Essential reading for today’s transport worker On the · Essential reading for today’s transport worker ISSUE NUMBER 6, VOLUME 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE... JULY/AUGUST 2005 On the front

Essential reading for today’s transport worker

www.rmt.org.co.uk

ISSUE NUMBER 6, VOLUME 6

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

JULY/AUGUST 2005

On thefrontline

AGM 2005

Tube staff cope magnificently in the Tube staff cope magnificently in the wake of the London bombingswake of the London bombingsTube staff cope magnificently in the wake of the London bombings

Full report insideFull report insideFull report inside

BUSWORKERS STRIKE ATDEVON AND CORNWALLPAGE 7

CLEANERS GET ORGANISEDPAGE 21

RMT DEFENDS TUBE FIRE-SAFETY RULESPAGE 10

RMTnews :: july/august 2005

2

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july/august 2005 :: RMTnews

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Following the appaling terrorist attackson London, it is clear that nothing will

be the same again and measures must beput in place to protect staff andpassengers.

However, despite recent events, LUL isstill planning to reduce station staffnumbers, refuses to consider additionalstaff on stations and trains and continuesto reject our requests for additionaltraining, breathing apparatus and othermeasures.

We are also seeking assurances that nofurther attempt will be made to scrap orweaken fire-safety regulations brought inafter the Kings Cross fire.

These plans to replace safetyregulations with risk assessments wouldseriously downgrade fire safety standardsand security on Tube and mainlinestations just at the time we need themmost.

London Underground once declaredthat its staff are the “eyes and ears” of thenetwork and “remain the most effectivetools in the response to terrorism”.

However, management now proposes toslash over 800 jobs through the closure ofticket offices and reducing staff numbers.Similar staff cuts and office closures arealso proposed at South Eastern Trains andthese also should be abandoned in theseuncertain times.

LUL staff on the front line actedselflessly and professionally and they haveserious concerns and proposals thatdeserve serious consideration.

We want to see dedicated gateline staffon all station gatelines, and plans tomonitor them remotely dropped.

We want an assurance that there willbe fully trained supervisors present at alltimes when contractors have access tostations, and we want a commitment todirect employment and reducing thenumber of agency staff.

Your concerns will also have beenfuelled by the revelation that an innocentTube driver found himself with a policegun at his head during the incident inStockwell station in which a suspect wasshot dead.

No apology could ever be enough evertake away the trauma that that driver hassuffered and there should be a full inquiryinto the handling of the incident.

RMT shares the widespread revulsionand condemnation of these dreadfulbombings, which only entrench hatred andmisunderstanding and do nothing for thecause of peace.

However, heavy-handed and violentattacks by armed police on staff shouldnot be tolerated as a result of this newdangerous situation we find ourselves in.

It is also unacceptable that BalfourBeatty can plead not guilty when facingcharges of corporate manslaughter andnegligence over the fatal Hatfield traincrash and then change their plea once thejudge has told them they wonÕt be foundguilty.

This sort of collision will not create theconditions for a safe railway or inspireconfidence in the legal system in general.

On a brighter note, congratulations tothe two Merseyside revenue protectionstaff who have been re-engaged followinga campaign by the union. The pair, whobecame known as the ‘Champions Cuptwo’ were sacked by Merseyrail for tuningin to the incredible match betweenLiverpool and AC Milan on a broken TV.The company has now done the rightthing and we hope this will lead to betterindustrial relations between RMT andMerseyrail and the resolution of otherissues such as the introduction of the 35-hour week.

Members at Virgin Cross Country and‘One’ have successfully concluded dealsover the introduction of new technologyafter tough battles. Members at Devon andCornwall First and Midland Main Linehave also shown great resolve in theirstruggle for better pay and conditions.

The fight to keep CaledonianMacBrayne ferry services in the publicsector has taken an interesting turn. Whilethe Scottish parliament rejected theprivatisation of CalMac, Brussels hasordered that the lifeline routes be put outto tender. This once more highlights theundemocratic nature of the EU and putsthe onus of the Scottish Executive to fulfilits democratic mandate to defend theseservices regardless of what facelessunelected eurocrats say.

It has been a harrowing time for manyand hopefully some of you can now lookforward to a summer holiday rest.

Best wishes

Page 4 BRUSSELS GOES ON OFFENSIVEAGAINST PUBLIC OWNERSHIP

Page 5 ORGANISING THE SOUTH WEST

Page 6 DEFEND TUBE’S ACTON WORKS

Page 7 BUSWORKERS STRIKE AT FIRSTDEVON AND CORNWALL

Page 8 KEEP SOUTH EASTERN TRAINSTICKET OFFICES OPEN

Page 9PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Page 10LONDON BOMBINGS

Page 12ON THE FRONT LINE

PAGE 14CLEAN UP YOUR ACT!

Page 15 - 21AGM 2005

Pages 22ORGANISING FOR THE FUTURE

Page 24 SHIPPING

Page 26LEGAL VICTORIES

Page 28BILL AND JOE’SBIG CUBAN ADVENTURE

Page 30 A NIGHT OF SOLIDARITY FOR CUBA

Page 31INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Page 32 INTRODUCING THE RMT MEMBERS’EXCLUSIVE HOLIDAY CLUB

Page 34ANOTHER WORLD IS NECESSARY

Page 35MAKING HISTORY AGAINST POVERTY

Page 36TRADE UNIONISTS FLOCK TOTOLPUDDLE

Page 37CLASSIFIED/CROSSWORD

Page 38HOW TO JOIN THE CREDIT UNION

contents EDITORIAL

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 thispublication is believed to be correct but cannot be guaranteed. Allrights reserved. RMT News is designed by Bighand Creative andprinted by Leycol Printers. General editor: Bob Crow. Managingeditor: Brian Denny. No part of this document may be reproducedwithout prior written approval of RMT. No liability is accepted forany errors or omissions. Copyright RMT 2005

ON THE FRONT LINE


4

Open six days a week Mon to Fri - 8am until 6pm, Sat - 9am to 4pm

e-mail: [email protected]

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Members HelplineFreephone 0800 376 3706

The European Commission hasproposed that local transport

companies that enjoy a monopoly intheir home market will be banned fromobtaining business elsewhere.

Brussels hopes the plan will putpressure on cities, such as Paris, whichhave so far refused to privatise publictransport systems.

In the French capital, RATP, whichruns the Métro and bus services, hassuccessfully bid for contracts in otherFrench cities. The group also has a stakein a company that operates bus servicesin London.

The proposals are a brainchild ofJacques Barrot, the French EU transportcommissioner, former Paris mayortainted by corruption charges and themain architect of the proposedprivatisation of lifeline ferry services inScotland.

"You cannot have a monopoly athome and at the same time try to sell

your products in other markets,” hesaid.

His proposals state than any publicmonopoly operator may "not take partin competitive tenders organised outsidethe territory of the competentauthority".

RATP president Anne Marie Idracwarned that moves to end the group'smonopoly would undermine the benefitsof an integrated public network andpledged that the group would defendthe present regime.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow saidit was further evidence that the creationa single market within the EU was allabout handing public transportnetworks to private operators at theexpense of the travelling public.

“The privateers want to cherrypickprofitable services and abandon the rest,creating the conditions for the transportchaos that currently exists in Britain,”he said.

Centra busworkers strikeafter pay talks fail

Around 100 RMT busworkers at Centra busesin south London took strike action for 24

hours last month in a dispute over pay andconditions.

The busworkers have already taken action,although a strike scheduled for May wassuspended to allow talks to take place.

Police were out in force to allow strikebreakersto take out buses, and one strikebreaker wasallowed to smoke while driving.

“Our claim is for a basic £500 weekly wage,equal contracts with equal pay for all employees,no zero-hours contracts, adequate annual leave,sick-pay from day one of employment and fullrostered earnings for victims of assaults atwork,” RMT regional organiser Bobby Law said.

“Today’s action is as solid as the first strike lastmonth and shows how frustrated our membersare that the company has failed to negotiateseriously with us.

“If Centra put as much effort into negotiating asthey have put into intimidating our members withnight-club bouncers and organising a heavypolice presence on the picket line, this disputecould be settled easily,” Bobby said.

RMT groundstaff at EWS’sWolverhampton Steel

Terminal launched sixconsecutive days of strike actionrecently against the impositionof rosters and the withdrawal ofvacant posts withoutconsultation or agreement.

The company has imposednew rosters that reducemembers’ hours and earningsand have cut five posts at the

depot without a word ofconsultation or negotiation.

The five jobs were notincluded in a list of potentialredundancies put forwardrecently by the company atnational level.

RMT general secretary BobCrow made quite clear that thenew rosters were unacceptable,but the company has imposedthem anyway.

“It is disgraceful that that thecompany should see fit todiscuss with haulage contractorswhen our members should taketheir meal breaks withoutconsulting the people affected.

“EWS have brought thisaction upon themselves byignoring their own agreements,”Bob said.

If the company wants tosettle this dispute it should now

withdraw both the new rostersand the job cuts and talkseriously to their workforce.

BRUSSELS ATTACKSPUBLIC SERVICES

EWS WOLVERHAMPTON GROUNDSTAFF TAKE ACTION

The most recent campaign wascompleted in the Wessex andSouth West region and effortswere concentrated on the Isle ofWight, Portsmouth, Exeter andSt. Austell areas.

Regional activists NeilHooper, Keith Murphy and MarkHacket helped out on theground whilst lead recruiterKeith Erskine helped organiseand plan the week.

Non-members wereencouraged to join the unionand existing membersappreciated the time taken totalk to them about their issues

and to clarify a few of theadditional benefits that comeswith RMT membership.

Workers were contacted froman array of different companiesincluding Southern Vectis Bus,Island Line Trains, At SeatCatering, Rail Gourmet, SouthWest Trains cleaners andplatform Staff, Whitelink andNetwork Rail track staff.

Keith Murphy said that theorganising weeks were helpfulin identifying areas where theunion need to organise moreeffectively.

“As a branch secretary, I am

grateful for the additionalresources that are now available,not to mention the help Ireceived from our OrganisingUnit’s Donald Graham,” he said.

National Organising Co-ordinator Alan Pottage said thatevery RMT region held at leastone organising week each yearand encouraged membersinterested in helping to buildthe union to get involved.

“Elected reps should applyfor paid leave but resources arealso available to help those whocannot get paid release. Ourteams are then issued withorganiser bags stuffed full ofquality materials to give outduring our campaigns,” he said.

The next organising weekshall take place in the SouthWales and South West region atthe end of July.


5

ORGANISING: Keith Murphy on the organising trail in the South West region

RMT BALLOTAT WESSEXTRAINS OVERREDUNDANCY

RMT IS balloting members atWessex Trains for industrial

action over the compulsoryredundancy of a member ofstaff.

RMT general secretary BobCrow said that the dispute wasabout as straightforward as theyget.

“Wessex have an agreementwith us that there will be nocompulsory redundancies andthey have broken it.

“Wessex Trains have driven acoach and horses through theirown procedures,” he said.

There has been no consultationwith the managers’ sectionalcouncil, the company withdrewits offer of an alternative jobafter a transfer date was agreed,and another alternative post atthe members’ own Bristol depotwas frozen.

“Wessex are heading for aconfrontation despite the factthat there is plenty of work atBristol which is being coveredby overtime,’’ said Bob.

This is a crude attempt toreduce staff numbers before re-franchising, which is due nextApril, and members haveindicated that they are notprepared to see the companytear up agreements.

“RMT has worked hard to avoida dispute, and will continue todo so. It is a pity that Wessexhas not done the same” Bobadded.

ORGANISING THESOUTH WESTThe union’s organising strategycontinues to roll out into the regions inthe form of ‘organising weeks’ designedto stimulate regular activity

Tube privateer Metronet mustnot be allowed to sell off

London Underground’s RailwayEngineering Works and TractionMaintenance Unit at Acton.

RMT general secretary BobCrow has written to LondonMayor Ken Livingstone and LULmanaging director Tim O’Tooleurging them to block the sale.

“Metronet’s desire to offloadthe only purpose-built trainoverhaul and modification unitin the southeast shows onceagain that the privateers aremore interested in makingmoney than in providing aservice,” Bob Crow said duringRMT’s annual general meetingin Exeter.

Acton Works has beenmaintaining Tube trains sincethe 1930s and remains vital tothe efficient and safe running ofthe network.

It was Acton Works thatcame to the rescue after theCentral Line derailment a couple

of years ago, modifying 3,000motors to get the servicerunning again, and whichworked round the clock tomodify brackets on District Linetrains that had been causingmotor problems.

Metronet claim that fallingwork streams and the optimisticexpectation of the arrival ofnew rolling stock in 2007 and2008 justify the sale.

But not only is there is nocredible evidence that workloadsshould be falling, there havebeen alarming reports thatMetronet may be deliberatelyscaling down repairs on theexisting stock to save money inanticipation that the new trainswill arrive on time.

The sale would mean evenmore fragmentation of theTube’s infrastructure and furthersub-contracting of essentialmaintenance and repair workwith the cost of yet anotherprivateer’s profits being passed

on to taxpayers and commuterswho are already paying throughthe nose.

“Any attempt to make ourmembers pay for this sale withtheir jobs will be resisted, withindustrial action if necessary,”Bob Crow said.

The sale of the Acton Worksin the run-up to the part-privatisation of the Tube wasblocked in the late 1990s after acampaign which includeddemonstrations outside theoffice of the deputy primeminister.


6

PROTECTING AND PROMOTING OUR MEMBERS’ INTERESTS.

Our personal injury lawyerswon’t let bad employers getaway with it.

RMT fight back:

The law says workers have a right to safe conditions – and RMT is here to defend that right. That’s why ourPersonal Injury Service is free – and even covers non-work related accidents for family members. So if you, or a member of your family, have suffered an illness or injury due to someone else’s fault, call us now.

FOR FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE CALL THE HELPLINE 0800 587 751? in England, Wales and Ireland0800 328 1014 in Scotland

DEFEND TUBE’S ACTON WORKS

UNITED: RMT’s stall at London’s Burgess Park free music festival provoked alot of interest. The event was initially planned as ‘Rise’, London’s annualanti-racist concert, but organisers changed the theme to ‘London United’ inremembrance of all of those who died in the terror bomb attacks on July 7.


7

BUSWORKERS STRIKE AT FIRSTDEVON AND CORNWALL

STAGECOACH“MINTING ITAT THETAXPAYER’SEXPENSE”Rail operating groupStagecoach has notched upa 13 per cent increase ingroup profits thanks largelyto an increase of 10.2 percent in its rail profits to £48.6million.

RMT general secretary BobCrow said it was no wonderthat Stagecoach’s profits aresoaring as they receivedthree times the subsidy thatBritish Rail got.

“It’s like winning the nationallottery every day. Like all theprivatised rail operators,Stagecoach are minting it atthe public’s expense,” hesaid.

Stagecoach, which runsSouth West Trains and IslandLine on the Isle of Wight andhas a 49 per cent stake inVirgin West Coast and VirginCross Country, is among thecompanies shortlisted to runSouth Eastern Trains if it isre-privatised.

However, since Connex wassacked from the franchise,SET has been costing thetaxpayer £1 million a monthless in subsidy.

South West Trains bagged£92 million in public subsidyin 2003-04, and the twoVirgin operations, whichStagecoach owns half of,got more than half a billion.

But the privateers still wantto increase fares, cut lifelinetrains and close the stationsthey can’t squeeze enoughout of.

“When it comes to the nextpay round our members willno doubt remember thatStagecoach’s shareholdersare set to receive a 15 percent dividend rise.

“The private sector has costour railways more than £6billion since privatisation –it’s time they were broughtback into public ownership,”Bob Crow said.

RMT members at Transportfor London took further 24

hour strike action earlier thismonth in their continuingdispute over the breakdown inindustrial relations.

Union members voted by amargin of six to one to strikefollowing failure by thecompany to resolve a series ofdisputes affecting members inTfL’s call centre and informationcentres, the London TransportMuseum, as well as office staff,revenue control inspectors, buscontrollers and staff instructors.

“Despite a meeting with thecompany, no headway has beenmade in resolving any of themany problems that exist at TfL

and further strike action is ouronly option,” RMT generalsecretary Bob Crow said.

“Our members are notprepared to accept theimposition of the TfL code ofconduct, the removal, withoutconsultation, of the TravelInformation Centre toWest Brompton or jobcuts at the LondonTransport Museum, andtheir anger has beenfurther inflamed by thevindictive victimisationof RMT reps andactivists

“Our strike on May 5was absolutely solidand our members

remain determined to achieve ajust settlement to this dispute.

“We have made it clear thatwe are prepared to negotiate atany time, but it seems that TfLmanagement prefer to keep theirheads buried firmly in thesand,” Bob said.

Delegates at the union’s annualgeneral meeting in Exeter alsoauthorised a week-long ban onvoluntary overtime.

“Our members have voted bymore than five to one for strikeaction and that reflects theirenormous frustration at thecompany’s failure to implementthe commitment it made twoyears ago to eliminate low pay,”RMT general secretary Bob Crowsaid.

In 2003 the company agreedthat it would take steps to erode

pay differentials between big-bus drivers and drivers ofsmaller vehicles, but have failedto table any proposals to dealwith the problem.

The busworkers have showna tremendous loyalty to thetravelling public but are nolonger prepared to subsidise thecompany’s profits, and themoney on the table so far willonly compound the problem oflow pay.

Many members have to claimtax credits because the pay

levels are so poor, and thatmeans that taxpayers are alsobeing asked to subsidise FirstGroup’s enormous profits.

There has been a of publicsupport for the strikers, withlocal businesses donating gasand food for picket linebarbecues.

“We have been very patientand more than willing to takepart in talks at conciliationservice Acas, but our membersare now fed with being strungalong.

“The company know they canavoid industrial action byhonouring their commitments,sticking to their promises andnegotiating seriously,” Bob Crowsaid.

More than 650 RMT busworkers at First Devonand Cornwall took two days of solid strikeaction in July, in a dispute over pay andconditions, after voting by more than five toone for action.

TfL staff strike again overbreakdown in relations


8

Thousands of prepaidpostcards are being

distributed by the union for railusers and rail workers to send toMPs and the transport secretaryto demand that any plans to cutservices are scrapped.

The postcard points out that,following the reprivatisation ofNorthern Rail services last year,plans were drawn up to imposedeep cuts in timetables, replacetrains with buses and increasefares.

A Strategic Rail Authorityreview is now taking place andyou can ask your MP to signEarly Day Motion 351 whichasks for services to be protectedand points out that there is noappetite among commuters andrail workers for yet more cuts,‘bustitution’ or massive fareincreases.

Postcards are available fordistribution and campaigning.Don’t delay, make a differenceand send your postcard to yourMP. You can also:

• Find the name of your MPby visitingwww.locata.co.uk/commons

• Encourage your family andfriends and workmates tosend postcards. Extrapostcards can be obtainedfrom regional RMT officesand Unity House bycontacting [email protected] calling free on 0800 376 3706

• Write a letter to thegovernment, your MP, or thelocal press

RMT has launched a postcard campaignto stop South Eastern Trains slipping

through major reductions in ticket officeopening times and slashing station staff.

SET is required to consult its passengersover plans to reduce ticket office openinghours so the union distributed thousands ofpostcards at major station to allowpassengers to write to the Rail PassengersCommittee and SET itself to oppose the cuts.

The planned cuts would leave stationsseverely understaffed or not staffed at allfor long periods and would cost 100 jobs ata time of heightened fears of violentattacks.

Some ticket offices would be closed forever and most would be open less often.

Rail passengers want to see more staff onstations, not fewer, and at a time whenpassenger numbers are expected to rise by28 per cent in the next ten years, RMTbelieves that the proposal is fundamentallywrong.

Since Connex was removed from the

franchise, SET has made good progress inrestoring staffing levels that were slashed tothe bone, but the latest plan threatens tothrow the whole process into reverse.

NO CUTS

It all adds up to a worse service for thetravelling public, and the prospect of lesssecurity and more vandalism and moreassaults on passengers and our members.

The Southern England Rail Passengers'Council and the London Transport Users'Committee have both condemned theplanned cuts and closures in the strongestpossible terms.

Following RMT pressure, the consultationperiod was extended and the union is nowawaiting the results of the exercise.

RMT has lodged a formal complaint with the InformationCommissioner over the Strategic Railway Authority’srefusal to provide information requested under theFreedom of Information Act over the future of the SETfranchise, which is to be renamed the Integrated Kentfranchise.

KEEP SOUTH EASTERNTRAINS TICKET OFFICES OPEN

“That this House remains deeplyconcerned that, despite public subsidybeing more than three times the amountreceived by British Rail, passengerscontinue to endure far worse punctualityrates than under public ownership;welcomes the improvement in reliability andpunctuality of South Eastern Train services

since the decision of the Strategic RailAuthority in November 2003 to return theservice to public ownership; notes thereport by the Catalyst think-tank that publicownership of the railway would save aminimum of £500 million a year; is furtherdeeply concerned that the Governmentintends to re-privatise South Eastern Trains;

regrets that South Eastern Trains was notallowed to tender for this franchise,removing any public sector comparator;and therefore calls upon the Government toallow South Eastern Trains to submit apublic sector bid to ensure improvementand value for money on the UK's railnetwork”.

Ask your MP to sign early-day motion, EDM 395, on South Eastern Trains, tabled by Clive Efford MP:

Save Northern Rail

SAVE OUR RAILWAYS

It is hardly surprising that over two-thirds of British people believe there isa link between the occupation of Iraqand the dreadful events July 7.

A recent report by the establishmentthinktank Chatham House alsoadmitted that “there is no doubt thatthe situation over Iraq has imposedparticular difficulties for the UK”.

There is a general perception that weare reaping the whirlwind for launchingan illegal war and backing the UnitedStates’ role as a rogue superpower.

However, this is a complex questionand we may never fully understandwhat transformed a young classroomassistant into someone capable ofmurdering so many innocent people.

Pointing the finger of blame at anyoneother than the bombers themselves andtheir mobilisers is futile.Yet seeking tounderstand why this tragedy occurredis in no way saying that callous murderswere understandable or justified.

After the terrible carnage of 9/11 andthe London bombings, a naturalreaction is one of shock, then outrage,followed by sadness and a grimsolidarity with the victims against themurderers.

This coming together of a grievingnation puts great power andresponsibility in the hands of thecountry’s political leadership.

They have the choice over how thatpower is used to respond to the threat.

US president George W Bush used thatpower to launch long-planned invasionsof Afghanistan and Iraq to consolidateUS control in the oil-rich Middle East.

Domestically, he launched an onslaughton civil rights, providing the statearbitrary powers under the Patriot Act,long-dreamt of by his neo-conservativeadvisers.

However, there is an alternative and it isone we must demand of ourgovernment.

Our mission must be to preventconflict, not provoke it.

For as long as Britain occupies Iraq, theterrorist recruiters will attract moresusceptible young recruits to their jihad.

For as long as we fail to speak out

against human rights abuses inGuatanamo Bay and Abu Graib, westand condemned as hypocrites whenwe demand adherence to the rule oflaw.

For as long as we ignore the plight ofthe Palestinian people, the Middle Eastwill remain the cradle of Muslim angerand the suicide bomber.

We must never again alienate so manypeople from the democratic process byrejecting the valid concerns of our owncitizens in the interests of a foreignpower.

The Labour Representation Committee,which RMT is affiliated to, can play animportant role in framing a progressiveresponse to this terrorist attack.

We must say to the prime minister andother ministerial commentators; pleasedo not tell us that the war in Iraq playedno part in it. These assertions aresimply intellectually unsustainable.

It was not just the anti-war movementthat warned you that if Britainparticipated in Bush’s illegal invasion ofIraq there would be an upsurge ofterrorism. The Butler inquiry revealedthat even our own security serviceswarned of such consequences.

Firstly, we must condemn this barbaricattack on London. It was the workingclass people of London who suffered asit is the working people of Fallujah,Baghdad and the Gaza Strip, whocontinue to suffer.

Second, we must stand in solidarityagainst any attacks on the Muslimcommunity in Britain.

Thirdly, we must oppose attempts touse this tragedy to undermine civilliberties here or support any furtherillegal military aggression abroad.

We must also demonstrate that throughdemocratic political activity that we canaddress grievances and, yes, changethe world.

The LRC offers itself as a vehicle forpolitical engagement to all those whowish to challenge the injustices of ourpresent society.

JJoohhnn MMaaccDDoonnnneellll MMPP

Parliamentary column

A PROGRESSIVERESPONSE TO TERROR


9

‘ONE’ WORKERS WIN IMPROVED OFFEROver 270 RMT conductors, ticket examiners andrevenue protection inspectors at ‘One’ railway votedoverwhelmingly to accept an improved offer from thecompany over the introduction of new technology.

Following the suspension of planned strike action, thecompany agreed that following training in the use ofAvantix machines, staff are entitled to receive anincrease in commission of 1 per cent for a period of 12weeks.

Staff who transfer to a paperless accountancy systemfor ticket issuing, ie machines replacing paper ticketissuing facilities, will be entitled to receive anAccountancy Automation Allowance of £75.

In respect of both conductor grades and former GE andformer WA Revenue Protection Inspectors, there wasan agreement to commence harmonisation talks foreach group and for Stansted Express cabin crew andcustomer service agents included in the retailharmonisation.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that there wasno doubt that the company was taken aback bymembers’ determination to stand up and be counted.

NO PPP ON THE TYNERMT has insisted that much-needed new investment inthe Tyne and Wear Metro must not lead to a “dog’sbreakfast” of the London Underground privatisationfiasco.

Politicians, trade unions and operator Nexus are allagreed that the 25-year old light rail network is in direneed of investment.

Nexus has put forward a 20-year programme, known asProject Orpheus, which includes plans for a new fleet,signaling, improved station equipment and revampedtracks and stations.

However, Transport Minister Alistair Darling has insistedthat funding comes from the private sector, leading tofears that staff and passengers could suffer at thehands of greedy contractors.

RMT regional organiser Stan Herschel, who chairs thenetwork’s joint trade union committee, said that he hasasked Nexus director Mike Parker for some keyassurances.

“We’ve asked him to pledge that, whichever fundingscheme is used, there must be no franchising out of theservice and our members must remain directlyemployed by Nexus,” he said.

VICTORY AT VIRGINFollowing a ballot result in favour of industrial actionshort of a strike, Virgin Cross Country agreed towithdraw the current £1,000 threshold on commissionpayments and to introduce a flat rate of five per cent onall Avantix takings on new chip and pin technology.

The company had tried to impose new chip and pintechnology without any financial compensation to thoseusing it despite the obvious improved productivity thatwould have followed.

“This excellent achievement has come about throughboth the determination of you and your colleagues totake action and through the skills of our negotiatingteam, for which all involved should take the union’scongratulations,” said RMT general secretary BobCrow.

“Be under no illusions, this is a victory which will serveas a great example to members of your union in othertrain operating companies,” he said.

Following the appalling attacks onLondon Underground in July, RMTcalled for the withdrawal of plans toscrap Tube safety rules and plannedstation staff job cuts.

RMT has joined Labour MPs todemand the withdrawal of plans toscrap vital safety rules introducedafter the 1987 King's Cross firetragedy. The union has also called onLondon Underground to drop cost-cutting plans to axe hundreds ofstation staff jobs.

“The introduction of these cost-cutting measures were unacceptablebefore July 7 but these terrible eventsshow just how vital safety rules andthe presence of trained uniformedstaff are,” said RMT general secretaryBob Crow.

RMT DEFENDS TUBE

FIRE-SAFETYRULES


11

FIRE-SAFETY RULES

The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations)Regulations 1989, introducedfollowing the Fennell Reportinto the Kings Cross disaster, areapplicable to 115 LU stationsand a number of mainlinestations.

These regulations set downwide-ranging fire fighting andprecaution measures includingmeans of escape, means offirefighting, minimum staffinglevels and standards of stafftraining, plus the means ofdetecting and warning of fire.

The withdrawal of these triedand tested rules could lead tolarge reductions in staffinglevels and safety measures.

It was only interventions bythe Commons select committeeon regulatory reform, followingheavy lobbying by the RMTparliamentary group, whichstopped ministers from carryingout these plans last year.

The government agreed toreview the order and "returnafter consultation aboutguidance." It now appears thatthe "consultation" has run itscourse and new Labour seemsanxious to impose its originalplan.

However, plans to replacesafety regulations with risk

assessments would seriouslydowngrade fire safety standardsand security.

As a result, RMT groupchairman John McDonnell MPput down early day motion549(below) in Parliamentstressing that "these minimumstandards are even moreessential in light of the recentterrorist attacks".

Speaking on behalf of the25-strong Socialist CampaignGroup of Labour MPs, John saidthat it would be astounding ifthe government were to pressahead with its new Fire SafetyOrder.

"The very last thing weshould be doing at this point intime is considering anyreduction in fire safety staff inTube or rail stations or anydiminution of the essential fireprotection measures we have inplace," John said.

Therefore, John will bejoining others to urge DowningStreet to think again andcommit itself to fully maintainthe safety structure that hasserved us so well.

NO JOB CUTSLondon Underground oncedeclared that its staff are the“eyes and ears” of the networkand “remain the most effective

tools in the response toterrorism”.

However, prior to the bombattacks, management madeproposals for wholesale closuresof ticket offices and staff cuts inorder to pay for a 35-hourworking week for station staffnegotiated by RMT last summer.Such deep job cuts were notenvisaged during thenegotiations.

PPP

The introduction of PPP onLondon Underground and theprivatisation of Tubemaintenance and infrastructurehas led to dangerous levels offragmentation. Agency staff andcontractors are being broughtonto the Tube network as aresult of privatisation, leadingto a breakdown incommunications.

For instance, contractorswere recently given the keys toCannon Street station to carryout work without any trainedLUL staff supervisionwhatsoever.

Unfortunately, this is not anisolated incident and clearlyraises a number of safety issues.

The question has to be asked,how does a growth in thenumber of unscreened casualcontract and agency staff

working on the network assistin creating a secure Tube?

What’s more, the privatecompanies that make up theTubelines and Metronetconsortia, which won thelucrative infrastructure Tubecontracts, have already beenkicked off the mainline railwaydue to their inability tomaintain the track.

PROFESSIONAL

Recently Transport SecretaryAlistair Darling commendedTube staff for their courage andprofessionalism after thebombing outrages.

He should do the decentthing and reconsider thedowngrading of safetymeasures, deep job cuts and thecontinuation of the PPPcontracts.

Any attempts to remove firesafety regulations, causaliselabour and implement job cutswould disregard widespreadconcerns for safety and securityon the transport network.

“I am sure that Tube userswould agree that we need moreuniformed staff on stations, notfewer, and that safetyregulations brought in after theKings Cross fire should remainin place.’’ said Bob Crow.

KEY RMT DEMANDS:• No reductions in station staff

• Keep fire-safety rules brought in after the KingsCross fire

• A robust and reliable train radio for drivers

• That when any part of the system comes underattack that a controlled uniform network shutdown,known as a Code Amber, is implemented until theimmediate danger has passed.

• That engineers look at the viability of strengtheningthe driver cab bulkhead.

• That the company review training its current suspectpackage procedure, known as HOT.

• That a second qualified member of staff/guard be onboard the train in order to assist in emergencies

• An increase in station staff numbers and that allstations and depots are staffed.

EDM 549 FIRE PRECAUTIONS REGULATIONSJohn McDonnell MPThat this House condemns the terrorist attacks on London'spublic transport network and commends the bravery andprofessionalism of the emergency services, LondonUnderground, national rail network and London bus serviceworkers who were on hand to provide assistance and supportin the immediate aftermath of the attacks; notes that theGovernment is set to review the Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989 introducedfollowing the Fennell Report into the 1987 King's Cross Firedisaster; further notes that the Regulations set out minimumstandards for fire precautions in sub-surface railway stationsincluding means of escape, means of fighting fire, minimumstaffing levels and staff instruction/training; believes thatthese minimum standards are even more essential in light ofthe recent terrorist attacks; and calls on the Government toretain in full the 1989 Regulations.

Tube worker Olaniyi Falayi found a sceneof horror after a bomb exploded on an

Underground train near Aldgate station. Olaniyi was at Tower Hill station waiting

on the platform to get to work when heheard the blast and raced to the scene justminutes after the device went off and wasone of the first on the scene.

"It was just carnage everywhere, bloodeverywhere. It was horrible," he said.

He joined other workers and emergencystaff helping the injured out by walkingdown the tunnel to where the wrecked trainhad come to a halt. "When we got to thetrain we saw bodies on the tracks and a lotof wounded.

"We saw the damaged carriage. There

were still people in the carriage screaming. "We were able to calm them down," he

said.Workers marshalled passengers down to

the end of the train where they could getoff.

At that point Olaniyi radioed the stationsupervisor: "Send the paramedics downhere. There are people dying on the train."

He and the other workers sent walkingwounded up the tracks to the station ingroups of four or five to lean on each otheras they made their way out.

Olaniyi spent more than an hourunderground helping people out of thecarriages, some of whom were lifted awayon makeshift stretchers.

"When I first got to the damaged train Ithink I just lost all feelings. I just wentnumb. It was hours after that before Istarted feeling anything."

It was when he went into St Botolph'sChurch next door, where people were beinglooked after, when the realisation of whathad happened came to him.

"I was really devastated. I shed tears. Iwas shaking and crying."

Olaniyi went back to work the next dayto make sure his colleagues were all rightand throw himself back into the job.

Asked if he was a hero, he said: "Not atall. There was no way I would see myself asa hero.

"I have been trained in evacuation by theLondon Underground. That is just what I do.That is my job,” he said.


12

Tube train operator Jeff Porterdescribes himself as the

“luckiest man alive” afterleading over 1,000 commutersto safety following the bombblast at Edgware Road on July 7.

Jeff, a Tube driver of 18years’ experience and alongstanding RMT activist, wasdriving a Circle Line servicerunning alongside the traincarrying the bomb, which killedseven passengers.

As he neared the station, thetrain carrying the bomb left thestation in the opposite directionin the double-width tunnel. The

first carriage had passed bywhen the device detonatedhalfway along the secondcarriage.

As the blast tore along thetunnel and engulfed his cab, thetoughened glass windscreenshattered when it was hit bydebris. Jeff said everythingwent quiet until the cries of helpbegan.

“My passengers startedbanging on the door behind me.I opened it and the carriage wasfull of smoke and dust.

“I told everyone to staywhere they were and nobodymoved. They were remarkably

calm,” he said.Jeff then run up the tunnel

towards the station and shoutedto uniformed staff forassistance.

“The staff were brilliant. Theyall came down to help without asecond thought.

“I went through the traintelling everyone to keep calm,we would get everyone off assoon as possible but there wasan emergency,” he explained.

Jeff could not get through tothe control room on his radio ortelephone and when he lookedat the bombed carriage therewas nothing above the seats.

“So I said to the guys goback and get help. It’s bad, thereare people dead,” he said.

Jeff stayed with his trainuntil everyone was off andemerged after more than anhour and called his wifeChristine and their daughterNatasha, who is a District Linedriver and had been followingevents from Barking Station.

Jeff has long been active inthe union. He was assistantsecretary of Stratford No 1branch and has been both a repand a health and safety rep atvarious times and wasHammersmith and City branchsecretary from its inception in1996 until 2002. He is also aLabour councillor.

Train operators Jeff Porter and Ray Wright andstation assistants Helen Long and OlaniyiFalaiyi were just some of the many RMTmembers and Tube workers that played a keyrole in saving lives following the terrible bombattacks on July 7. Here are their stories

ON THE FRO

Olaniyi: ‘Just doing my job’

Driver leads over 1,000 passengers to safety

Olaniyi Falaiyi


13

Station assistant Helen Longhelped save the life of a

commuter who was badlyinjured in one of the Tubeexplosions.

She held the man's hand foralmost two hours and chattedwith him to keep him awakewhile paramedics treated histerrible injuries.

The man had part of his leftleg amputated after beingcaught in the blast near King'sCross Underground station.

He was carried from thewreckage of the train bymembers of LU staff and takento the ticket area at RussellSquare Tube station.

Helen described how theTube driver had used the man'sown belt to stem the loss ofblood from his injury which, shesaid, had saved his life.

Helen was on duty atLeicester Square when theexplosions happened and wastold to go to Russell Square tohelp deal with the injuredcommuters.

She spoke to around 25people who were lying or sittingdown with a variety of injuries,and gave her jacket to oneyoung woman who wasshivering.

She then turned her attentionto the badly injured man.

"We had a laugh and a jokeand he asked me to say theLord's Prayer at one stage. Hehad a joke about the 2012Olympic Games and said hewould be the first paraplegic totake part.

"The bottom of his left legwas missing. He explained thathis sister was pregnant and was

expecting a baby near Christmasand I told him to do the sameexercises that pregnant womendo by breathing in small pants.

"Every time he fell off tosleep I kept him awake. I had hishand in my hand and I keptsqueezing it.

"He asked me lots of times topromise that he would not die. Itwas horrific but all the staffwere calm and brilliant, eventhough some were in totalshock.

"They helped out even

though they themselves weretraumatised," she said.

Helen, who is trained in firstaid, said that no amount oftraining could have preparedstaff for what happened. Ayoung girl died at the scenebeside her while she was helpingthe injured man.

Helen said that she wasoffered some time off but shewanted to get back to work andnormality as quickly as possibleand reported for duty nextmorning.

RMT train operator Ray Wright wasriding in the cab with another driver on

the Piccadilly line travelling west out ofKings Cross station when a bomb explodedin one of the carriages behind him.

“It all seemed to all happen at once, theexplosion, the lights going out and thesmoke filling the cab,” he said.

In the pitch darkness Ray heard thescreams from hundreds of passengers.

“We had no PA and no radio, we were onour own and knew we were in trouble,” hesaid.

At the time Ray still believed it may havebeen a mechanical problem, either a powerfailure or an engine dropping off.

However, when he moved down thecarriage he realised it was something moreserious.

“We led the walking wounded down

towards Russell Square station and peoplewere collapsing around us,” he said.

Ray carried injured passengers to safetyand helped carry more than 20 others up157 steps to the station entrance.

“The station looked like World War Threehad broken out and the entrance had beenturned into a mobile hospital with theinjured being cared for there and othersbeing evacuated.

ONTLINE

Station assistant savesblast victim's life

Driver carries wounded from wrecked train

Helen Long Ray Wright

Jeff Porter


14

A meeting convened by RMT’sFinsbury Park branch heardsome shocking experiences fromLondon Underground cleaningstaff, including one memberwho was ordered not to speak atwork.

“Cleaners are an importantpart of the London Undergroundworkforce and here we are inthe 21st century while they aresuffering 19th century workingconditions,” said RMT regionalorganiser Bobby Law.

“While London mayor KenLivingstone has talked about aliving wage in London of £6.70per hour, cleaning staff earn just£4.85 per hour and lower.

“On top of that staff oftenhave to provide their ownequipment, face intimidationand receive no pension rights,”he said.

The union has establishednegotiation machinery with theemployers recently and aims toensure that every cleaner isrepresented and reps are put inplace in order to deal with theseproblems.

PRIVATISATION

Current problems stem from theprivatisation of LondonUnderground cleaning contractsin the mid 1990s, which arenow run by three main cleaningcompanies ISS, GBM and Blue

Diamond. Previously, cleaning staff

were directly employed,progressing through the industryto become station staff etc, andreceived full employment andpension rights.

However, privatisation hasled to tenders being given to thelowest bidder and a spiral ofcuts in wages and conditions inorder to increase profits for thecleaning companies.

A multi-tiered workforce hasdeveloped with cleaning gradesbeing denied the terms,conditions and benefits whichare enjoyed by their colleaguesdirectly employed by LondonUnderground.

This experience is now beingrepeated in the engineering andmaintenance grades withMetronet and Tube Linesfollowing the introduction ofPPP and the privatisation ofTube infrastructure.

Privatisation of Tubecleaning services has weakenedtrade union organisation in thisgrade. However, the nature ofthe PPP contracts makes‘ambience’ one of the three keybenchmarks (the other two arecapability and availability)which determine whethermonthly payments to theInfracos should go up or down.The inclusion of ‘ambience’ as a

key benchmark potentially putscleaners in a industriallypowerful position.

A LIVING WAGE?

Earlier this year, Transport forLondon, the London Mayor andthe London DevelopmentAgency published a report: “AFairer London The Living Wagein London”.

This argued that the highcost of housing in Londonrequired a higher minimumwage in London than in otherparts of the country. The reportcalculated that for workers toavoid falling back into povertythey need to be paid a livingwage of £6.70 per hour.

Fair employment strategieshave also been developed by theGreater London Authority tostop poor employment practicesencouraged by the privatetendering process.

These contracts ensure thatstaff enjoy the same terms andconditions as if they weredirectly employed by the GLA.

As well as benefiting thework-force, GLA corporateservices director Manny Lewissaid that such contracts led toreduced staff turnover, lowersickness levels and increasedstaff morale, thus improving the

GLA’s customer services.As Transport for London are

ultimately responsible for theoperation of the LondonUnderground network, the unionis arguing that the contractsawarded by the Infracos to thecleaning contractors shouldhave similar commitmentswritten into them.

RMT will be campaigningfor the contracts to ensuredecent pension provision,annual leave entitlement,parental leave and paid sick payfor all staff.

ORGANISING CLEANERS

The Living Wage Project, run byLondon Citizens, has joinedforces with RMT to recruit Tubecleaners to the union in order tofight for better wages.

The group was involved in asuccessful two-year campaign toraise the wages and benefits ofcleaning staff at the HSBCbank's Canary Wharf tower.Night staff now get £7.10 perhour, day staff will get up to£6.40 per hour, with eight extrapaid holidays, 10 days of paidsick leave and a pension.

This package should set thestandard and RMT are pleasedto have London Citizens onboard.

CLEAN UPYOURACT!RMT launches campaign to highlight theplight of London Underground cleaningstaff who suffer low pay, receive nopension entitlements, no travel provisionsor overtime payments, face intimidationand are generally treated as second classcitizens

MEETING: London Underground cleaners meet RMT reps to discuss problems

LONDON CITIZENS: London regional organiser Bobby Law (far right) meets LondonCitizens volunteers and RMT cleaner co-ordinator Glenroy Watson

RMT pledges to defend transport industryAGM 2005

p16 Taking action to defend services

p16 Defend Northern Rail

p16 No to ‘bustitution’

p17 End lone working

p17 Role and responsibility of the guard

p17 No to ‘bustitution’

p18 Zero tolerance of staff assaults

p18 Stamp out bullying in the workplace

p18 Ticket office staff face violence

p18 Young Members’ Award

p19 Defending pensions

p19 RMT Parliamentary group success

p20 No to the EU Constitution

p20 No more nukes

p20 Stop the war in Iraq

p20 No to ID cards

p21 Venezuelan trade unionist electrifies conference

p21 Zambian-style solidarity comes to conference

15


16

AGM 2005

With the likelihood of astrong Yes vote foraction if the “verticalintegration“ goes ahead,a national NR strikewould halt the entirenetwork as thousands ofsignallers andmaintenance workerswalked out.

General secretary BobCrow told the AGM howRMT had sought assurancesthat the proposals would bedropped and that its workers inthe region would remainemployees of NR.

“We have not received thoseassurances,” he revealed.

Bob called the plans aretrograde step, after lethalcorner-cutting from privateerslike Jarvis and Balfour Beattyled to horrific disasters such asthe Hatfield crash and forcedRailtrack into bankruptcy -itself forcing ministers to create“not-for-profit” NR and takeinfrastructure back in house.

“Local vertical integration isa nonsense because it meansmore fragmentation, and itthreatens the same spiral ofcost-cutting that led to Hatfieldand Potters Bar,” he said.

“If the government is nowseriously converted to thebenefits of vertical integrationwhy can‘t Merseyrail be takenover by NR?

“We need just one companyout there running the railwaysthat knows what is happeningacross the network and servesthe people of Britain.”

Bob rejected NR claims thatthe plans were a regional one-off, asking delegates: “Oncethey’ve done it with Merseyrail,who’s next? Scotrail? GNER?Virgin?

“They all want to run theirbit of the infrastructure becausethey know there is seriousmoney to be made,” he said.

He insisted that “we would befailing our members if we leftExeter this week withoutagreeing that if they try to re-privatise us they will face anational rail strike.”

EEddiinnbbuurrgghh aanndd PPoorrttoobbeellllooddeelleeggaattee GGrraahhaamm BBuucchhaannaannagreed and warned delegatesthat “if we fail to fight back wewill be handing this country anunsafe railway.”

SSttaaggeeccooaacchh DDeevvoonn ddeelleeggaatteeDDaannnnyy FFeerrgguussoonn called on RMTto bolster its industrial musclewith an immediate campaignaimed at informing the public ofthe dangers inherent in NR’srisky scheme.

“Once they realise theirrailway is unsafe they will be onour side,” he predicted.

“Let’s not wait - let’s act.”WWaatteerrlloooo ddeelleeggaattee GGrreegg

TTuucckkeerr said that his employerscoveted local infrastructureoperations because they wouldscoop “super-profits”, warningthat if this was allowed tohappen “the fight forrenationalisation would havecome to nothing.”

MMaanncchheesstteerr VViiccttoorriiaa ddeelleeggaatteeAAlleexx HHoollddeenn rejected NR’s claimthat “no detailed plans exist” forthe transfer, arguing that thisresponse was typical of thecompany’s tactics of“prevarication, delay anddistraction.”

He urged RMT to stand up forthe people of Merseyside,recalling that, when the RailAgainst Privatisation marcherscame to Liverpool, they received“a clear message from the peoplethat they do not want theirservices privatised.”

Labour MP Bob Wareing, a member of theRMT parliamentary group, has tabledParliamentary Early Day Motion 352urging the government not to proceed withthe transfer. It has so far been signed by20 other MPs.

TAKING ACTION TODEFEND SERVICESDelegates unanimously backed calls to ballot 18,000Network Rail members for national industrial action overNetwork Rail’s proposed transfer of Merseyside’sinfrastructure to Merseytravel - which itself plans tosubcontract to the private sector

DEFENDNORTHERNRAILThe “madness” of new Labour’s

planned death by cuts forNorthern Rail provoked aunanimous call for industrial actionin defence of jobs and services.

Delegates were united in theircondemnation of a government-inspired “consultation” ahead of anew Northern Rail franchise - anexercise which plans torecommend sweeping service cuts,massive fare increases and the“bustitution” of routes with cheaperbuses.

RMT has been raising awareness ofthe threat since before the Mayelection, but conference warnedyesterday that the campaign needsto be stepped up - underpinned bythe threat of strikes.

Alex Holden, who works in theNorthern Rail franchise area, notedthat rail privatisation was originallyjustified with claims that it wouldimprove and extend services.

“It has taken ten years, but now itis clear that this promise was a lie,”he said.

Alex said that the soaring costs ofsubsidising the privateers had evenalarmed the Blair government.

Its solution, however, was not torenationalise but to look at ways ofparing the service to the bone, hesaid, warning that “the harsh windof capitalism is blowing through thenorth.”

Carlisle delegate Craig Johnstoncalled the scheme “madness”,noting that the government wasrefusing public ownership whilehanding over part of the franchiseto Dutch state rail.

“So we are state-owned - its justthe wrong state,” he said.

Liverpool No5 delegate MickDooley said: “We need to send astrong message to these people;that any attempt to cut NorthernRail services will be met byindustrial action - it’s the onlylanguage they understand.”

RMT assistant general secretaryPat Sikorski agreed that the unionmust be prepared to fight such anappaling prospect and welcomedthe fact that 20 MPs had nowsigned the RMT Early Day Motionon Northern Rail.

He predicted that “when we takeindustrial action, and it is not aboutpay or hours but saving therailways, we will get a groundswellof support from the public.”

Danny FergusonGreg Tucker Alexander Holden


17

AGM 2005

Mick Cash

Pat Sikorski

Delegates warned that therole of guards on trains was

being eroded still further, sinceRule Book changes were forcedthrough by Railway Safety, withTOC’s using various tactics, suchas timetable changes and theintroduction of new stock, tochip away at the position.

SSoouutthh WWeesstt TTrraaiinnss ddeelleeggaatteeGGrreegg TTuucckkeerr warned thatcompanies want to see guards asmerely “flexible ticketcollectors” rather than “trainedsafety operatives” - he said thathe was completely opposed toany attempt to pile more dutieson train drivers, especially as adriver himself.

Although disputes wereongoing at two companies -most notably Midland Mainline- but Greg said the issue neededto be raised nationally,especially with Railway Safety.

However, he noted thatRailway Safety was acting moreand more like “a wing of theTOC’s than an independentsafety body”, insisting that onlya national strike plan wouldoffer a genuine resolution.

AAlleexx HHoollddeenn complained that

the industry seemed unable tochange the rules to protectguards, who saw the rulesamended in 1999, yet countryproperty owners had been ableto get the rules concerning theuse of train horns “on a whim.”

PPaatt SSiikkoorrsskkii backed the calls,saying that RMT was currentlybuilding the campaign amongsttrain guards. He warned that theRSSB was now regarded as“totally under the control of theTOCs”, insisting that “we mustbe prepared to instigate not onlylegal action but also judicialreview.”

AGM unanimouslycondemned the increasing

practice of lone working byTOCs, warning that it put staffat risk.

SSoouutthh EEaasstt EEsssseexx ddeelleeggaatteeDDeerrrriicckk MMaarrrr said that somepeople were beginning to thinkthat being threatened or abusedwas “just part of the job”, ratherthan a practice to be “eradicatedfrom the workplace.”

He warned that somecompanies now wanted singleinspectors to try to fine unrulypassengers, although often theywere not safe even in threes -three of his local members werestill off sick after beingattacked.

“Despite this the company isstill trying to cut costs throughlone working,” he said.

NNoorrtthh TThhaammeess ddeelleeggaattee MMaarryyDDwwyyeerr said that her companyeven sacked people if they wereattacked more than twicebecause “it was assumed thatthey have done something tobring the assault on themselves.

“People are afraid to reportassaults now because they maylose their jobs - it has to stop.”

SSoouutthh DDeevvoonn BBuuss ddeelleeggaatteeDDaannnnyy FFeerrgguussoonn said that thebiggest priority for union repswas not pay or conditions, buthealth and safety, “the life andlimb of our members”.

EEaasstt KKeenntt ddeelleeggaattee KKeennSSllaaddee warned that cateringgrades were frequently left aloneon trains with cash - resultingin being mugged, threatenedand assaulted.

“Nobody on the railwaysshould be working alone,” hesaid.

MMiicckk CCaasshh agreed theemployers needed to take theissue seriously and said thatRMT was putting pressure onthe companies to ensure theyhonoured their legalresponsibility for the safety oftheir employees.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITYOF THE GUARDEnd lone

working

NO TO ‘BUSTITUTION’

Delegates condemned thegovernment’s plans to scrap

rail branch lines and replacethem with bus services.

Midlands bus delegateGraham Geliher said that busworkers wanted to showsolidarity with threatened railworkers, and pointed out thatthe government only favoured itbecause it is easier to subsidisebus services than rail.

“Bustitution doesn‘t benefit us -.we already have to work everyother Saturday and Sunday,” hesaid.

“It only benefits the likes ofBrian Souter.”

Mick Cash agreed that thepractice made it easier to closedown rail lines, and said that itwas the government’s“inappropriate” response to themassive costs incurred byprivatisation. He called for aproperly “balanced” transportpolicy.


18

AGM 2005

Delegates heard that rail andbus workers were

continually subjected to verbaland physical attacks, and thatthe employers were doing littleto protect them.

AGM also heard that in somecases, staff were targeted fordisciplinary action or even thesack after falling victim tothuggery on the transportnetwork.

It unanimously backedproposals for the RMT todemand a “zero tolerance”policy on staff assaults, withballots for industrial action ifemployers fail to back theirworkforce.

Delegates also called forlegislation making assaulting apublic-service workercomparable with assaulting apolice officer.

CCaarrlliissllee NNoorrtthheerrnn RRaaiillddeelleeggaattee CCrraaiigg JJoohhnnssttoonn warnedthat “attacks on public serviceworkers are increasing - notonly in frequency, but inintensity and ferocity as well”.

He blamed society’sdowngrading of the publicsector alongside the dominanceof the market, noting thatnowadays “the customer is kingand we are just serfs”.

AAlleexx HHoollddeenn rejectedindustry claims that the increasewas down to “better reporting”,revealing that “virtually a thirdof all transport workers nowexpect to be assaulted in someway.”

North Thames delegate MaryDwyer condemned an uncaringmanagement, complaining that“they would rather prosecutesomebody for having their feet

up on a seat than for assaultinga member of staff.”

Alex said that it was a“disgrace” for British TransportPolice and the train companiesto claim that it is all the fault ofstaff.

“We must make it clear thatwe are not prepared to stand byand watch our members getbattered,” he insisted.

AAssssiissttaanntt ggeenneerraall sseeccrreettaarryyPPaatt SSiikkoorrsskkii agreed and saidthat the executive would bepressing for clear zero tolerancepolicies.

But he stressed that “youcannot just rely on a piece ofpaper to defend yourself”,pledging that members whowere force physically to protectthemselves and colleagueswould be fully supported - withindustrial action if necessary.

Delegates demanded actionby RMT reps and

employers alike to stamp outbullying and harassment inthe workplace.

AGM called for such abusesto be tackled through strongunion procedures and legalchallenges under legislationconcerning discrimination andhealth and safety.

BBrriissttooll ddeelleeggaattee RRoobbiinnWWhhiittee said: “It is a fact thatevery year one in ten workerssuffers bullying andharassment - that means 7,000RMT members. This isunacceptable and we have todo something about it.”

Conference stressed thatcompany policies againstbullying and harassmentneeded to be worth the paperthey were written on andbacked with a clear set ofunion procedures for reps to

follow in the case of acomplaint being made.

“It is crucial that the uniontakes steps to ensure thatwhen workers have thecourage to stand up forthemselves the union standswith them,” insisted SSoouutthhaallll,,EEaalliinngg aanndd SSlloouugghh ddeelleeggaatteeKKeenntt KKnniigghhtt..

MMaarryy DDwwyyeerr agreed thatbetter training for unionofficials was essential.

“It is not always easy forreps to see the sleight of hand

in management’s treatment ofemployees,” she warned.

“Many workers don’t reportbullying out of fear of whatwill happen to them in thefuture.”

SSoouutthh WWeesstt TTrraaiinnssddeelleeggaattee GGrreegg TTuucckkeerr saidthat it was often “privatecompany policy” to targetunion activists and otherindividuals for harassment -in such circumstances,employing that company’sofficial grievance procedurewould be a waste of time.

“We must oppose anyattempts to divide and rule,”he said.

SSeenniioorr aassssiissttaanntt ggeenneerraallsseeccrreettaarryy MMiicckk CCaasshh backedthe resolution, stressing that“it is about providing supportfor our reps so they can spotharassment - prevention isbetter than a cure.”

TICKET OFFICESTAFF FACEVIOLENCE

Delegates warned that theincreasing prevalence of

low-security, “open plan” ticketoffices was placing staff atunnecessary risk of robbery andviolence.

DDeerrrriicckk MMaarrrr said that oneworker in Brentwood wasreluctant even to press the alarmbutton when necessary, becauseshe had been told that thesubcontracted security firmcharged for callouts.

Derrick warned thatcompanies were increasinglyexpecting staff to cash up largesums at the end of the dayalone, placing them at furtherrisk. He demanded betterguidelines, more staff andguards “when necessary.”

NNoorrtthh TThhaammeess ddeelleeggaattee MMaarryyDDwwyyeerr said that even whereticket offices had protectivescreens, these could often beeasily smashed.

Pat promised that theexecutive would shortly bepublishing guidelines onbooking office security and alsocalled on employers toundertake proper riskassessments.

YOUNG MEMBERS’AWARDGeneral secretary Bob Crowpresented Leeds City branchmember Stephen Finn withthe John Cogger Youngmembers Award, noting thatwithout active youngmembers, “there is no futurefor the union.”

Steve thanked the union as awhole and his branch inparticular, adding: “I neverthought I would be a tradeunionist, but I’m liking it, andliking it a lot.”

ZERO TOLERANCE OF STAFF ASSAULTS

STAMP OUTBULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE

Stephen Finn

Kent Knight

Robin White


19

AGM 2005

LLoonnddoonn UUnnddeerrggrroouunnddddeelleeggaattee BBiillll OO’’DDoowwdd said

that it was “depressing” howoften the pensions issue raisedits head, with pension rightseroded further each time.

“We don’t just have a two-tier pensions system any more,we have a three or four-tiersystem,” he said, pointing outthat final-salary schemes werenot only closed to new membersnow, but the state pensionsystem was being erodedalongside company pensions.

Bill also pointed out that onLondon Underground, workersfor the privatised “infracos”were no longer allowed to jointhe TfL/LUL pension scheme.And workers were not allowedto have their pensionable agestart at 18.

“Whether you are male orfemale, black or white, whoeveryou are a decent pension is allyou really have to look forwardto,” he said, calling on thegovernment to make up the

shortfall in the LU funds whichwere caused by managementtaking “pensions holidays.”

Bob Crow said that thedifficulties with the LUL schemewere an “anomaly”, but pointedout that it was one thatmanagers didn’t seem to beafflicted with.

“If its good enough formanagers to get a pension from18 then its good enough forother workers as well,” heinsisted.

EEPPSS ddeelleeggaattee MMiicckk LLyynncchhsaid that workers’ pensionsshould be reckoned the sameway as MPs’. Most workers’final- salary schemes offer 1/60of wages for each year ofservice - whereas MP schemeswere based on 1/40 of theirsalary.

Mick called for the scheme tobe extended to all public serviceworkers, arguing that “to retirewith dignity should be our right.He said: “If it’s good enough forMPs it is good enough for our

members.”RReettiirreedd mmeemmbbeerrss sseeccrreettaarryy

TTeedd RRiicchhaarrddssoonn also welcomedthe adoption of the Pensioners’Manifesto by the NationalPensioners Convention, urgingRMT - and all other unions - toadopt it for themselves and tocampaign for a decent statepension for all, linked toaverage earnings.

“Pensions are one of thosethings that always seem to becoming tomorrow, but for all ofus that day finally comes,” hesaid.

Ted also said that there wasan urgent need to give womenparity within the state pensionsystem, noting that they wereoriginally excluded from thesystem altogether.

He noted that pensions wereoriginally pegged at 25 oldpence - based on the cost ofkeeping a person in theworkhouse for a week.

“To be honest that principlehas never been overturned,” hesaid. “It was inadequate to liveon then and today’s pension isinadequate to live on now.”

Ted also called for massivesupport for the pensioners’lobby of parliament on October12.

“Pensions need to besupported by everyone,” he said.

PPiiccccaaddiillllyy && DDiissttrriicctt WWeessttddeelleeggaattee OOlllliiee NNeeww said that thecreeping privatisation ofpensions system was “one of theworst scandals in Britain” - heargued that “pensioners shouldbe the same for everyone as aright.”

Bob Crow rejectedgovernment claims thateveryone will have to work forlonger before retiring, insistingthat “if people are living longerthan they should have moretime to enjoy themselves.

“The government should raisepensions and if that meansraising taxes, so be it - youraise taxes, you buycivilisation,” he said.

Bob argued that direct actionwould be necessary - such asmass go-slows on motorways -and warned that “the onlyaction this governmentunderstands is direct action.”

AGM called for a strong unioncampaign to defend company pensions

DEFENDING PENSIONS

RMT Parliamentary Groupchairman John McDonnell

told the AGM that the time hadcome “not just to hold back thetide of new Labour but toreverse it.”

Introducing the group’s report,

John said that New Labour’sarrogance and big businessagenda had nearly cost Labourthe last election, resultinginstead in a greatly reducedmajority and the lowest Labourvote “for decades.”

He recalled: “People didn’t justvote against new Labour, theystayed at home in theirhundreds of thousands - andpossibly millions.”

In contrast to the slim majoritiesof many MPs, the RMT Grouphad all been returned withincreased support, noted John,due to their championing of “realLabour policies” based onpeace and social justice.

He argued that such policieswere increasingly popular withthe public, and that it was timeto bring the labour movementtogether through a revitalised

TUC and the LabourRepresentation Committee toformulate and demand “aprogressive programme for areal Labour government.”

But he warned that the Blairiteswere still in power, dedicated toa legislative programmeenshrining assaults on civilliberties, attacks on refugees,pensioner poverty and ever-increasing privatisation.

Backing the RMT campaignagainst Network Rail’s plans tohand over infrastructureresponsibilities to privateerMerseyrail, the MP wonapplause when he pledged thatif it came to a national strike, theparliamentary group would “beout on the picket lines with you.”

The Hayes and Harlington MPalso thanked RMT members forhelping the election campaign in

his own constituency.

“Some of my constituents arestill recovering from beingcanvassed by Bob Crow - butwe‘re offering them counselling,”he joked.

John also hailed the union’s RailAgainst Privatisation march for“injecting some much-neededpolitics into the otherwise sterileelection campaign” andhighlighting the official LabourParty policy of railrenationalisation.

Bob Crow thanked the group fortheir hard work, wryly noting thatthe group was 40 per centbigger than when RMT wasaffiliated to Labour. He said thatthe team had provided the unionwith more help and informationin the three years of itsexistence than the previousgroup had in decades.

RMT Parliamentary group success

John McDonnell


20

Delegates warned that the EU constitutionwas not yet dead, despite the no votes

in referendums in France and theNetherlands, and backed the ongoing Nocampaign against the creation of anundemocratic, militarised superstate inEurope.

RMT is one of the founding members ofTrade Unionists Against the EU Constitution,and the AGM said that the union shouldremain at the forefront of the campaign.

GGrreegg TTuucckkeerr congratulated the union forproducing a pamphlet which clearly set outthe contents of the proposed Constitution.

“I was proud that this union forcefullyput the progressive case against thisprivateer’s charter,” he said.

He warned that, following itsoverwhelming rejection by the French and

Dutch people, eurofanatics in Brussels weredesperately searching for ways to introduceits provisions by the back door.

SSttrraattffoorrdd NNoo 11 ddeelleeggaattee BBiillll OO’’DDoowwddnoted that, despite the No votes, measuressuch as the controversial services directivewere being forced through, with the aim ofenforcing the privatisation of public servicesacross Europe.

“Trade unionists must realise that thisone is not going away and Brussels willignore democratic decisions, as they havedone in the past, and try to impose thisdiscredited document,” he said.

Bob Crow pointed out that today the vastmajority of trade unions in the UK nowopposed the Constitution as they becameaware that the proposals constituted thecreation of an undemocratic superstate.

He rejected arguments that the creationof a single European state was needed toprotect workers’ rights, stressing that “whatwe really need is workers joining togetheracross the world - not just in Europe.”

NO MORE NUKES

The AGM unanimously backed calls toaffiliate with the Campaign for Nuclear

Disarmament, with the executiveregistering its surprise that this was notalready the case.

FFiirrsstt GGrreeaatt WWeesstteerrnn ddeelleeggaattee RRoobbiinnWWhhiittee condemned the government’sdetermination to develop a newgeneration of nuclear weapons to replacethe ageing Trident system, pointing outthe hypocrisy of such a move, given thegovernment‘s stance towards Iran‘snuclear programme and its position as asignatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Robin called on RMT to support thenon-violent Block the Builders campaignto prevent the development of newfacilities at the atomic weapons factory inAldermaston.

“We went to Iraq to destroy non-existent weapons of mass destruction yetwe continue to build them,” he said.

GGrreegg TTuucckkeerr pointed out that theBritish government had even threatenedto use its nuclear arsenal at the beginningof the Iraq war.

PPllyymmoouutthh ddeelleeggaattee JJoohhnn TThhoommppssoonnargued that nuclear weapons were“necessary” because of their “deterrentvalue.”

However Bob Crow insisted that “youcannot have guns and butter - we shouldspend our resources on construction notdestruction.”

NO TO ID CARDS

Delegates affirmed the union’s fierceopposition to the introduction of

compulsory identity cards after thegovernment scraped its ID Cards Billthrough the Commons with a mere 31vote majority.

AGM agreed unanimously that thescheme was “a further serious and sinistererosion of the rights of the citizen” whichwas unjustifiable, despite governmentclaims that it was ‘necessary’ to combatterrorism and fraud.

GGllaassggooww sshhiippppiinngg ddeelleeggaattee JJiimmMMccCCaauulleeyy noted that, as a seafarer, hehad carried an ID card all his life, butthat New Labour’s plans were of anentirely different order.

Citizens would have no input as towhat information would be retained onthe electronic cards, he warned, whichcould inform the authorities “whetheryou’ve ever been in jail or ever been on apicket line”.

SSoouutthh DDeevvoonn BBuuss ddeelleeggaattee DDaannnnyyFFeerrgguussoonn said that trade unionists shouldbe leading the campaign of opposition tothe cards, with civil disobedience ifnecessary.

“Britain is being turned into a policestate and it is a Labour government thatis doing it,” he warned.

“We need to make it clear to LabourMPs - whose party the unions founded -that these proposals are unacceptable.”

STOP THE WAR IN IRAQ

The AGM condemned the ongoingoccupation of Iraq and the terrorist

attacks against workers, trade unionistsand civilians in equal measure. Howeverdelegates made clear that the spirallingviolence was a direct result of the illegalUS-led war.

They called for RMT and Britain’swider labour movement to support for theemergence of independent, democraticunions in Iraq and to call for a genuinelydemocratic country.

The AGM agreed that such an outcomecould not be achieved as long as theoccupation continued.

DDeelleeggaattee RRoobbiinn WWhhiittee said that onlyrecently 50 workers had been killed in oneattack in Baghdad.

“We have to look at ways we can buildsolidarity with Iraqi trade unions, helpthem get rid of the occupation forces andbuild a decent, workers-led society,” heinsisted.

Robin also attacked the “plunder” ofIraq by the US and its companies. He saidthat “we must support fellow tradeunionists in Iraq and support the processfor a decent political solution.”

Bob Crow said that it was right forRMT to support the wishes of the Iraqiunions and help them to build ademocratic society in the way theywanted - not in the image of theoccupiers or even British unions.

AGM 2005

NO TO THE EU CONSTITUTION


21

Venezuelan United TransportFederation vice-president

Ruben Dario Linares Silva wona rare standing ovation aftertelling AGM that there wasnothing “inevitable” about theneo-liberal “globalisation” ofthe world.

Ruben – also an executivemember of his country’s newlyre-founded trade unionfederation UNT – described howVenezuela has been defying thestranglehold of US companiesand its own millionaire elite.

In 1998, and again in 2002, aradical reformist government,based in working communitiesand among the poor, who makeup 80 per cent of thepopulation, was democraticallyelected under the presidency ofHugo Chavez.

The government’sprogramme of nationalisation,redistribution of the country’soil wealth and for trade withcountries other than the big USfirms has led to overt and covertattempts to unseat the Chavezgovernment, with tactics

including a failed coup and aphoney “general strike” led bybusiness leaders and the oilelite.

However, those attacks hadonly led to a new mood ofconfidence and empowermentamongst Venezuelan workers,who were invested with a newsense of self-reliance anddestiny.

Speaking through aninterpreter, Ruben told RMTdelegates that the Venezuelanrevolution was armed, “not withguns but with our constitution,which is a guiding light towinning new benefits andrights.”

Ruben brandished the “littleblue book” of his country’s 1999constitution, which guaranteedthe right to form and join - ornot to join - whatever tradeunions “they may deemappropriate”, the right tovoluntary collective bargainingand the right to strike.

“Since the new constitution,not one company has beenprivatised.

“We are also moving forwardand demanding workers’involvement in managing statecompanies so they have a say inhow the wealth is dividedamong the people,” he said.

Groups of Venezuelanworkers were also occupyingand re-opening shut downfactories and making any stateaid to business conditional onworkers’ involvement inmanagement.

RMT delegates were stunnedto hear how advanced theVenezuelan constitution was.Living in Britain, used to harshanti-union laws, and with anunwritten constitution and a setof laws enshrining the unlimitedrights of business, it was like abroadcast from a differentplanet.

Ruben was not just talking ofthe need for change, he wasdescribing how it was going onright now.

“We also remember Thatcherand the part that RMT played infighting her policies.

“Thatcher’s policies affectedVenezuela as well, creating greatpoverty - we are fighting backagainst liberalisation now andknow that the road forward issocialism; in Latin America andelsewhere, capitalism bringsonly negative things forpeople,” he said.

Stressing the unique natureof his country’s BolivaranRevolution, Ruben said that “weare discussing socialism inVenezuela, but on our ownterms and on the basis of ourown needs”.

He mentioned Chavez onlyonce - warmly - towards theend of his address as a usefulally in his people‘s struggle.

“Chavez has given help andinspiration, especially onworkers’ rights,” heacknowledged.

AGM 2005

EXTRACT FROM THE VENEZULEAN CONSTITUTION

Article 88: The State guarantees the equality and equitable treatment ofmen and women in the exercise of the right to work. The State recognizeswork at home as an economic activity that creates added value andproduces social welfare and wealth. Housewives are entitled to SocialSecurity in accordance with the law.

Article 89: Work is a social fact and shall enjoy the protection of theState. The law shall make the necessary provisions for improving thematerial, moral and intellectual conditions of workers.

1) No law shall establish provisions that affect the intactness andprogressive nature of labour rights and benefits.

2) Labour rights are unrenounceable; any action, agreement or conventioninvolving a waiver or encroachment on these rights is null and void.

3) When there are doubts concerning application or conflicts amongseveral rules, or in the interpretation of a particular rule, that mostfavourable to the worker shall be applied. This rule must be applied in itsentirety.

VENEZUELAN TRADE UNIONIST ELECTRIFIES CONFERENCE

CONSTITUTION: Venezuelan delegate Ruben Linares holds his country’s new pro-workerconstitution aloft

Zambian Rail Workers’ Union assistantgeneral secretary James Kapanga livened

up the AGM when he led it in a chant of“Solidarity!”

RMT delegates took their cue and respondedwith “Solidarity For Ever!”, James quipped“yes, I know” before making the serious pointthat “solidarity makes us strong.”

He said: “We have to find a common solutionand we can find it by working together.Solidarity begins at the grass-roots, at membership level, regionallevel, branch level.”

The Zambian union leader recalled that when he arrived in Britainrecently he saw a newspaper headline reading “Transport sector indisarray” which led him to think “we have the same problems.”

James said that Zambia too is under threat from greedytransnational corporations determined to break up and privatise thecountry’s transport networks, undermining the unions and drivingdown pay and conditions.

He revealed that as a result of such attacks, membership of hisunion had plummeted in recent years from 8,600 to just 850.

But James remained upbeat, insisting that union solidarity wouldovercome the privateers.

He urged delegates to ignore all talk of “social partnership“, notingthat this merely turned trade unionists into “sleeping management.”

Zambian-style solidaritycomes to conference

James Kapanga

NOTE: MORE REPORTS FROM AGM WILL APPEAR IN NEXT MONTH’S RMT NEWS


22

ORGANISINGFOR THEFUTURE

Professor Gregor Gall argues that the success of RMT canserve as a model for the rest of the trade union movement

Former T&G general secretaryBill Morris predicted a few yearsago that, as a result of unionrationalisation in the nextdecade, there would only be twounions left - one for the privatesector, one for the public sector- and the plucky, little NUJ.Obviously, he forgot theNational Union of Rail, Maritimeand Transport Workers.

The RMT is the story of asmall union that is punchingwell above its weight and looksset to continue to do so.Consequently, it will be knownfor many years to come as theRMT. Maybe the initials willbecome known as standing for"robust and militant tradeunionism."


23

RMT organises all sectorswhere people or goods aretransported, including rail, roadand sea, and covers all thoseinvolved in the provision ofthese services.

Dating from the 1870s, it isnot a general union, but aspecialist transport union. Thisis an important element in itsongoing renewal.

The nature of theemployment that it organiseshas changed markedly in recentyears, with privatisation,contracting out andcasualisation coming to be thenew hallmarks.

The union had long-standingorganising and recruitmentpolicies, but these were neverwhole-heartedly implemented.

Consequently, RMTmembership experiencedstagnation and decline andworkers which RMT hadresponsibility for wentunorganised.

From 2002, the situation haschanged markedly, with net andsubstantial gains of 3,000-4,000per year. Representing around asix per cent growth per annum,this is a considerableachievement that may otherunions would give their eyeteeth for.

ORGANISING UNIT

Upon being elected generalsecretary in early 2002, BobCrow set up the organising unit,with Alan Pottage as nationalco-ordinator and threeorganisers. This has now grownto five.

The organising unit does notjust prioritise recruitment andretention. It also prioritisescreating an organised RMTpresence in every workplacewhere the union has members -this has meant creating anddeveloping workplace reps sothat they become the foundationof the union in the workplace.

Activists are not just giventhe tools for the job such asmultilingual, issue-based leafletsand merchandise proudlyemblazoned with key RMTmessages - they are alsosupported in a way thatstimulates enthusiasm and

confidence. Organisersconcentrate on visitingworkplaces and members'meetings.

Moreover, in each of theunion's 11 regions, the RMT hasa lay lead recruiter and thesemeet with each other everyquarter to discuss progress.

The main growth inrecruitment has been "in-fill,"where the union has existingmembers and recognition. But,since 2002, it has also secured10 new recognition agreementscovering just over 1,000workers.

Too often, union strength isseen as just a numbers game,whether number of members,reps or recognition agreementswith employers.

RMT does not prize these inthemselves. It seeks to makesure that they are used todeliver increasing standards ofemployment to its members,whether this be pay, conditionsor job security.

INDEPENDENT TRADE UNIONISM

The starting point for itsindustrial strategy has been toreject any form of partnership,social or otherwise, withemployers as the best way torepresent members' interests.

Rather, its strategy has beento rely on the mobilisation of itsmembers as an independent andcollective force with which toleverage concessions out ofcapricious employers.

Indeed, some of the mostobvious recent successes,including forcing Network Railto reopen its final-salarypension scheme to new staff,gaining significant amounts ofnew holiday leave for stationand signalling staff on LondonUnderground and puttingViacom Outdoor bill posterworkers at the top of theirrespective pay league, wereachieved without industrialaction.

However, once employershave been given an opportunityto settle without industrialaction, the union has put itsshoulder to the wheel to ensurea successful outcome.

This has included facing

down more court injunctionsand threats of court injunctionsthan just about any other union.A union that wins battles is aunion that is attractive toexisting and potential members.

Despite winning statutoryunion recognition atInternational CurrencyExchange, the companyattempted to ignore this byengaging in a charade ofagreeing on a procedure forcollective bargaining.

RMT brought the company toheel by gaining a Yes voteamong its members in a ballotfor strike action and achieved amethod for collective bargainingthat met its concerns. The unionis now proceeding to advance itsmembers' interests there.

What explains why RMT hasbeen able to mobilise soeffectively? As an industrialunion, the RMT has a clearidentity.

Marketing people would callthis "a highly valuable brand."Consequently, there is not onlya high level of union densitybut also a high degree ofattachment and loyalty to theunion.

This makes it easier for aculture of vibrant, robustcollectivism to pervade theunion. This, in turn, is reflectedin but also reinforced by theemphasis on workplaceunionism and lay structures.

But, on their own, thesefoundations are necessarywithout being sufficient toexplain the effectiveness. Themissing pieces of the jigsaw areunion leadership and the natureof the services that RMTmembers provide.

The emphasis on a members-led union has provided the basisfor a far more assertive androbust style of leadership to takeroot throughout RMT. Forexample, RMT has adapted wellto the arrival of company-levelbargaining among trainoperating companies.

Employers and governmentstake a strong opponentseriously. This knowledge gavethe RMT the confidence toconduct a national mobiledemonstration under the slogan

Rail Against Privatisation. There are key challenges

ahead for the union. One task isto increase membership to100,000 over the next decade.

With an enlargedmembership, every RMT memberwill benefit from a strengthened,better-resourced union.

This task includes rebuildingits presence among train drivergrades. Renationalisation ofpublic transport remains acrucial goal and can only bewon with widespreadmobilisation on the scale of thepoll tax and anti-war agitations.The same is true for the repealof the Conservatives' anti-unionlaws and the enforcement of ILOlabour standards.

So, what wider lessons arethere for the wider unionmovement? Unions need toensure in practice that recruitingand organising are only a meansto an end.

Indeed, if this is achieved,then improvements for memberscan become the best recruitingsergeant for others.

In this, taking action can bea virtue as a tool to buildunions and as a demonstrationof the potential of organisedworkers' power.

The case of the PCS supportsthis - its membership has grownsubstantially in recent years.Even though it is early days,RMT has also shown there canbe political life outside Labour.

Finally, “small can bebeautiful," where small issynonymous with vibrantcampaigning and action onissues which resonant withmembers and wider citizens.

Gregor Gall is a professor of industrialrelations at the University ofHertfordshire.

This article appeared in the Morning Star.

RMT MEMBERSHIP

2000 57,896

2001 59,277

2002 63,084

2003 67,476

2004 71,544


24

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SPRINGBOKRECEIVESDONATIONFROM RMTPaula Mason and Brian

Armstrong of RMT’sSouthampton shipping branchpresent a £1,100 cheque toTrevor Goacher, general secretaryof the Springbok retirementhome in Surrey (below). Alsopresent are trustee’s Ken Tirner,Harry Bygate, Frank Welsh andTerry Simco.

The money comes fromMaclachan’s solicitors, whodonated £50 per compromiseagreement they signed from theredundancies at Portsmouthannounced by P&O.

RMT held a protest inPortsmouth recently against

P&O Ferries massive cutbacks toservices on the WesternChannel. From the end ofSeptember the company iswithdrawing services thatcurrently from Portsmouth toLe-Havre, Cherbourg and Caen.

The scale of the cutbacks hassurprised industry analysts andleaves Brittany Ferries in a

potential monopoly position onthe Western Channel routes,with no UK operator sailing toLe-Havre, Cherbourg and Caen.

The withdrawal of serviceson the Western Channel followsthe P&O exit from othershipping sectors in which theyhad previously played a majorrole. The company cruise shipoperations, which is the mostprofitable sector for shipping, is

now owned by the US companyCarnival, whilst P&O have alsosold off their remaining interestsin the deep sea sector.

P&O DIRECTORS REWARDED

The scale of the cutbacks hasnot stopped P&O Directorsaccumulating substantial payawards.

Not only have they realisedhuge six-figure salaries theyhave received significant salaryincreases.

This comes despite thesignificant hardship afflictingmany families as a result of theforced dismissals of P&O Ferriesemployees.

Lord Sterling recently retiredas chairman of the P&O Groupand received a pension worth astaggering £11.2 million.

P&O FERRIES ABANDONPORTSMOUTH

SHIPPING

Bridge


25

RMT has welcomedstatements from Shipping

Minister Stephen Ladymanurging UK shipowners to be‘creative’ regarding domesticseafaring employment afteryears of benefiting from thetonnage tax.

Mr Ladyman has stated thathe would rather have avoluntary commitment toimprove employment agreed byall sides of the industry.However, he said that heexpects the Chamber ofShipping to be creative on

employment and deliver anincreased number of trainees.

RMT is pleased that thegovernment has now indicatedthat the Chamber of Shippingcannot always expect to receivethe tonnage tax concessionswithout delivering employmentand social benefits in return.

Previously, the Chamber ofShipping has made a voluntarycommitment to increase thenumber of UK seafaring traineesby 25 per cent year on year fora period of four years, therebydoubling numbers after four

years. More than four yearsdown the line, and despite theintroduction of the tonnage tax,UK ratings trainees are less thanhalf the original figure.

Therefore any agreementformulated by industry shouldbe underwritten by Governmentto ensure delivery. The Chamberof Shipping has stated that theyhave not been able to deliverincreased training andemployment due to a failure bygovernment to implement othermaritime support measures. RMTdo not accept this but it

underlines the importance ofclose Government involvementon this issue. Currently a specialworking group on employmentis considering measures toincrease UK seafarersemployment.

So far around 60 MPs havesigned an Early Day Motion200 put down by JohnMcDonnell MP calling for atonnage tax training andemployment link for UKseafaring ratings and officers.

The Scottish TUC joined thecall to abide by the democraticdecision of the Scottishparliament and reject theprivatisation of lifeline ferryservices.

The call came after transportcommissioner Jacques Barrotmade it clear that Brusselsexpects the Scottish Executiveto break up the publicly-runcompany or risk breachingEuropean Union law.

That decision represents amajor setback for the Executive.They are now caught in a battlebetween the Scottish Parliament,which does not want the routesput out to tender, and the EU,which is demanding theprivatisation of all routes.

Brussels has given ministersthe concession that they cantender the Hebridean routes asone block, to prevent companiescherry-picking the profitable

routes and abandoning the loss-making ones.

But the EU has threatened towithdraw this concession andtender the routes individually -which would signal the start ofdisastrous problems for theislands.

CONSULTATIONS

It is understood that nodecision on the tendering willbe made until consultationswith the parliament and,because of the summer recess,this will not happen untilSeptember.

CalMac runs ferries to 22islands and four peninsulas witha fleet of 31 vessels on 26routes and carries about fivemillion passengers a year.

It became the subject of onlythe second defeat for theExecutive last December, when14 Labour MSPs rebelled and

defeated an Executive motion toput the islands routes out totender.

RMT shipping secretary SteveTodd said that it was time todefend public services likeCalMac against Brussels ruleswhich seek to hand everythingover to the private sector.

“We can roll over and be thepoodles Brussels wants us to beor we can represent the will ofmillions of Scots and keepCalMac public,” he said.

Assistant STUC generalsecretary Stephen Boyd alsopointed out that privatisingCalmac would not give value formoney and warned that the billwould fall to the taxpayer.

“Value for the ScottishExecutive's money can only beachieved through maintainingCalMac as a unified, properlyfinanced, publicly owned,publicly run and publiclyaccountable service.

“We must remember thelessons of the privatisation ofother transport services,including the national railnetwork where subsidy has

increased dramatically with noimprovement to services,” hesaid.

PAY DEAL AT CALMAC

RMT members at CalMacrecently voted by 226 to 14 infavour of a three and a halfyear pay deal.

The deal consists of a 4.8 percent pay rise for the first oneand a half years, paid up frontfrom the 2005 anniversary date,plus 3 per cent for years twoand three paid on the Octoberanniversary dates of 2006 and2007 respectively. This gives anoverall consolidated pay awardover three and a half years of10.8 per cent.

Regional organiser IanMacintyre said that membershad spoken in the light ofuncertainty regarding thetendering process.

“I would hope that MSPsgives the same commitment asour members when they areasked what they think ofEuropean Commission orders tocontinue with this unwantedtendering process,” he said.

UNIONS TELL SCOTTISHMINISTER TO RESIST EUORDERS TO PRIVATISE CALMACRMT has told the Scottish Executive tofight European Commission orders to putCaledonian MacBrayne ferry services outto tender

Minister hints at tonnage tax employment link

SHIPPING

Mark Stilwell had beenemployed by Freightliner sinceMarch 1997 at their Clevelanddepot when he was dismissedon June 26 2004. Towards theend of his time withFreightliner Mark wasemployed as a Rail OperationsSupervisor.

In early May 2004 Markidentified four employees whoworked under his responsibilitywho made “extraordinaryefforts” which should berecognised by management andpayment made for higher-gradeduties. Mark made a request tothe Terminal Manager, foradditional payment to be madeto them, but the request wasdeclined.

Mark was concerned aboutthe failure to recognise andreward employees’ hard workso he wrote to them:

“I have made severalattempts to obtain some formof recognition from thecurrent management team atCleveland, for yourextraordinary efforts over thelast two weeks, especiallyduring Monday’s andTuesday’s Crane failures,unfortunately the most I havebeen able to achieve is a letterof recommendation which Isubmitted to the Manager andwill now be attached to yourpersonnel file along with acopy of the manager’s response.

“A response which I findhighly unsatisfactory, therefore,I would like to thank you forall your recent efforts, andespecially for your efforts on

Monday and Tuesday this weekwithout the level ofcommitment shown on thosedays things could have veryeasily gone pear shaped withgreat costs being incurred tothe company.

“I hope you will accept thissmall token of my appreciation(a case of beer!) and mythanks. Well done!”

The terminal managerbecame aware of this and wasunhappy as he felt that itundermined his authority. Thiswas followed by anotherincident between our memberand the terminal managerwhen Mark was accused ofbeing late.

Ignoring all proceduresMark was given a writtenwarning, which he refused toaccept as it was outside of the

disciplinary procedure. This ledto a Form 1 being issuedagainst him that resulted in hisdismissal for insubordinationand failing to comply with amanager’s request.

With the help of the union’ssolicitors, Drummond Miller, aclaim was made in the Tribunalfor unfair dismissal.

After a two day hearing theTribunal found that Mark hadbeen unfairly dismissed.

The Tribunal made scathingremarks regarding Freightliner’sfailure to follow procedures.

“The Employment Tribunalfound that Freightliner deniedMark his basic rights to berepresented by his union and tofollow agreed disciplinaryprocedures” said David Scott ofDrummond Miller Solicitors,who represented Mark.

Speaking after the hearingMark said, “This was reallyabout clearing my name”.


26

Union winsequal payvictoryRMT recently won a significantequal-pay battle after employersagreed to settle the case in themiddle of an Employment Tribunal.

When a female RMT memberagreed to a move fromCompliance Assistant to TechnicalEngineer with a rail infrastructurecompany she was promised thather salary would be reviewed aftersix months.

However, a review did not takeplace until much later. Moreover,despite the review confirming thatshe had reached the requiredstandard, her salary was notreinstated to the level it was. Heremployment was then transferredto Network Rail after infrastructurework was brought back in-house.

Strong representations were madeby union representatives toNetwork Rail, who continued torefused to increase the member’swages to the correct level and payback pay to her.

Further investigations revealed thatmen working at her depot hadbeen reviewed and received payrises.

With the help of union’s solicitors,Drummond Miller, the member wasable to pursue a claim fordiscrimination on the grounds ofher sex and unlawful deduction ofwages in the Employment Tribunal.

Before the hearing commenced itssecond day an offer of £4,000 wasmade to her in settlement of herclaims. The member, who hadsubsequently been promoted,accepted the offer.

“The union was brilliant throughoutthis ordeal and I would not bewhere I am now without the RMT,”she said.

“I am happy to now get back tonormal and do my job to the bestof my abilities”.

RMT rep Bill Rawcliffe, whorepresented her, said it was aclear-cut case of discriminationand justice had been done.

“Once again RMT has shown thatit protects the rights of itsmembers,” he said.

David Scott of Drummond Miller,who represented the memberthroughout the hearing said: “Itwas only because of thepersistence of the member, herunion representatives and thestrength of her union thatsettlement was able to bereached”.

SACKED FORREWARDING STAFFRail operations supervisorMark Stilwell was sacked byFreightliner last year, aftereight years service, because ofa gift to his staff


An RMT member recently won re-instatement after an Employment

Tribunal found that that he had beenvictimised because of his trade unionactivities.

The member was employed as a cleanerby First Keolis Transpennine as a serviceteam member. He is an active RMT memberand a nominated Health and Safetyrepresentative.

The member had made various complaintsto the station manager regarding health andsafety matters. However, manager refused todeal with the issues raised and the memberwas suspended from duty. Followingrepresentations by RMT he was reinstatedonly to be suspended once again two dayslater.

After a protracted disciplinary process themember was advised that no disciplinaryaction would be taken in relation to theevents taking place before he was sacked.

However, the member was told he wouldremain suspended because of a furtheralleged incident that occurred after he wassuspended. By this stage the member hadbeen suspended for over 27 weeks.

With the help of RMT, the member lodgeda number of grievances with First KeolisTranspennine and launched EmploymentTribunal proceedings. The claim before theEmployment Tribunal alleged that the realreason for his suspension and anysubsequent disciplinary action was becauseof his health and safety representative dutiesand that he had been victimised because ofhis trade union activities.

Shortly before the claim was due toproceed to a hearing an offer in settlementwas made and James was allowed to returnto work as the completion of his holidayperiod, in March 2005.

“This was a very traumatic time for themember and his family” said David Scott ofDrummond Miller who represented themember on behalf of the union.

“It is only because of the strength andsupport that he received from the union thathe was able to bring this claim and bereinstated into his former position,” headded.

Newcastle Rail and Catering branchsecretary Mickey Thompson said it was asignificant victory that showed that theunion was determined to ensure that properprocedures were adhered to and that staffwere protected from victimisation.

Ihave often been told “don’t believeeverything you read in the papers”.

Good advice, as recently I cameacross a magazine singing the praisesof the privatised, vertically-integratedrailways in Japan.

The Japan National Railway (JNR) wasbroken up in the sale of the century in1987 into six companies. However,thousands of rail workers whobelonged to two unions, Kokuro,Zendora and DoroChiba were not re-employed by the new privatecompanies that emerged under thenew name of Japanese Railways (JR).

In gross violation of the right toorganise, one in three drivers lost theirjobs. These anti-union sackings alsobroke Article 28 of the JapaneseConstitution and International LabourOrganisation conventions 87 and 98.

The refusal of the Japanesegovernment to defend theconstitutional rights of its citizensmeant that thousands of rail workerslost their jobs. Some were alsotransferred to “human resources usagecentres” miles away from their familiesand work colleagues and ordered toweed the p/way or paint railwaybuildings. After all these years theserail workers are still fighting andprotesting for their jobs back and theirrights to be protected.

The government’s transportdepartment has also allowed safetymeasures to be deregulated and hoursof work have increased, leading totrain drivers being forced to use plasticurine bags in their cabs. Rural lineshave been closed and freight has beentransferred from rail to road, causingenvironmental damage and congestionin country short of oil.

As a result of these familiarexperiences, one wonders if there is aconnection here with the recent tragictrain crash in Amagasaki, westernJapan. Over 100 people died andaround 500 injured after a speedingtrain derailed and crashed into a blockof flats.

That is the reality that a lot of themedia fail to report.

Of course, rail workers in Japan arestill fighting for their jobs andconditions and for rail safety. Theyneed our support and solidarity. I havebeen asked to go to Japan to discussthe fightback after Japanese unionsheard about out Rail AgainstPrivatisation campaign. They havemade clear that they want to emulatethe RAP campaign in order to raiseawareness about the dangers of aprivatised rail network and articulatepopular demands for a safe,renationalised rail network.

Closer to home, I have been followingthe Railtrack shareholders’ courtaction. If it wasn’t so serious it wouldbe funny. These former Railtrackshareholders lost their bet after thegovernment could not stomachcontinuing to pour billions into a failingprivate-sector fiasco. This companysucked money out of the network intoa privatised black hole while making acomplete hash of running theinfrastructure of our rail network.

Yet now these shareholders have thecheek to go to court to complain thattheir win-win gamble has finally cometo an end.

Far from giving them any money, thegovernment should be demanding thereturn of the billions of taxpayers’money that provided all thosedividends during the heyday ofRailtrack making a fortune from sellingoff land that once belonged to BritishRail and the British people.

You can’t expect to gamble your cakeand eat it.

Finally, this union has just finished its2005 annual general meeting and I hadthe pleasure to preside over theproceedings.

The week of deliberations in Exeterrevealed that a lot of work needs to bedone but also that RMT members areunited behind the policies of the union.

Tony Donaghey

President’s column

FIGHTINGPRIVATISATION

RMT HEALTH ANDSAFETY REP WINSRE-INSTATEMENT

28

Bill and Joe’sbig Cuban

adventure

RMT members Bill Rawcliffe and JoeSheridan recently completed a gruelling

bike ride in aid of a Cuban school forblind and disabled children and survived.They told RMT News their moving story


29

Thanks to the tremendousgenerosity of friends, family,

workmates and many RMTbranches and regional councils,the minimum funding requiredto participate in the Cuba CycleChallenge 2005 and purchasevital education equipment fordisabled Cuban school childrenwas reached and then surpassed.

Now for the hard bit; ourchallenge to cycle 220 milesacross Cuba from Trinidad onthe Caribbean coast over theEscambray Mountains and toHavana, on the Atlantic coast.

Whilst for some the distanceswere not particularlychallenging, the heat, which wasin excess of 33° C some days,coupled with some steep andlengthy hill climbs ensured thateveryone had to work hard.

However, the rewards weretremendous. It is a unique wayto see a country and meetpeople, some of the scenery wasdramatic and to cycle throughtiny villages and see how peoplelive away from big cities andtourist resorts was totallyrefreshing.

GENEROUS TO A FAULT

But the highlight for us were theordinary Cuban people, alwayssmiling, always happy, curiousas to what we were doing andwhy, and despite having verylittle in terms of westernconsumerism, generous to afault. Having just cycledthrough Siteco City we passedan elderly gentleman on a rustyold Chinese cycle complete witha cardboard box tied on theback.

He shouted a greeting andwaved. Not having muchknowledge of the Spanishlanguage, we waved shouting“Inglese non Espanol”. Severalkilometres further, we stoppedon a large bridge overlooking ariver to watch some turkeyvultures soaring below for once,instead of over my head.

The elderly man eventuallyreappeared and stopped, heopened the box on the back ofhis cycle and said fruit,motioning me towards him, weresponded “no pesos”, he shookhis head and said “you

fruit!”(probably got that right)and gave me two mangoes.

We attempted to protest andhe continued to insist saying“quarto, take! take!”. He onlyhad eight in the box andinsisted I took half, thenshaking my hand got on hiscycle and left.

Another aspect that greatlyimpressed us was the sheernumber of schools. They wereeverywhere we went, thechildren always shouting andwaving, which brings me towhy we were actually there.Having completed the cycling(which was no meanachievement), we attended theMay Day Rally in Havana’sRevolution Square, togetherwith some 1.3 million Cubanssinging the Internationale - itwas something to behold.

SOLIDARITY

The next day we travelled toHavana’s Abel Santa MariaSchool for blind, partiallysighted and disabled children.Having made our introductionsand presented the school withinitial gifts, which includedspeaking calculators and aspeaking watch for each of the150 children at the school, wewere invited to tour everycorner of the school.

The experience left almosteveryone moved and more thanone of the men reduced to tears.Not because of the wretchedstate of the children but totallythe opposite, it was a marvel tosee what can be achieved withso little.

Blind children learning theirtwo times tables with woodenblocks, a small blind boy sawinga piece of MDF with suchvigour and enthusiasm thoughthe saw was so blunt he wasalmost burning through thewood.

The art and craft classeswhere the children were makingthe most beautiful models andpictures, despite a cripplingshortage of basic equipment,such as glue!

We visited a small computerroom where a blind boy, havinglearnt the keyboard by heart,could be left to use a computer

alone by listening to tapedinstructions/ requests. Partiallysighted children were learningto type on archaic machines.

MOVING

Yes, the experience was indeedmoving. These children areamong those branded by theUnited States as terrorists and athreat to their very survival! Sothey deprive them of Brailleequipment.

Yes, Washington holds thepatent and they will not allowanyone to sell the equipment toCuba. The blockade causesshortages in the most basicmaterials as well as glue, paint,paper, all are in great demand.

Why was it so moving? It ishard to pin down. It’s a mixtureof rage at the blockade, amixture of embarrassment atour own government’s cravensupport for the US and evenself-pity that, despite our ownmassive wealth and resources,children here in Britain are notas well looked after.

The school has over 60teachers, doctors, nurses, andsupport staff for 150 children,but overall it was anoverwhelming sense of hope forthe future that these childrenrepresented. We would like toshare more of our experienceswith you but time and space arenot in my favour, so why notexperience it yourselves, jointhe Cuba Solidarity Campaignand register for next year’sevent. Maybe if enoughmembers are interested, wecould organise an RMTchallenge tailored to suit?

This just leaves me to thankeveryone who has sponsored Joeand myself, there are too manyof you to thank individually andI cannot say in words what thissupport means to the people ofCuba, it is not just the money, itis that people really do care.

THANK YOU ALL

A bit thanks to everyone whohelped achieve around £8,000for the children of Abel SantaMaria School and a few morepledges are still to come in, so the total will rise slightlyabove that.

For more information about theCuba Solidarity Campaign contact:

The Red Rose Club

129 Seven Sisters Road

LONDON

N7 7QG

Tel: 020 7263 6452

Fax: 0 20 7561 0191

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.cuba-solidarity.org


30

RMT general secretary Bob Crowwelcomed guests to the thirdannual garden party held inconjunction with the CubaSolidarity Campaign to raisefunds for Medical Aid for Cuba.

“Cuba needs our supportmore than ever as the UnitedStates makes increasingly hostileand threatening statementsagainst this small socialistisland,” he said.

Bob pointed out that peoples’movements across Latin Americawere taking inspiration fromCuba and the ideas of ErnestoChe Guevara and taking actionto improve their lives.

Labour movement figuresincluding CWU general secretaryBilly Hayes and JohnMacDonnell MP echoed thesesentiments and pledged tocontinue the fight to defendCuba against US aggression.

Nicaraguan public service

union leader Domingo Perezsaid that Cuba was a beacon forLatin America that showed therewere very real alternatives toendless privatisation andpoverty that existed under failedneoliberal policies that has beenimposed across the continent.

“In Nicaragua we aredefending our public servicesfrom this onslaught,” he said.

Veteran left campaigner TonyBenn told the crowd that he wasoptimistic about the future aspeople across the world wererejecting endless war andprofiteering.

“From Bolivia to Venezuela,From France to The Netherlands,people are saying enough isenough,” he said.

Guests went on to enjoy RMThospitality, dancing the nightaway to Cuban music and eatingCuban-style food, all in a goodcause.

A NIGHT OFSOLIDARITY FOR CUBAHundreds gathered in the gardensof Maritime House in southLondon last month for a night ofsolidarity with Cuba whichincluded speeches, music andgreat food

Cuban representative Luis Marron congratulates Bill Rawcliffe and Joe Sheridon


31

Construction workers in eastChina's Zhejiang province rushed

to repair a railway line followingheavy subsidence due to over-extraction of earth by a local brickplant. The line runs betweenXiaoshan District of Hangzhou - theprovincial capital, and coastal city ofNingbo. Luckily, a tragedy wasaverted and no-one was killed. Trainswere cancelled and passengers wereoffered other transport means.

Crowds of commuters werestranded at Moscow metro

stations recently following hugepower cuts. The outage, caused by afire in a substation, shut the stockexchange and crippled transport andmobile phone links in the swelteringRussian capital.

Italian transport workers launched a24-hour walkout on May 31 against

government attempts to underminesick leave provisions. Buses, subwaysand trams came to a halt in majorcities across Italy. A sign on the busreads "Out of Service" (Fuori Servizio)in central Rome.

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

Workers at Belgian's publictransport network TEC

took to the streets in Namur,southern Belgium recentlyfollowing two weeks of strikeaction to demand better workingconditions.

Continued intransigence inwage negotiations by theWalloon Regional TransportCompany (SRWT), the companywhich is the cornerstone of TEC,has paralysed the TEC busnetwork since April. “We havedone as much as we could have

done. If the Walloongovernment and the SWRT wantpeace, they will have to make agesture. We have already revisedour list of claims twice” saidGeneral Confederation of PublicServices (CGSP/ACOD)representative Yves Depas.

At present, the companyemploys 4,795 people, includingapproximately 3,200 drivers. TheTEC has 1,634 vehicles at itsdisposal, as well as 552 vehicleswhich belong to private sub-contractors.

Belgian busworkers take tothe streets

CHINESE LOSE TRACK

Dutch transport workers joinedfirefighters, civil servants,

emergency services and office workersto demonstrate in Amsterdam, theNetherlands, last month. Thousands ofDutch civil servants went on strike toprotest against attacks on socialbenefits and low wages, halting publictransport in two major cities andrubbish collection in towns across thecountry. The banner in the centrereads: "We can't be treated like trash."

DUTCH WORKERS TAKE ACTION

ITALIAN TRANSPORT STRIKE

Filipino protesters stage a die-inalong a busy street to block

vehicles during recent a transportstrike demanding a fares hike amidrising oil prices in Manila.

Transport around Manila andother Philippine cities came to ahalt due to the protesters againstthe rise in oil prices and to demandthe scrapping of the oilderegulation law. The banner reads"Junk oil deregulation law."

PHILIPINES TRANSPORT STRIKE

Bus drivers stand outside a Berlinbus depot during strike action

against low pay. The Verdi unioncalled for a 7-hour-strike of publictransport in the German capital tosupport their demand for a pay risefor public service employees.

BERLIN BUS WORKERS DEMAND PAY RISE

POWER CUT HITS MOSCOW


32

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34

‘No one likes us we don’tcare’.

RMT General Secretary BobCrow is fond of his belligerentMillwall chant, using it whenemployers or tabloid pressattack the union for defendingmembers interests.

I found myself thinking of itthe other day. Three of myScottish Socialist Partycolleagues in the HolyroodParliament and I weresuspended from the chamberafter defending the democraticright to protest against the G8leaders gathered at Gleneagles.

Not a single other memberdissented when we faced ouroutrageous punishment.

Our short, peaceful protestresulted first in a two-daysuspension which was thenextended to a month, then themonth without pay, then amonth without pay for us andall our parliamentary staff and

finally a ban from the entireparliamentary complex and ourconstituency offices.

When I heard the extent ofthe final penalty, I quipped

‘By four o’clock I thoughtthey were going to invadePoland!’

The Westminster parliamenthas a maximum penalty of fivedays, suspension without loss ofwages. Isn’t it ironic that fullblown parliaments aroundEurope have lighter penaltieswhereas our wee ‘kiddie onparliament’ with very few realpowers can almost bring backhanging if it wants to?

But you know thisParliamentary skirmish was putinto proportion within 48 hours.

On Saturday I was takingpart in the biggest politicaldemonstration Scotland has everseen.

Edinburgh didn’t know whathad hit it. More than 250,000

people arrived on the Meadowsdetermined to Make PovertyHistory. Patience with the G8leaders on poverty in Africa andthe third world has clearly runout.

And of course we are allentirely right to be sceptical.The G8’s record in fightingpoverty in the third world isdamnable. Like most people Ihave given up hope that theywill be part of the solution.

Charles Dickens began ‘ATale of Two Cities with thewords

‘It was the best of times, itwas the worst of times, it wasthe age of wisdom, it was theage of foolishness, it was theepoch of belief, it was the epochof incredulity, it was the seasonof Light, it was the season ofDarkness, it was the spring ofhope, it was the winter ofdespair…’

It still is.

On the one hand there is thepessimism which rationalhuman beings looking at the G8leader’s record and their vestedinterests must hold. No-oneexpects the G8 leaders to do adamn thing about poverty inAfrica and the third world. Andthey will not.

A clear and profound changeof direction is needed.

Conversely, there is theboundless optimistics in themovement for change.

It is a potentially powerfulforce. Yes it is naive, yes it isbadly led, but its democraticspirit is unquenchable. It is thedemocratic spirit of the peoplesof the world.

The billionaires have hadtheir say, now it’s the time forthe billions to have theirs.

Colin Fox, Scottish Socialist PartyConvener

ANOTHER WORLD ISNECESSARY


35

This was a very visible display of theopposition to international policies thatbring sickness, starvation and death tothousands of people each day. Thedemands of the Make Poverty Historycampaign focus on Aid, Trade, andJustice, and Edinburgh was full ofbanners and placards conveying clearmessages to the leaders of the G8countries. Windows and lampposts weredecked out with the message ‘MakePoverty History’, as was EdinburghCastle.

The turnout in Edinburgh wasdouble that predicted by the organisers,with coaches arriving from all overBritain, and as a result marchers werestill taking to the streets six hours afterthe midday starting time. Organisershad asked that marchers wear white,forming a human white band thatweaved its way through the city centre.

Whilst trade union and labourmovement banners may not have beenthere in huge numbers, there is nodoubt that many trade union memberswere in Edinburgh that day with theirfamilies. The RMT London RegionalCouncil banner made the long trip, andmembers of a number of Scottish RMTbranches participated in the march too.

ALTERNATIVE G8

The G8 Alternatives Summit took overa number of Edinburgh city centrevenues the next day. Over 5,000 peopleregistered to hear speakers on a widerange of topics, including on war andimperialism, civil liberties, Africa,Climate change and globalisation.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crowjoined the platform to discuss asylumand immigration policies. The audiencewelcomed the RMT’s condemnation ofracism, and the General Secretaryoutlined the union’s opposition to theBNP and its policies.

Bob Crow also made clear that theunion fully supported the G8Alternatives right to demonstrate atGleneagles on July 6, outside themeeting of the G8 leaders.

Earlier in June the RMT ScottishRegional Council had called for support

for of both the Make Poverty Historydemonstration and the G8 Alternativesdemonstration at Gleneagles,encouraging members to participate.

In Edinburgh in the evening of July3, a ‘Naming the Dead’ march andceremony took place. The Stop the WarCoalition and CND were able tohighlight the amount of money spenton militarism whilst a third of theworld is starving. RMT members alsojoined this event.

NO TO NUKES

The RMT AGM decision to reaffirm apolicy of total opposition to nuclearweapons is timely as decisions on thefuture of a Trident replacementprogramme are taken by thegovernment, and the weekend inEdinburgh brought together thousandsof people who share the union’s viewthat the priorities for our world are allwrong.

On Wednesday July 6, over 7,000people made their way from acrossScotland to Gleneagles for thedemonstration and, despite a smallnumber of confrontations with thepolice, were able to make their voiceheard by the G8 leaders. With otherdemonstrations taking place at theFaslane nuclear base, and at DungavelImmigration and detention centre,Scotland in the first week in July was afocus for trade unionists andcampaigners from all over the UK andEurope.

Whilst the G8 leaders will neverdeliver a world in which the interests ofworking people are put first, thecampaigning on poverty that has takenplace internationally will go fromstrength to strength. For many peoplein Britain this has been a firstexperience of collective political action,and it will not be the last. ‘FightPoverty, not War’ is the message thatcame from Edinburgh loud and clear inJuly 2005.

Ann Henderson

RMT Scottish Parliamentary officer

Making history against povertyRMT members from across the country joined over 250,000 people whowere on the streets of Edinburgh on Saturday July 2, supporting the MakePoverty History campaign

PRESENCE: RMT on the march in Edinburgh

PROTEST: Make Poverty History demonstration in Edinburgh.Scotland. © Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk


36

Over ten thousand people flocked to Tolpuddlein Dorset in July to celebrate the birth of

modern British trade unionism. RMT members took their banners to march

through the village where 170 years ago six farmlabourers were arrested for taking part in ameeting to protest against their meagre pay of sixshillings a week - equivalent to 30p today.

They were found guilty of trade unionactivities and sent to penal colonies in Australiabut were granted pardons after a huge publicoutcry.

Their struggle helped to form and inspire theBritish labour movement, which campaignersinsist, is as crucial as ever to the survival, safetyand fair treatment of British workers.

Chairman Jon Gray of the South West TUC,which organises the event, said he was delightedwith the record attendance.

"The rally has been growing bigger every yearand it is wonderful to see so many people,especially youngsters, here today," he enthused.

Trade unionists flockto Tolpuddle


37

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VICTORIAN FARMHOUSE B&B pluss/c lodge, sleeps 4, also B&B. Set infarmland overlooking forest. Directaccess to trailway. Small heated pool.Pets welcome. Ideal for walking, ridingand cycling. Close to New Forest. Forbrochure call 01425 472115

TENERIFE

TENERIFE, LAS AMERICAS.Apartment in 3 star hotel on seafront.Quiet area. From £75pppw. Tel: 01803 526168

SPANISH HOLIDAYS

Costa Blanca House sleeps 6. Costa delSol Apartment, sleeps 4. £120-£320pw.Lovely locations. Beaches. Pools. Golf.(01344)425247

TRAVEL INSURANCE ANDAIRPORT PARKING

AIS FAMILY ANNUAL WORLDWIDETravel Insurance only £77.56. Single tripfrom only £3.42. Tel: 0870 4607806quoting RMT. For this and main Holidaysuppliers visit www.benefits.co.uk Saveup to 60% on Airport Parking andHotels, telephone Holiday extras 08708442766 for a quote, or visit our newweb-site www.budget-airport-parking.co.uk

CLASSIFIED ADS

RMT £25 prize crosswordNo. 17. Set by Elk

Last month’ssolution...

Winner of prize crossword 16is Mr P Lockwood fromSheffield

Send entries to Prize Crossword,RMT, Unity House, 39 ChaltonStreet, London NWI IJD by August20 with your name and address.Winner and solution in next issueCongratulations to the manyreaders who managed to completelast month's puzzle despite thebest efforts of computer gremlinsto confuse the numbering of thegrid.

ACROSS1 Staring, with mouth open (7)5 Hoping to win the 13 against 15 (7)9 Jottings, money or music (5)10 Jet engine with turbine attached to

propeller (9)11 US tram, named Desire? (9)12 I will comply, in short, or US band (5)13 Remains fought over by 5 across and 15

(5)15 Hoping to win the 13 against 5 (9)18 Man who guarantees child’s spiritual

wellbeing at baptism (9)19 People who work when they shouldn’t (5)21 Passage between rows of seats (5)23 When it’s hot, slap it on (9)25 Not temporary (9)26 Falls (5)27 On the outermost fringes (7)28 Australian trousers, or paces (7)

DOWN1 Hard-edged urban rap (7)2 Dividing line between phases - 9pm on TV (9)3 Publish, put out (5)4 Enter uninvited (9)5 Mistake (5)6 Beetles, or their larvae, with luminous organs (4-

5)7 Showery month (5)8 Document conferring honour or qualification (7)14 Deadlock (9)16 Positive characteristics (9)17 Type of ownership, often of flat (9)18 Struggle or wrestle with, mentally or physically

(7)20 Painful when blocked (7)22 Small fish - bait for mackerel? (5)23 Root vegetable - from northern Europe? (5)24 Fermented apple juice (5)

Dear Editor,

I am incensed by the letter featured in yourJune edition from David Hardy.

First of all the proposed tram scheme isintended to replace the existing train service,not run alongside it. As explained by AlexHolden, those championing this proposal arealready implementing underhanded tactics tomake the existing rail service lookunprofitable. Added to this is the track recordof these privatised, government (and thereforetaxpayer) funded profiteers like, for example,Manchester Metrolink who fought so hardagainst trade union recognition and againstproviding decent pay and conditions for itsworkers.

Does Mr Hardy not realise that existingmembers are likely to lose their jobs if this

scheme goes ahead? I was under theimpression that the RMT is a trade union, notsome sort of pyramid scheme whose primaryobjective is to grab as many members aspossible, whatever the cost to other workers.Should we be applauding the loss of the RoyalMail and other freight contracts from the railto the road, as the union can recruit morelorry drivers? Should we stop campaigning tosave the role of the guard, as "on traincustomer service hosts" pay the samemembership fee?

It’s nice to know that Mr Hardy finds theexisting membership so infinitely disposable.We can all look forward to our p45s, warmand secure in the knowledge that our sacrificeis for the greater good, can't we?

Sincerely , A Langton, Crewe

38

There are two methods of supplying us with the documentation:-

METHOD 1 Send or take your original documents, 1 from List A & 1 from List B, direct to RMT Credit, Unity House, FREEPOST, 39Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD. If sending valuable documents such as your passport or current full UK Driving Licence westrongly advise sending them by recorded delivery. We will photocopy the originals and return them to you.

METHOD 2 Take one original document from list A and one from list B to your Branch Secretary or any of the above approvedpersons listed below:-

● Delegated Officer of the Branch● Divisional Organiser● Executive Committee Member● Credit Union Officer● Post Master / Sub Post Master ■ Person with honours / peerage● Authorised Financial Intermediary ■ Full Time Trade Union Official● Councillor (local or county) ■ Member of Parliament● Minister of Religion ■ Justice of the Peace● Commissioner for oaths ■ Lawyer● Banker ■ Teacher● Doctor ■ Accountant● Police Officer ■ Dentist

The Branch Secretary or other approved person will check the original documentation; will take a photocopy, sign, and Branchstamp.All proof of identity / address must bear your name, and not be solely in the name of partner etc; but can be in addition totheir name.

Satisfactory proof of identity will include, but not be limited to the following:

LIST (A)Current signed Passport.Current Full UK old style Driving Licence (not old style Provisional Licence) [if not used as evidence of address].Original Inland Revenue tax notification e.g. tax assessment, statement of account, notice of coding – valid for current year.Pension Book or Benefits Book or original notification letter from the Benefits Agency confirming your right to benefits (if not used as evidence of address).Shotgun or firearms certificate.ID pass and safety cards for the following companies: Network Rail, Trans Pennine Express, Central Trains Discharge Book (shippers only - current).

Satisfactory proof of address will include, but not be limited to the following:

LIST (B)Original Local Authority Council Tax bill valid for the current year.Current UK photo card Driving Licence.Current Full UK old style Driving Licence (not old style Provisional Licence).A Utility Bill e.g. Electricity, Gas, Water or Telephone bills. These must be originals and less than 3 months old. Mobile ‘phone bills are NOT acceptable.Bank, building society or credit union statement – within last 3 months.Mortgage statement from a recognised lender – within last 12 months.Pension Book or Benefits Book or original notification letter from the Benefits Agency confirming your right to benefits (if not used as evidence of address).Original Inland Revenue tax notification, letter, notice of coding, P60 or P45.Original housing association or letting agency tenancy agreement.Local council rent card or tenancy agreementOriginal Solicitor’s letter confirming recent house purchase or Land Registry confirmation.Household and motor Insurance certificates - current

HOW TO JOIN THE CREDIT UNIONTo join the RMT Credit Union you need to fill in anapplication form and supply us with proof of your identityand address. Being an existing RMT member, you maywonder why we need proof of who you are and where youlive. It is because the Financial Services Authority, in an

attempt to combat Money Laundering, has imposed strictidentification rules on anyone wishing to open a Bank orBuilding Society account. Unfortunately, it has applied thesame rules and regulations to Credit Unions.

Credit Union accounts may only be opened and transactions accepted when verification of identity and address has been completed and cross-referenced against RMTmembership.We are using the method of Direct Debit only and money will be deducted from your bank account on the 28th of each month. Please return completed forms and IDdocumentation, as we need to make sure you comply with the money laundering regulations. Failing to complete all forms and ID documentation will delay us from setting upyour savings account.

MEMBERSHIP NUMBER

Finance Department, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JDRMT CREDIT UNION APPLICATION FORM – please complete your

application along with the attached Direct Debit.

P l e a s e u s e B L O C K C A P I TA L S and black ink.

1 PERSONAL DETAILS.

Surname Address

Forename(s)

Home phone

Mobile phone Postcode

Email address

Date of Birth National Insurance Number

2 Your Employment.

Employer RMT Branch

Job Description

3 Mr Mrs Ms Miss

4 Membership Status

RMT TU Member Retired RMT TU Member

5 How much do you wish to save £ This is the amount you wish to save in ‘shareholdings’ monthly by

Direct Debit (you must complete form below)

6 Normally your payments are made once a month (28th) to RMT Credit Union Ltd.

7 Next of Kin .....................................................................................

Address .....................................................................................

.....................................................................................

.....................................................................................

8 I undertake to abide by the rules now in force or those that are adopted.

Your signature Date

Instruction to your Bank orBuilding Society to pay by Direct Debit

Please fill in the whole form including official use box using a ball point pen andSend to: RMT Credit Union Ltd., 39 Charlton Street, London NW1 1JD

Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society

Originator’s Identification Number

Reference Number

FOR RMT CREDIT UNION LTD OFFICIAL USE ONLYThis is not part of the the instruction to your Bank or Building Society.

To: The Manager Bank/Building Society

Address

Postcode

Signature(s)

Date

Name(s) of Account Holder(s)

Bank/Building Society account number

Branch Sort Code

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society.Please pay RMT Credit Union Ltd Direct Debits for the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguardsassured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with RMT Credit Union Ltd, ifso, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions from some types of account

This guarantee should be detached and retained by the Payer.

The Direct Debit Guarantee● This guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that take part in the Direct Debit Scheme.The efficiency and security of the scheme is monitored and protected by your own Bank or

Building Society.● If the amounts to be paid or the payment date changes, RMT Credit Union Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed● If an error is made by RMT Credit Union Ltd or your Bank or Building Society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid● You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by writing to your Bank or Building Society. Please also send a copy of your letter to us.

✂

9 7 4 2 8 1

RMT CREDIT UNION LTD.

39

The RMT Credit Union could help you get away from it all

• You only pay back one per cent a month on a reducing balance

• It’s friendly and informal

• It’s non-profit-making

Your Credit Union is run by RMT members for RMT members

For more information phone 020 7529 8835 or e-mail [email protected]

You can apply for a loan based on three times your savings

Documents

Essential reading for today’s transport worker On the · Essential reading for today’s transport worker ISSUE NUMBER 6, VOLUME 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE... JULY/AUGUST 2005 On the front