed to service £5.7 million in damages for appreciation to Angus and place in Bristol. the trade union movement from members last year. others who had passed away by national unions to branch However he warned that the accounts. government planned to attack Mr Bell sparked a debate the ability of unions to offer after outlining plans by the big free legal representation with no A GREAT banks to get rid of the use of deductions from their damages. cheques by 2018. The Jackson review, YARMOUTH Peter Daniels said that many announced by the Tory Justice branch secretaries relied on the Secretary Ken Clarke, would end use of cheques to carry out the system of the losing AWARD branch business. defendant in a personal injury Tony Donaghey from the claim – usually an employer – MT general secretary Bob Bob said he was pleased to union’s Credit Union said that having to pay towards a fund to RCrow presented a 40-year make the presentation to John, the abolition of cheques was cover costs. medal to longstanding a bus driver whose work had also a serious issue for Lawyers will instead be Broadlands branch member taken him from London to pensioners and many people expected to deduct a proportion Jonathan Ward. Speaking at Great Yarmouth over the that did not use credit cards. of those costs - up to 25 per the union’s branch secretary’s years. Peter Waters outlined cent - from claimant’s conference in Great Yarmouth developments in the union’s compensation for the injury and

28 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews DEBATING DISABILITIES RMT delegate Janine has staff available to help had one arm and one leg that people to blame and scapegoat Booth reports from the disabled passengers when worked and could recognise the other working-class people for TUC Disability needed. I spoke at the colour of a passing car, and so the economic crisis, rather than conference in support of a found him fit to work and blaming the real villains: the Conference which brings resolution from TSSA stopped his disability benefits! bosses, the bankers, and their together hundreds of condemning cuts in station Other speakers told of claimants political backers. We should not trade unionists staffing levels. left destitute by the withdrawal fall for it. Government cuts and employers’ Government cuts have also of benefits, even driven to Most of the resolutions to the attacks are hitting disabled led to the scrapping of projects suicide. conference were passed people hard, as workers, service to improve accessibility, for The assessments are carried unanimously, reflecting the users and benefit claimants and example installing lifts on out by ATOS Origin, the private unity among delegates and the TUC’s Disability Conference stations to ensure step-free company that brought us across unions. But two proposals discussed the trade union access to platforms. Other Avantix machines! proved controversial. One response. attacks impacting on disabled The ConDems, and their advocated working with disabled Many transport workers have people include cuts to: Remploy friends in the media, whip up staff groups, which some disabilities, and many of us look and other supported hysteria about ‘benefit fraud’ in delegates found helpful but after a family member or friend employment; NHS provision; an attempt to justify benefit others to be a means of with a disability. Although our and services funded by local cuts, but such fraud runs at undermining unions. The other legal rights improved a little councils. Cuts in jobs, benefits around £1 billion per year, a proposed working with the under the last government, we and services are driving many tiny figure compared with the ‘Time to Change’ initiative from H know from the frontline that disabled people out of work and £200 billion-plus ripped off by various disability charities, employers often fail to give us into poverty. corporations and the rich not which was seen to be too the flexibility and support that The government has paying their taxes. concerned with addressing we need. For them, it is profit introduced the Work Capability Speakers also illustrated how employers. first, people’s needs a distant Assessment for benefit the portrayal of disabled people RMT will hold its own second. claimants, declaring that it is as ‘scroungers’ has led to a disability conference later this As transport workers, we also ‘objective’ when it is anything shocking increase in violent year. Maybe I will see you know that disabled people need but. One conference delegate hate crime against disabled there? We will certainly have public transport that is told of her son, whose people. This media campaign is plenty to talk about. physically accessible, and that assessment identified that he designed to get working-class

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RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews THE BOXER WHO WAS SCARED OF NOBODY n March 31 1878 in no disputing the immense would prove the physical and OGalveston, Texas, a man physical ordeal he endured in a fighting superiority of the white was born who was to have a career which ended in 1938, man over his black counterpart. profound impact not only on when following the sad song of Of a series of such fights the sport of boxing but on US most former champions a TKO Johnson took and won in 1909, society. His name was Jack in the seventh round against an the one against Stanley Ketchel Johnson. opponent who at one time has gone down in history. Being a black man in the US would not have been fit to lace The fight lasted 12 hard then was to be destined for a Johnson's gloves finally brought rounds, until Ketchel connected future of low income, menial the curtain down. with a right to the head which violation of the Mann Act, jobs, the status of second-class But what makes Johnson, dropped Johnson to the canvas. which prohibited the citizen, and to be subjected to who went by the fighting name As he got back to his feet, transportation of women across racism at the hands of dominant the Galveston Giant, such a Ketchel moved in to finish him state lines for immoral purposes. white society. major figure in US sporting and off. But before he could unleash Johnson, perhaps as a Worse was possible in the cultural history was not only his another punch he was met with consequence of his being so South, where the lynching of undoubted boxing ability but a right hand to the jaw from maligned and rejected by young black men was a regular more a personality that brooked Johnson which knocked him mainstream society, was a man occurrence. no deference to the prevailing out. According to legend, who sought solace in the Johnson's parents were racial hierarchy, one that Johnson hit Ketchel so hard that company of prostitutes. former slaves, his father Henry expected blacks like him to some of his teeth ended up He was fined and sentenced of direct African descent, and know their place. embedded in his glove. to prison by an all-white jury, both worked long hours to After spending years being In 1910 the biggest but instead of accepting his support their six children. Jack denied an opportunity to fight heavyweight fight in the history sentence he skipped bail and was their second child and the for the heavyweight title due to of the sport took place in Reno, fled the country to Canada, bulk of what little education he the colour of his skin, Johnson's Nevada in an outdoor arena before heading to France. received came from his parents, chance finally came against the specially built for the event. For the next seven years who taught him to read and Canadian holder Tommy Burns Billed as "The Fight of the Johnson remained outside the write at home. School he in 1908. Burns had taken over Century," it saw ex-white US, moving between Europe and attended only sporadically until the title from Jim Jeffries, who'd champion Jim Jeffries come out south America. In that time he he started work on the docks as retired and who as the of his six-year retirement, continued to defend his title, a labourer in his early teens. champion had continually saying that "I feel obligated to which he finally lost to Jess Johnson's introduction to spurned Johnson's attempts to the sporting public at least to Willard in Havana in 1915. fighting for money came during fight for his title. make an effort to reclaim the Returning to the US in 1920, this period, when he began Regardless, getting Burns to heavyweight championship for Johnson was immediately taking on fellow workers and face him had involved two years the white race...I should step arrested and sent to prison to local hard men in specially of Johnson chasing the into the ring again and serve out his sentence. A request organised match-ups for the Canadian around the world demonstrate that a white man is for his posthumous pardon is money offered by spectators in taunting him in the press before king of them all." currently under consideration by return for a good fight. he finally relented. The fight Johnson proved both Jeffries President Barack Obama. An It has also been suggested took place in Sydney, Australia, and the white Establishment earlier request during the that he participated in what in front of a hostile crowd of wrong when he knocked the previous Bush administration were known as 'battle royals," a 20,000 spectators. former champion down twice on was turned down by the US racist spectacle which involved In winning the title from the way to eventual victory in Senate. several black men fighting one Burns, even Johnson was the 15th, when the referee Johnson, who died at the age another at the same time in unprepared for the wave of stopped the fight. of 68 in 1948, married three blindfolds. racial hatred that was unleashed The aftermath saw race riots times, on each occasion to a The exact number of fights throughout his home country. erupt across the United States, white woman. His last wife which Johnson had during his At the time the heavyweight with blacks being attacked at Irene Pineau was asked by a career remains under dispute, title was deemed the preserve of random and 23 killed. reporter at his funeral what but the lowest number of fights white fighters, and Johnson Meanwhile in black she'd loved about him. "I loved cited for him is 77, with other attracted the enmity it seemed communities there were him because of his courage," she sources stating he fought 100 of every sector of society except celebrations. replied. "He faced the world times and more. his own. Thereafter, dogged by a white unafraid. There wasn't anybody Considering that professional Johnson was forced to fight Establishment that was or anything he feared." boxing bouts in the early part of a series of white contenders as determined to put him in his John Wight the 20th century could go on the boxing Establishment set out place, Johnson's personal life (This article first appeared in the for 30 rounds and more, there is to find a white contender who saw him tried and convicted for Morning Star newspaper)

31 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews FROM CLEANER TO HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISOR– A LEARNING JOURNEY MT member Vitalis Ndeda promotion or into other jobs. Rwas recently, after a long It gave him the confidence to learning journey, was presented negotiate with his employer to with a regional individual award provide accredited training in- by David Attenborough in house which would be London. recognised elsewhere. The At the ceremony Vitalis, who workforce really appreciated this came to the UK as a cleaner, as they could take their said that learning had qualifications to other jobs in empowered him to be in control difficult economic times. of his destiny. Health and safety became his “This came about largely as a speciality and he achieved NVQ result of trade union learning level 4 in Occupational Health where as a union rep and Safety and also became an I started on a series of TUC assessor/trainer and a courses. professional health and safety “I soon became a Union advisor for the company. currently completing his was a great supporter of the Learning Rep (ULR) so that I His learning provided Preparing to Teach in the union and a credit to the role of could help others to access improvements in his life and Lifelong Learning Sector and ULR. learning like I had,” he said. work. working towards the chartered “We hope that his success He said that he wanted to He did not sit back but membership of IOSH. will be an inspiration to other give people validation in the continued in his trade union London Underground members and encourage them to jobs they were doing and to education until he had achieved Engineering Branch secretary start their own learning help them move on through a wealth of certificates. He is Paul Jackson said that Vitalis journeys,” he said. SUN SHINES ON RMT GARDEN CUBA PARTY Those attending RMT’s ninth hugely Cuban Embassy. He outlined the situation in Cuban revolution which is an ongoing successful annual garden party for Cuba the country, pointing out that the economic progressive process,” he said. in London recently enjoyed the usual changes currently taking place were not Funds raised at the popular and packed sunshine as well as the tastes and music of ‘liberalisation’ characterised by Western event went towards the Cuba Solidarity the socialist island. investors taking over public services. Campaign. Music was provided by Cuban Speakers included Luis Marron of the “The changes taking place are part of the band Raises Cubanas and The Alabama 3.

SOLIDARITY: L-R Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, John McDonnell MP, RMT president Alex Gordon, Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly, RMT general secretary Bob Crow, Luis Marron of the Cuban Embassy.

32 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews

WIN TWO TICKETS FOR THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES Eve Ensler’s hilarious Broadway and West End smash hit is back, featuring a new all star cast including the brilliant Tiana Benjamin (Eastenders), the stunning Louisa Lytton (Eastenders, The Bill) and the sensational Wendi Peters (Coronation Street, Celebrity Masterchef). This hilariously witty and moving collection of stories is an unmissable show for every generation - bring your mum, your best friend, your sister or even your gran – this is the ultimate girls night out… trust us! ‘Laugh out loud FUNNY,’ The Independent “Fresh, and funny” Daily Mail ‘Eve Ensler’s GLORIOUS show is WARM ,OPEN, EXCITING, ENCHANTING and HILARIOUSLY funny! See it even if you haven’t got one’ Sunday Times “Sex has never been funnier or more poignant” New York Times The Vagina Monologues donates a percentage of revenue from ticket sales to V-Day benefiting women’s charities across the world. See www.vaginamonologues.co.uk for more details. To enter this competition and win a pair of tickets please answer the following question: what is the charity that tickets for Vagina Monologues support? Answers must be emailed to: [email protected] with your name, address and contact telephone number. The winner will be contacted to organise their tickets after the draw on the 1st September 2011.

No. 71 solution... The winner of prize crossword no. 70 is Charlie Hicks. £50 PRIZE Send entries to Prize Crossword, RMT, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NWI IJD by September 1 with your name CROSSWORD and address. Winner and solution in next No. 72. Set by Elk issue.

ACROSS DOWN 1 Spaces between tees and 2 Basic unit of matter (until it greens (8) gets split?) (4) 6 Place to place one’s bets (6) 3 What you’ll be doing if your 9 Train-maker threatened by computer freezes (9) exporting of Thameslink 4 Pay and conditions should contract (10) be, with the union (6) 10 Shopping containers (4) 5 Use paint brush or sponge to 11 Letter- or report-writers (13) create dotted effect (7) 13 Start (5) 6 Officials who investigate 14 Earnest; deeply held (9) deaths (8) 17 What one spends (9) 7 Curved-bladed sword 19 Home of 9 works threatened traditionally used by cavalry by export of Thameslink (5) contract (5) 8 Establishments for late 21 Can be broken down or rot drinking and dancing (5-5) naturally (13) 12 Make-over expert (10) 24 Oven for firing pottery (4) 15 Medieval mercenary - or 25 One who sells, to the highest self-employed journalist (9) bidder (10) 16 two-dimensional symbolic 26 Makes nocturnal noises? (6) representations; graphs (8) 27 Bad verse (8) 18 Looked quickly; deflected (7) 20 Putting (animal) behind bars (6) 22 One who eats - or where one eats (5) 23 Brazilian former footballer - the greatest? (4)

33 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2011 :: RMTnews OPEN A JUNIOR DEPOSIT ACCOUNT! HOW DO I OPERATE THE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY RMT Credit Union offers members ACCOUNT? REACH 16? the opportunity to open an Unlike full members, juniors do At the age of 16, the junior not have a regular income so account must change to adult account for their children to allow the parent / guardian opening status. At this point, the junior them to save for the future the account for the junior will now be considered an adult member will have to set up the member and will automatically Here at RMT Credit Union we be opened for any child living account to save a minimum of gain full control of the account. know how important it is for at the same address. Accounts £5.00 every month / 4 weekly or They will therefore have full family members to understand can be opened from birth, right weekly. The savings is collected access to any funds you have money even at an early age. We up to the age of 16. The junior by Direct Debit from a bank deposited in their account also recognise that parents and saver must be living at their account however, at this stage they may grandparents often want to set parent or guardian's address and need to provide identification aside some money or build up a an original birth certificate must HOW DO I KEEP UP TO DATE WITH prior to withdrawing any funds. lump sum for their children or be produced to be able to join. THE ACCOUNT? grandchildren to provide them A statement is sent out to the ONCE 16, DO THEY HAVE TO SAVE with a good start in life. HOW DOES IT WORK? junior members once a year REGULARLY EVERY MONTH TO It is never too early to start The account is opened by the around Christmas time and of KEEP THE ACCOUNT OPEN? and the longer the savings are member on behalf of the junior course you are able to keep in We recognise that they might be held, even when saving small saver. The account will be in the touch via the usual methods going on to higher education or amounts, with a regular child’s name but control of the such as phone and email. Your may not even have left school at dividend they soon mount up. account will remain with the child will be able to view their that stage. We do not want to With this in mind RMT Credit adult. own account online to see how lose them as a member, Union has developed a Junior much they have saved. particularly as they may not be Savings Account which can be Additional statements can be eligible to join again should tailored to suit your needs. requested at no extra charge at they leave, so we are happy to any time. maintain the account while they WHO CAN OPEN AN ACCOUNT? are in full time education. Don’t The account needs to be opened forget that once they are 18 by an existing RMT Credit they gain all the benefits of Union adult member but it can being a full member and ability to use all the Credit Union’s products.

HOW SAFE IS IT? Just like all savings held with the Credit union they are fully guaranteed by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000.00. You can apply for a membership form to join the Credit Union by writing to RMT Credit Union Ltd, Unity House 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD or downloading a form from the RMT website.

JOIN RMT BRITAIN’S SPECIALIST TRANSPORT UNION Visit www.rmt.org.uk to join online or call the helpline on freephone 0800 376 3706 Problems at work? Call the helpline (Now with two operators)

Keep your RMT membership details up-to-date In the light of draconian anti-trade union laws that have been used against the union, members should keep their personal data up to date. It also important to note that in order to keep members informed your union requires your mobile telephone number and email address. Members can do this via the RMT website, telephone the RMT helpline above, or writing to the membership department at RMT head office, Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD.