RMT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP Parliamentary Convenor: John McDonnell MP RMT Parliamentary Group Annual Report 2007 – 2008 1 RMT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP Parliamentary Convenor: John McDonnell MP Introduction The RMT Parliamentary Group has continued its work on a wide range of issues on behalf of RMT members. The Group’s membership has remained stable this year at 22 MPs. The Group membership is: 1. Diane Abbott Hackney North & Stoke Newington 2. John Austin Erith & Thamesmead 3. Michael Clapham Barnsley West & Penistone 4. Katy Clark Ayrshire North & Arran 5. Jeremy Corbyn Islington North 6. Jim Cousins Newcastle upon Tyne Central 7. Ann Cryer Keighley 8. David Drew Stroud 9. Bill Etherington Sunderland North 10. Kelvin Hopkins Luton North 11. Bob Marshall-Andrews Medway 12. John McDonnell Hayes & Harlington 13. Jim McGovern Dundee West 14. Stephen Pound Ealing North 15. Gwyn Prosser Dover 16. Linda Riordan Halifax 17. Marsha Singh Bradford West 18. Alan Simpson Nottingham South 19. David Taylor North West Leicestershire 20. Jon Trickett Hemsworth 21. Rudi Vis Finchley & Golders Green 22. Bob Wareing Liverpool West Derby Gwyneth Dunwoody 1930-2008 At the Group meeting on 10th June 2008, the Group recorded its appreciation for the work of the late Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, who chaired the Transport Select Committee for over 10 years. On behalf of the Group, Simeon Andrews (Group co-ordinator) attended her funeral on 8th May 2008. A member of the previous RMT Group, Gwyneth was a passionate supporter of the rail workers and passengers and often worked with the union and the Group in her role and interest in transport issues. The Group circulated a tribute from Bob Crow around Group members, stating that “Transport workers have lost a good and true friend in Gwyneth Dunwoody”. Reporting back Throughout the year, the Group has given interim report-backs to the RMT’s Council of Executives on 5th December 2007, 27th March 2008 and 4th June 2008. Group Chair John McDonnell will be delivering this annual report to RMT Annual General Meeting in Nottingham on 23rd June 2008. Earlier this year, John has also addressed the Engineering Grades conference in London on 24th April and the Shipping conference in Aberdeen on 15th May. 2 RMT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP Parliamentary Convenor: John McDonnell MP Group meetings & Parliamentary Seminars The Group held regular meetings throughout the year when the House was sitting on 4th July 2007, 10th October 2007, 11th December 2007, 23rd January 2008, 12th March 2008 and 10th June 2008. The next meeting of the Group will be held, following the summer recess, in October 2008. In addition to the regular Group meetings, the Group hosted the RMT annual Rail Seminar ‘Rail and the Sustainable Transport System’ on 20th June 2007, with contributions from the rail industry, Government, trade unions and MPs. John McDonnell chaired the event, and speakers included Tony Ambrose (More Trains, Less Strain), Bob Crow (RMT), Gerry Doherty (TSSA), Tom Harris MP (Rail Minister), Sian James MP, Stephen Joseph (Transport 2000), and John Spellar MP. On 18th October 2007, the Group hosted a day in Parliament for the RMT Political School: explaining how Parliament works (and how it doesn’t!); and the work of the Group within Parliament on behalf of the union. The Group is hosting a day in Parliament for the 2008 RMT Political School in July 2008. Ministerial Meetings and Correspondence The Group has also held several ministerial meetings in 2007/08 on a range of issues of concern to RMT members: · Rail Minister Tom Harris on the Rail White Paper – October 2007 · Maritime Minister Jim Fitzpatrick on seafarers and the Race Relations Act – November 2007 · Business Minister Pat McFadden on seafarers and the national minimum wage – December 2007 · Rail Minister Tom Harris on the First Great Western franchise – April 2008 · Business Minister Pat McFadden on seafarers and the national minimum wage – May 2008 · Transport Minister Rosie Winterton on busworkers’ rights in the Local Transport Bill and on London Underground PPP (in June 2008). The Group has also written to a variety of Ministers, industry figures and other parliamentarians in connection with RMT campaigns. The letters sent by the Group in the last year are listed below: · Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Transport, re: Transport policy – July 2007 · Tom Harris, Rail Minister, re: Rail White Paper – July 2007 · Ken Livingstone, then Mayor of London, re: Metronet and London Underground – July 2007 · Jim Fitzpatrick, Maritime Minister, re: Race Relations Act and Seafarers – July 2007 · Tom Harris, Rail Minister, re: First Great Western rail franchise – December 2007 · Rosie Winterton, Transport Minister, re: London Underground PPP – March 2008 · Tom Harris, Rail Minister, re: First Great Western rail franchise – April 2008 · Rosie Winterton, Transport Minister, re: busworkers’ rights in the Local Transport Bill – May 2008 · Jim Fitzpatrick, Maritime Minister, re: Race Relations Act and Seafarers – June 2008 3 RMT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP Parliamentary Convenor: John McDonnell MP In addition the Group has hosted several briefing meetings for MPs and peers on parliamentary legislation such as the Employment Bill and Local Transport Bill. Written Questions Over the course of the past year, the Group has tabled written questions on the following issues: · London Underground PPP · Staff assaults on transport workers · Seafarers and the national minimum wage · UK train manufacturing · First Great Western buffet services · Staffing levels at rail stations Early Day Motions In the 2007/08 parliamentary session, which began in November 2007, the Group tabled or is supporting the following EDMs. These will remain available for MPs to support until the new 2008/09 parliamentary session, which begins on 3rd December 2008 EDM No. Title Tabling MP No of sigs. 485 London Living Wage for London Underground Cleaners John McDonnell 43 506 Rail Freight and the Environment Jim Dobbin 57 546 First Great Western Rail Services David Drew 32 597 ECJ Ruling on Viking Line Kelvin Hopkins 29 650 Britain's Railways Kelvin Hopkins 43 715 Assaults on Northern Rail Staff Linda Riordan 54 901 Assaults on Transport Workers John McDonnell 77 962 UK Train Manufacturing Bob Laxton 67 1006 Employment Bill and Seafarers Gwyn Prosser 70 1089 Tax Paid by Railway Companies John McDonnell 36 1130 London Underground PPP John McDonnell 27 1368 Protection for Bus Workers in the Local Transport Bill David Drew 61 1604 Trade Union Freedom Bill Campaign John McDonnell 77 1723 Withdrawal of First Great Western Buffet Car Services David Drew 28 1787 Arriva Cross Country Catering Services John McDonnell 6 Briefing Materials In addition, the Group has circulated over detailed written policy briefings to MPs, as well as dozens of press releases to keep MPs informed of RMT campaigns. In the last year, briefings have been circulated on the following issues: Rail · Crossrail Bill · First Great Western rail franchise · Performance of Network Rail · Staff assaults on Northern Rail · Tyne & Wear Metro London Underground 4 RMT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP Parliamentary Convenor: John McDonnell MP · East London Line · London Underground PPP Maritime · Scottish Ferries · Seafarers and the national minimum wage · Seafarers and the Race Relations Act · Seafarers and Working Time · Tonnage Tax and industry training Road Transport · Busworkers’ rights in the Local Transport Bill · Longer Heavier Vehicles (‘super lorries’) Other issues / campaigns · Abortion in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill · Trade union rights in the Employment Bill 5 RMT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP Parliamentary Convenor: John McDonnell MP Campaigns Summary reports on the major campaigns throughout the year are set out below. The Group has also campaigned on numerous other issues on behalf of RMT members, which have been reported back to the Council of Executives at quarterly meetings throughout the year; and at the regular meetings of the Group in parliament. Rail The Group has continued to work within Parliament to push the case for public ownership of the railways and to highlight the levels of profiteering and the dangers of fragmentation on the railways. The Group has also been at the forefront of emphasising the environmental benefits of the expansion of the passenger and freight rail networks. Assaults on Transport Workers The Group scored a major victory in January 2008 when it exposed plans by the Northern Rail franchise to change the payment arrangements for staff who have to take time off work as a result of assaults suffered in the course of their duties. Led by Linda Riordan (MP for Halifax), the Group tabled EDM 715 ‘Assaults on Northern Rail Staff’ exposing this unilateral and callous change of policy – and, in consultation with the union, press released it and gained considerable press coverage of Northern Rail’s policy change. Within days of the EDM being tabled and their decision exposed in the media, Northern Rail retracted their proposed new policy. The EDM gained the support of over 50 MPs. The Group has also been working to highlight assaults on transport workers more widely – and tabled EDM 901 ‘Assaults on Transport Workers’ – which has now been signed by over 80 MPs. In addition, the Group has tabled a series of written questions on staff assaults and on staffing levels at rail stations. First Great Western franchise The Group has been highlighting the poor performance of the First Great Western (FGW) franchise with the Rail Minister for the past two years – and has held meetings specifically on this issue with the Minister, Tom Harris. The Group has tabled EDM 546 ‘First Great Western Rail Services’, which calls for a “public review to determine whether the interests of passengers would be better served by bringing the franchise back into public ownership”. The EDM was tabled by David Drew (MP for Stroud) and has been supported by about a dozen MPs in the franchise area, and several others. At the end of February 2008, it was announced that the Department for Transport had issued FGW with a Remedial Plan Notice and a Breach Notice for its persistent poor performance and its flagrant misreporting of cancellations data.