RMT News April 2016

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ISSUE NUMBER 4, VOLUME 19

Essential reading for today’s transport worker

APRIL 2016

www.rmt.org.ukwww.rmmttt.ooorrrggg.uukk

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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] Theinformation contained in this publication is believed to be correct but cannotbe guaranteed. All rights reserved. RMT News is designed by BighandCreative and printed by Leycol Printers. General editor: Mick Cash.Managing editor: Brian Denny. No part of this document may be reproducedwithout prior written approval of RMT. No liability is accepted for any errorsor omissions. Copyright RMT 2016

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2016 :: RMTnews

3

Your union is campaigning for aLeave vote in the referendum on

membership of the European Unionwhich is to take place on June 23.

RMT and its predecessor the NUR hasa longstanding and principled oppositionto this country’s membership of the EUand the Common Market before that onthe basis that it has a negative impacton industry and for workers.

Delegates to the 1979 NUR annualgeneral meeting at Paignton backed amotion from Sheffield City branch tocampaign for UK withdrawal, a policythat has been reaffirmed time and againup to the present day.

This is because members see theimpact of EU policies of liberalisationand deregulation, gleefully imposed bypro-EU Tory governments over theintervening period, which has devastatedone industry after another.

The implementation of rail directive91/440 by Tory prime minister JohnMajor in 1996 which broke up andprivatised British Rail with disastrousresults is just one example of the bonfireof public services demanded by the EUin the name of profit.

The EU has also promoted theundercutting of wages and socialdumping leading to the decimation ofUK seafaring jobs and the same is nowhappening in the offshore sector. EUdirectives also require the tendering ourpublic ferry services.

Today more and more workers are

suffering from the results of thesepolicies with continual attacks onmembers’ jobs, wages and terms andconditions.

The latest example of this is the factthat Arriva, a subsidiary of DeutscheBahn, has taken over the Northern Railfranchise, exposing the nonsense ofGerman state operator DB taking overservices at the expense of investment inBritish railways.

These moves also bring the threat ofDriver Only Operation, the sacking ofthe guards, rail safety, jobs and frontline passenger services.

Some may argue that it is better tostay inside and fight for somethingbetter but, as we have seen, that isimpossible as, under the Lisbon Treaty,any changes must be agreed by all 28member states which is never going tohappen.

So Vote Leave on June 23.Congratulations to members that

work for ISS on the Virgin East Coastcontract at Kings Cross after winningmajor concessions from the employersfollowing the threat of further strikeaction.

It was only this pressure frommembers and reps at the workplacebacked by a strong union prepared totake action that won this result.

You are an inspiration for the widertrade union movement in the fight fordignity and respect at work.

contents

When you have finished with this magazine give it to aworkmate who is not in your union. Even better, ask them tojoin RMT by filling in the application form opposite

VOTELEAVE

Page 4 SOLID PICCADILLY STRIKE ACTIONPage 5 VICTORY ON ISS VIRGIN EAST COASTCONTRACTPage 6 RMT OPPOSES COASTGUARD AGENCYCLOSURES Page 7 NORTHERN RAIL HANDED TODEUTSCHE BAHNPage 8SIX REASONS TO LEAVE THE EU

Page 9PARLIAMENTARY COLUMN

Page 10SUPERVISORY AND CLERICAL GRADESORGANISEPage 12BUS WORKERS RESIST ATTACKS Page 14NO TO BUS FRANCHISING Page 15NUS 1966 STRIKE 4 PAGE PULL OUT

Page 19ORGANISING AT SERCO NORTHLINKFERRIES Page 20EDUCATING FOR ACTION Page 24RMT AND NEW YORK’S TWU LOCAL 100SHOULDER TO SHOULDERPage 26RMT BEMAC CONFERENCEPage 27PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Page 29MEDWAY MEETING Page 30CROSSWORD

EDITORIAL


4

After a union-led campaignto stop the axing of the

specialist policing unit whichinvestigates sexual offences onthe Tube led to the plans beingshelved, RMT has demanded thatmore staff be hired to stop thesurge of sexual assaults onLondon’s transport services.

In a statement the BritishTransport Police said that it had"unintentionally causedconcern" by suggesting a newoperating model, which meantall officers would investigatesexual offences.

The BTP said it would nowcarry out an "urgent review" ofits plans. – whilst that move iswelcome RMT has said that therewill be no let up and that theunion will campaign for morestaff, both BTP and directlyemployed by LU, on stations andplatforms and a reversal of thecurrent station staffing cuts.

The number of sex crimesreported on London Transportrose by over a third last year.

Figures released recentlyshowed that between April andDecember 2015, police received

1,603 reports, compared with1,117 complaints in the sameperiod the year before and aninternal risk assessment byTransport for London (TfL) hasalso suggested that theintroduction of the Night Tubewill lead to a rise in sexualoffences on the Underground.

RMT general secretary MickCash said that while the shelvingof plans to axe the specialistsexual offences unit is awelcome move it is not the endof the campaign.

“RMT is demanding that the

proposals be scrappedcompletely and the plannedstation and platform staffingcuts be reversed.

“High visibility staffingacross the tube network,working with the BTP, is crucialif we are to tackle the surge insexual crimes on LondonUnderground.

“RMT will continue to fightde-staffing and the moves to afaceless tube and rail networkwhich gives a green light to thethugs, criminals and abusers,” hesaid.

Strike action by drivers onthe Piccadilly Line was

rock-solid last month in adispute over bullying andharrassment of staff that hasled to a complete breakdownin industrial relations.

All services were suspended

throughout the day.RMT said that responsibility

for the strike and the ensuingdisruption rested squarely withthe LU management who hadallowed a culture of bullyingand harassment of staff tobuild up as drivers had been

subjected to the abuse andmisuse of disciplinaryprocesses and left to take therap for systemic failures withthe aging Piccadilly Line fleet.

RMT general secretary MickCash congratulated themembers involved for the

rock-solid and determinedsupport.

“They are making a standagainst bullying, the rippingup of procedures and indefence of the safety of staffand passengers alike,” he said.

SOLID PICCADILLYSTRIKE ACTION

SCRAP TUBE POLICING CUTS


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Earlier this month theTransport for London Bill

had its third reading – a Billwhich RMT has slammed as a“multi-billion pound rip offtailored yet again to the tax-dodging, global super-rich”.

The Bill was introduced intoParliament to help TfLmaximise, at all costs, theprofits that it makes fromdeveloping its property.

Specifically, under clause 5of the bill, TfL would have beenable to enter into novelcompany structures – includingopaque, tax avoiding offshorestructures known as “limitedpartnerships”. Limitedpartnerships are well-knownvehicles for laundering capitaland were used recently todefraud the Moldovan CentralBank of millions.

RMT in conjunction withAndy Slaughter MP, John

McDonnell MP, and numerousother labour MPs and the SaveEarls Court Campaign combinedtogether to petition against theBill and try to prevent the mostill-conceived aspects of it frombecoming law.

As a result TfL finallyconceded defeat on clause 5and abandoned its attempt toacquire the power to enter intolimited partnerships. However,it persists with the remainder ofthe bill.

The union has undertakenfurther investigation into howTfL was persuaded to engage inthe development of the EarlsCourt site – the model forfuture TfL development. Afteran examination of Capco’s (theproperty developer behind EarlsCourt construction) annualreport, new concerns havearisen.

Specifically, a note in Capco

annual report causes the unionto believe that the TfL Bill stillhas potential for TfL to giveaway its assets too cheaply andtoo riskily. In the case of EarlsCourt, TfL has already investednearly £400 million in EarlsCourt Partnership Limited non-interest bearing loan notes –notes which are not redeemableuntil 2064.

Under clause 4(2) of the TfLBill, TfL would be able topermit “charges” to be enteredagainst its property as a way offunding joint propertydevelopment. To raise financemore cheaply, TfL would beable to mortgage its assets tofund property developmentactivities.

There is a fresh financialcrisis brewing – meaning thatthere is an increased risk ofcorporate defaults – especiallyin the over-leveraged property

sector. TfL is entering theproperty development game atprecisely the wrong momentand in precisely the wrong way.

RMT general secretary MickCash said that the withdrawalof central government financialsupport for TfL was forcing itto risk its assets in complexproperty gambles no matterhow dodgy and no matter whatthe real cost to Londoners.”

“The construction firms withwhich TfL plans to engage, arerunning rings around TfL,helping the haplessorganisation offload its primeLondon assets at well below themarket rate.

“We have no confidence inTfL to be able to secure a fairprice for its land – and ourconcerns are borne out by itsdreadful governance failures inrelation to the development ofEarls Court,” he said.

RMT members working forglobal facilities giant ISS

on the Virgin East Coastcontract at Kings Crosssuspended further strike actionearlier this month after winningmajor concessions from theemployers.

RMT had been in disputeover a wide range of pay andconditions grievances oversome time and members hadtaken successful strike action.

As a result ISS finallyagreed to address the coreissues of the dispute and hasagreed to separate information

on the basic pay rate fromovertime and to be shownclearly on payslips.

The company also agreed toestablish the threshold forearly/late clock-ins to ensurethere was no unfair deductionpractice and to conduct jointrisk assessments with appointedRMT health and safety repsspecifically to assess the use ofthe back packs and the safeworking practices.

It was also agreed toestablish a schedule andconduct regular monthlyindustrial relations meetings

with the RMT reps.ISS also agreed to a

complete review of the Tankingprocess Tanking – filling thetrain up with water – and thenumber of staff employed.

This review will coverstaffing and working practicesof the Tanking and should becompleted in a month’s time.

RMT general secretary MickCash congratulated everyoneinvolved in defence of key staffthat prepared Virgin trains atthe world-famous Kings Crossstation.

“This pressure from members

and reps has achieved somemajor concessions which wouldnot have been achieved withoutthe backing of a strong unionprepared to take action indefence of its members.

“Our members have engagedin a brave and unified battleagainst this out-sourcing giantand they are an inspiration forthe wider trade unionmovement in the fight fordignity and respect at work,”he said.

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON BILL –A MULTI-BILLION POUND RIP OFF

VICTORY ON ISS VIRGINEAST COAST CONTRACT


6

RMT stated its opposition tothe Maritime and

Coastguard Agency’s plans toreduce the national network ofMarine Offices by 2019 throughclosures.

Under the plans Tyne andPlymouth will close next year,Beverley, Harwich andOrpington will close in 2018and Norwich will be shut by2019.

Marine Offices provideessential administrative andtechnical support to seafarerRatings and Officers,particularly in keepingdocumentation updated andproviding services such as eyesight tests.

They also provide a base,

equipment store and otherservices for MCA surveyors andinspectors who handlethousands of inspections ofdomestic and international shipsevery year which includescarrying out the UK’s Port StateControl responsibilities requiredunder international law.

The MCA propose a numberof changes to its workingpractices, including moving itsSeafarers Documentation Systemonline, a database of surveyorcompetence and outsourcing ofsurvey and inspection work to‘Recognised Organisations’ andRed Ensign Groupadministrations.

These proposals clearlyamount to an attack on seafarer

support and a major de-regulation in survey standards.This government is once againputting the demands ofinternational ship owners,operators and financiers abovethe needs of UK seafarers.

RMT general secretary MickCash said that the MCA’s MarineOffice closure plans were on apar with dangerous cuts tocoastguards and local taxoffices.

“These plans wouldjeopardise the UK’s ability tooperate a safe and secure portsnetwork, as well as the futureprovision of seafarer services.

“RMT will fight to keep theMarine Office in Tyne andelsewhere open, to safeguard the

future of seafarer services andto promote fast and effectivecertification of ships workingfrom UK ports,” he said.

RMT national secretary SteveTodd said that the MCA hadonly allowed one month for thisconsultation which containsvery serious proposals for thefuture shape and accessibility ofthe services Marine Officesprovide for seafarers and MCASurveyors and Inspectors.

“RMT has requested that theMCA extend this consultationbut the fact remains that theregulator is seeking to reduceaccess to seafarer services andto outsource vessel Survey andInspection work to the privatesector,” he said.

RMT OPPOSESCOASTGUARDAGENCY CLOSURES

CALMAC: RMT activists joined a Keep Calmac Public protest at the company headquarters in Gourock this month as part of the union's continuing fight to keep the life-line ferryservices in public hands.

HANDS OFF CAL MAC!


7

RMT marked the first day ofArriva, a subsidiary of DeutscheBahn, taking over the NorthernRail franchise by exposing thenonsense of German stateoperator DB taking over servicesat the expense of investment inBritish railways.

RMT also ramped up thecampaign against the threat ofDriver Only Operation, thesacking of the guards, to railsafety, jobs and front linepassenger services.

RMT handed out leaflets inManchester, Newcastle andLeeds where activists raised

ceremonial German State flagsto symbolise the contradictionof a government opposed toBritish state ownership of ourrailways but allowing theGerman state to bleed franchisesdry.

RMT general secretary MickCash said that it may have beenApril Fool’s Day but it was nojoke for railways across theNorth to have their services setup for plundering by DeutscheBahn at the expense ofinvestment here.

“It makes a total mockery ofGeorge Osborne’s “Northern

Powerhouse” nonsense.“This rotten Tory

government, opposed to Britishpublic ownership of ourrailways, have now awarded theNorthern franchise to theGerman state railway companygiving them the opportunity tobleed away millions in profits tosubsidise their domesticoperations,” he said.

A German Transport Ministryspokesperson admitted to such astrategy in reference to its state-owned company Deutsche Bahnsaying: “We're skimming profitfrom the entire Deutsche Bahn

and ensuring that it is anchoredin our budget - that way we canmake sure it is invested in therail network here in Germany”.

On top of that safe operationis threatened as DB swing theaxe over the heads of safety-critical members and RMT saidthat it would be stepping up thefight to defend those jobs,defend quality services anddemand public ownership and aPeople’s Railway for the North.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbynhas pledged his full support forthe campaign over Northern Railjobs, services and safety.

Union vows to fight to protect guards, railsafety, jobs and services

NORTHERN RAIL HANDED TODEUTSCHE BAHNS

1 LEAVE THE EU TO END ATTACKS ON TRANSPORT WORKERS European Union rail policies further entrench rail privatisation and fragmentation. That will

mean more attacks or jobs and conditions and EU law will make it impossible to bring all of rail back into public ownership.

2 LEAVE THE EU TO END ATTACKS ON SEAFARERS AND THE OFFSHORE WORKERS The EU has promoted undercutting and social dumping leading to the decimation of UK

seafarers’ jobs. The same is now happening in the offshore sector. EU directives also require the tendering our public ferry services.

3 LEAVE THE EU TO END ATTACKS ON WORKERS’ RIGHTS It’s a myth that the EU is in favour of workers. In fact the EU is attacking trade union

rights, collective bargaining, job protections and wages. This is already being enforced onto member states which have received EU “bailouts”. EU courts have also ruled that employers’ rights to ‘establishment’ overrule employment rights.

4 LEAVE THE EU TO END AUSTERITY If you join a union you expect members of the union to protect each other in times of

trouble. The European Union has done the opposite. It has used the economic crisis to impose austerity and privatisation on member states. Instead of protecting jobs and investment, EU austerity is driving UK austerity.

5 LEAVE THE EU TO STOP THE ATTACK ON OUR NHS The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) trade agreement being negoti-

ated between the EU and the United States will promote big business at the expense of government protections and public service organisations including our NHS! Environ-mental regulations, employment rights, food safety, privacy laws and many other safe-guards will also be secondary to the right of corporations to make even bigger profits.

6 LEAVE THE EU TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY The vast majority of the laws that affects our lives are now made in the EU and not the

UK. We have no democratic say over those Laws. As the late Tony Benn said in 1991:

“We are discussing whether the British people are to be allowed to elect those who make the laws under which they are governed. The argument is nothing to do with whether we should get more maternity leave from Madame Papandreou [a European Commissioner]”.

Six reasons to vote to leave the EU on June 23


8

RMT will be promoting the six key pointsdirect to members across all sectors of thetransport industry.RMT general secretary Mick Cash said thatRMT is proud of its long-standingtradition of progressive opposition to theEuropean Union, an organisation wedded

to privatisation, austerity and attackingdemocracy.It would be ludicrous for a union like oursto support staying in a bosses club thatseeks to ban the public ownership of ourrailways, attacks the shipping andoffshore sectors and embraces the

privatisation of the NHS and otheressential services that our membersdepend on.“RMT has set out the six core reasons forour members to vote to leave and we willbe campaigning hard on this platform,” hesaid.


A packed Action for Rail meeting inManchester on the eve of the transfer ofNorthern Rail to the German staterailway last month heard Labourshadow rail minister Andy McDonaldMP say how proud he was that Labour’sfirst policy announcement under JeremyCorbyn was to say that Labour wouldbring the railways back under publicownership. He read out a solidarity message fromJeremy: “I am sorry that I cannot bewith you but please on behalf of theLabour Party accept my full support inyour fight to protect rail jobs andservices.

“We fully support your campaign tooppose driver-only operation onNorthern and cuts to station staff andrail ticket offices.

“Labour wants what passengers and railworkers want, that is to protect thesafety of stations and trains and properstaffing to provide assistance andassurance to passengers and a properlyfunded railway with fair fares, that’s why

Labour is also committed to a publiclyowned railway”. RMT general secretary Mick Cash alsomade it clear that Rail North was not theanswer to the region’s problems with itscurrent poor rail service and outdatedtrains.

“When you get a gift from a Tory ministerall you are getting is the grief thatcomes with implementing Tory cuts.

“And that’s what this is about, localisingthe cuts while the profits will helpfinance Deutsche Bahn and this is notthe answer!” he said to cheers.ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelansaid how the industry needed to havepeople with the skills to travel safely ontrains. Referring to the joint agreement with theRMT on Driver Only Operation (DOO) hesaid: “I say quite clearly to everyone inthis room, I started as a guard, mypresident started as a guard and we willhave a guard on every train”. RMT parliamentary group member Lisa

Nandy MP for Wigan was also forthrightthat privatisation and outsourcing “is notjust a battle for jobs, as important asthat is, this is a battle against the kind oflow paid, low skilled and insecureeconomy this government is determinedto create”. She reflected on Arriva, recently thrownoff the Tyne and Wear Metro contract,and said that it “is not an accident,whether in the nuclear industry, steel orthe railways, we have a government thatis perfectly happy to have any othergovernment run our services but not theBritish government.

“These proposals, these choices are badfor customers, bad for staff, bad for therailways and bad for this country andwe have a different vision for ourrailways.

“To see profits re-invested in publicservices and rail services operated inpublic hands and to ensure they are runfor people and not for private profit.Let’s stick together, fight together andwin together,” she said.

BRING BACK RAILSAYS LABOUR

9

Parliamentary column


10

SUPERVISORY ANDCLERICAL GRADES

ORGANISE


11

Delegates to the industrialorganising conference ofsupervisory, clerical and othersalaried grades debated ways toimprove union membership,branch attendance and buildingan activists base.

Kevin Hall of the union’sorganising unit opened theworkshop session by outliningthe problems facing the gradeas a result of theimplementation of the infamousMcNulty report.

“Ticket offices have beenhardest hit with closures andrestrictions in opening hoursalthough the union is fightingback where possible andkeeping offices open,” he said.

Assistant general secretarySteve Hedley said that it wasimportant that branchesundertake mapping exercises toreveal the density ofmembership.

“We need to increase ourmembership in ticket offices asthese are on the front line ofcuts, not one ticket office issafe.

“The easiest way to do this isto look at the rosters andcompare with your RMTmembership list,” he said.

Kevin Hall said that therewas a mapping templateavailable from the organisingunit which is readily available.

Mike Sargent, Dover districtsaid that it was important forthe union to attend inductioncourses put on for new staff.

“Hundreds of people gothrough these courses and weshould be there explaining thebenefits of trade unionmembership,” he said.

Brian Woods, Feltham saidthat local industrial reps shouldbe attending grades conferencesin order to get a better pictureof what is going on at theworkplace.

“This would have a positiveimpact on all transport grades,”he said.

Mike Riley, Waterloo said

that branches should beensuring that local reps get togrades conferences.

“If health and safety reps getrelease for their respectiveconference then so should localreps.

“We should be saying youcan’t be a rep unless you attendunion meetings,” he said.

Jennifer Gray, Bristol saidthat members should be beingtold that it is in their intereststo get involved.

“If you want to seeimprovements in the grade thengo to your grades conference,”he said.

Steve Hedley said that thenational executive committeewas reviewing the union’sorganising strategy includingthe fact the regional organisersshould make sure that local repsare in place.

“That means getting trainedreps in place and getting themthrough the union’s educationcentre,” he said.

Conference discussed amotion highlighting theincreasing attacks on the role ofthe ticket office staff.

“A further problem is the factthat a number of franchiseagreements – includingSoutheastern for example -contain a clause thatendeavours to indemnify thecompany against any lossesincurred through industrialaction,” he said.

Conference agreed that theone of the greatest assets theunion had on its side was thesupport of the public.

Delegates called on theunion to undertake case studieswhere community campaigninghad been successful.

A good example was themassive RMT-led campaignwhich led to the Board ofLondon TravelWatch opposingall of the Govia ThameslinkRailways proposals to shut orchange opening hours at ticketoffices in London.

GTR’s proposals would haveseen ticket office closures at 41stations in the LondonTravelWatch area and reducedthe hours at a further 14stations.

Thousands of passengers sentin RMT postcards in oppositionto the proposals. The union alsomade direct representations inwriting and at the Boardmeeting.

RMT president Sean Hoylesaid that in light of the decisionby London Travel Watch, GTRshould drop what the union hascalled unworkable, unsafe andunpopular proposals.

“The fight goes on and willnot stop until the whole closureplan is scrapped,” he said.

Conference also called on theunion to address the situationwhere clerical officers wereasked to perform duties bymanagers, which were not partof their job specifications,which can put them at risk.

Mike Sargent also warnedthat there was an increasingnumber of on line TOC advancesales being available to thepublic that are not availablethrough ticket office sales.

“Unlike most other advancesales, these cannot be issuedthrough STAR and are onlyavailable on line.

“As a result staff areexpected to advertise theseoffers through marketingposters at their stations, makingticket office clerks complicit intheir own demise.

“This marketing strategy willbe used by the TOC's tohighlight increasing on linessales and be used as a stick tobeat us with,” he said.

Conference agreed that thismethod of sale alsodiscriminated against manytypes of passenger as well asticket office staff and called onthe union to establish anational fight back against thepractice.

Organising conference of supervisory,clerical and other salaried gradesdiscuss building the union


12

BUSWORKERS

RESISTATTACKS

The 73rd annual conference ofbus workers meeting in Torquaydebated the uncertainty of thepending Buses Bill, attacks onunion representatives and theintention of the Torygovernment to withdraw theright to pay subscriptions directfrom their pay; the so-called‘check-off’ arrangement.

The withdrawal of the checkoff facility via the proposedlegislation contained with theTrade Union Bill prompted aresolution from South DevonBus branch calling upon theunion to put in place anemergency programme tomitigate the effects and anysubsequent decline in unionmembership. Paul Rossister,South Devon Bus said:“Membership numbers will dropand we don’t want to have tochase people for money but weneed to encourage members tosign up for direct debit”.

As part of his address toconference general secretaryMick Cash spoke about both theTrade Union Bill and ‘check-off’.

“The Trade Union Bill is themost pernicious and deviouspiece of legislation againstworking people we have everseen, it is designed to stop

people organising and fightingpolitically and industrially; it isabout neutering us.

“It is about stopping ourmandate and not being able tofight against the government,”he said.

Mick urged delegates toconsider how they can bestutilise health and safetylegislation should the currentlylegal option for industrial actionbe removed from our armoury.He also drew comparison to thestruggle of the suffragettes whenhe urged government to “makelaws we can respect “.

Mick Cash further announceda campaign specific to the‘check-off’ issue by persuadingpeople currently using thismethod to sign up now forpayment by direct debit:

“This will have a massiveimpact for us as a trade union,public sector workers will losecheck-off, as will those memberswho are deemed to provide apublic service, such as busworkers. This is a maliciouspiece of legislation that is anti-working-class and I urgemembers to sign up for directdebit,” he said.

A South Devon Bus motionhighlighted concerns about

Bus workersdiscuss continued

attacks on reps andon terms and

conditions


13

changes to the retirement ageand how this may have adetrimental effect on busdrivers.

“Bus drivers suffer healthissues and as you get older youget different ailments and so acampaign is needed to assess ifthere are safety issues arisingfrom driving passengers after acertain age,” Paul Rossister said.

Another mtion from SouthDevon Bus tabled by MarkThomas raised concerns aboutbus and coach drivers’ cabs andcalled for them to be recognisedas their place ofwork/employment rather thanbeing the place at which theyreport for work.

Mark called for the launch ofa national campaign to gain thisrecognition as this would ensurethat health and safetylegislation concerning theworkplace would then have toapply to drivers’ cabs. This issueis particularly pertinent duringwinter months when cabs cantake an extremely long time towarm up, resulting in driversworking in freezing conditionsand being unable to feel theirfingers and toes or to maintainproper concentration.

Jamie Nicholls, Exeter No: 2recalled a time that he strappeda thermometer to his ankleduring a cold snap and itregistered temperatures of -17°in his cab: “Buses have to bewarm for passengers so why notstaff?”, he asked.

A guest speaker atconference was the TrafficCommissioner for the west ofEngland, Sarah Bell who spokeabout the role and what ‘good’looks like and road safety. Withregard to this specific resolution,and health and safety in thecab, she suggested contactingthe local Traffic Commissionerto ask them to examine theissue from an operatorslicensing perspective.

Dean Rose, Wimbledon spokeon behalf of an emergencyresolution tabled about CIRAS;the Confidential IncidentReporting and Analysis System,which the branch would like buscompanies and local authoritiesto implement and adopt withintheir transport strategies.

Transport for Londonadopted CIRAS for Busoperators within the capital inJanuary 2016 and it has beenutilised by train operating

companies for some time. Deanspoke about the benefits tomembers this system wouldrealise and called upon the RMTParliamentary group to lobbyfor CIRAS to be included in theforthcoming Buses Bill.

Mick Cash introduced theannual conference decisionsmade last year to implementrule changes to so thatconferences can betterstructured and focus on themain priorities of how the unioncan organise and fight.

“We cannot do a job of workif we do not have members, sowe are in your hands”, he said.

This pre-empted a livelydebate, prompted by conferencepresident Dave Gilbey, whoinstigated a “discussion aboutthe future of the conference;what do you want to see, whatdo you want to achieve”?Numerous suggestions and ideaswere forthcoming from the floorand these will now beconsidered by the conferenceliaison committee.

RMT assistant generalsecretary Mick Lynch advisedconference that health andsafety regulations will becomemore influential once the new

Trade Union Bill comes in. “We will take on companies

over drivers working hours andif we don’t get sufficient timefor breaks we will use whatevermeans we can.

“Employers will not besympathetic to our claims so wehave to take them on via Healthand Safety legislation and otherindustrial measures.

“The forthcoming Buses Bill(see overleaf) will be aboutcompanies and their ability tomake profits and will suit theiragendas.

“If we are to win theargument about publicownership then this will mean adecrease in their companyprofits and so they will come atus over terms and conditions,”he said.

Mick promised that that theunion wouldfight the driverlessbus agenda and spoke of howthe ‘Green Road / Eco-Driver’schemes were established to“prove the bus companies greencredentials but, in reality, theywant it to save on fuel pricesbut that they won’t pass thesesavings on to our members interms of wages,” he said.


14

RMT has warned that thegovernment is set to publish

a Buses Bill designed to exportthe disastrous franchising modelfrom the railways onto Britain’sbuses.

The current system ofderegulated bus services,whereby a bus company canstart or stop working a route atwill, has resulted in a chaoticand unfocused network.

In some locations, passengershave voted with their feet,shunning overpriced andinfrequent services offered byprofiteering companies for othermodes of transport.

There is now a stark contrastbetween the areas where buspatronage under a deregulatedcommercially-focused system isdeclining, with the booming busfleets owned and controlledmunicipally.

Rather than replicating themany successful examples ofmunicipally owned andcontrolled fleets, instead thegovernment is set to introduce,via its Buses Bill, yet anothersystem of organising thenetwork – franchising.

Franchising is a system underwhich the right to operateroutes is the subject of bids bycompanies.

The fact that the governmentis now set to proposefranchising for buses –replicating the same disastroussystem used to organise theUK’s expensive and bureaucraticrail network – demonstrates aspectacular inability orunwillingness to learn from pastmistakes.

Franchising also results inconsiderable uncertainty forworkers who face beingtransferred between companies

at regular intervals. Employment terms and

conditions (not pensions) aregenerally protected bylegislation known as TUPE.However TUPE does not applyin all situations and recent courtdecisions have diluted the levelof protection that TUPEprovides.

RMT has made it clear thatthe union would not acceptmembers being ping pongedbetween employers, with eachnew company taking pot shotsat their terms and conditions.

Bus workers operate understressful and difficult conditions,frequently not being able toleave their cab for hours at atime.

Bus franchising is onlyexpected to be attractive inurban areas of a certain size.Specifically, only localauthorities with sufficientconfidence, funds and expertiseto navigate the time-consumingand legalistic process are

expected to attempt franchising.The result is that services in

other areas will be left to rotwith passengers in rural andsuburban areas having norespite from the spiral of cuts tofinancial support to servicesprovided by government.

The government’s tinkering isoccurring against a backdrop ofrecord profits for buscompanies. Bus companies -having cashed in on historicallylow fuel prices and divied theirsavings out to shareholders –are declining to pass on thebenefits to passengers in theform of lower fares or expandedservices [1].

RMT general secretary MickCash welcomed the admissionby the government that the wayin which the bus sector iscurrently organised is failing.

“Given a growing population,environmental priorities and theneed to tackle road congestion,buses should be thriving.Instead greedy companies

continue to suck the life out ofthe bus sector, such that it onlynow survives on receipts fromconcessionary fares.

“That the government isimplementing yet anothermanagement consultant inspiredshake-up of the sector, amountsto yet another attack on life-linebus services which will leavethousands more trapped in theirhomes.

“We will resist any attemptto put our members’ terms andconditions on the choppingboard – especially as buscompanies have been raking inyet larger profits on the back ofcheaper fuel prices.

“As our experience from therail sector amplifies, franchisingis not the answer. Instead, wecall for bus fleets to bemunicipally owned andoperated,” he said.

(1)The amount paid for diesel by Go-Ahead is dropping from 50.5p per litre(2014) to 35p per litre (2018) – a savingof tens of millions of pounds every year.

NO TO BUSFRANCHISING


15

A memorial 4 page pull-out of the 1966 NUS strike


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TURNING THE TIDE RMT celebrates 50th anniversary of the

seamen’s strike which shaped modernmaritime trade unionism


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In May 1966 the National Unionof Seamen voted to go on strikefor a forty-hour week at sea.This was the first official strikeby the NUS since 1911. Itthreatened to break the Labourgovernment’s incomes policy,and Harold Wilson alleged thatthe strike was led by “a tightlyknit group of politicallymotivated men.” For NUSmembers it demonstrated thatthe union was now a proper,active union working for themembers and not the ship-owners.

The NUS was controlled by ageneral secretary, who waselected for life and whoappointed all union officials.Despite the union’s strength, ithad a history of compromisewith owners. The lawsgoverning merchant seamenwere draconian. The MerchantShipping Act gave total powerto the owners. Refusal to obey acommand could meanimprisonment, whether the shipwas at sea or in port. Desertinga ship was a criminal offence.Consequently, striking was alsoa crime.

Seamen had been excludedfrom the Trade Disputes Act(1906). They had to sign onships and at the end of avoyage sign off. The captainmade a report in the seaman’sdischarge book on behaviourduring the voyage: this could beVG (very good) or DR (declineto report). The discharge bookhad to be shown at the time ofsigning on the next ship, so aDR mark could severely restrict,

or end, a career as a seafarer. The NUS had eighty

thousand members in Britainand Ireland. By 1960 wages forseamen had fallen behind theaverage rate for land-basedworkers. Seamen were workinga basic week of fifty-six hoursat sea before becoming entitledto overtime.

NUS members had beenpassing resolutions since the1950s trying to get the basicweek down to forty-four hoursat sea. The union conference inMay 1960 had agreed on aworking week of forty-fourhours and a pay increase.

Early in July fourseamen were logged forinsolence for playing guitars onboard the Carinthian, a ship inthe Cunard line, while in port inLiverpool. On 6 July twohundred seamen walked off inprotest.

By 11 July the Times reportedthat the unofficial strike was sixdays old, was costing £100,000a day, had fifteen ships tied upand 1,500 men out. The strikerssent delegates to other ports tospread the strike and to Londonto lobby Merseyside MPs.

The strike now spreadbeyond Liverpool to portsthroughout Britain and Ireland.The Liverpool Strike Committeewas replaced by the NationalSeamen’s Reform Movement,with Patrick Neary fromWaterford as chairman.

On the 13th the Cunardcompany took out injunctionsagainst Neary and WilliamEdward Williams, another strike

leader, restraining them from“inciting or persuading andfrom conspiring with oneanother or with others, andfrom doing any act or takingany steps to incite or persuadeseamen in the employ of theCunard Steamship Company Ltdto break their contracts ofemployment with them or tocommit breaches of theMerchant Shipping Act (1894)

whereby the company’s shipscannot proceed to sea orotherwise fulfil the contractsand purposes of the company.”

In effect the company wasusing its property rights toblock the strikers, in exactly thesame way that property rightsare used in Ireland to protectcapital and restrict trade unions.

Neary was sent to prison forbreaking the injunction on 23August. He was expelled fromthe NUS in 1961 and blacklisted,along with his sixteen-year-oldson.

This strike exposed the shamof bourgeois democracy. Theship-owners, with the assistanceof the state, were able to deprivea trade unionist of his liberty,his livelihood and his right tofree speech while they protectedtheir property rights. Theemployers, with the assistanceof the courts, attempted to crushthis trade unionist and reducehim to a state of poverty fortrying to improve workingconditions.


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Turning the Tide is a pamphletspecially commissioned by RMTto mark the 50th anniversary ofthe 1966 seamen’s strike and toensure that a new generation oftrade unionists can understandthe background of thisimportant dispute and learn thelessons from it that resonatewith our work today.

The pamphlet has beenwritten by former NUS staffmember Jim Jump and starts bysetting out the background tothe dispute in the run up to1966 and taking us right backto the early days of trade unionorganisation in the shippingindustry at the end of the 19thcentury.

Extraordinary pictures have

been sourced of the pivotalstrike in the Port of Liverpool in1911 which show thousands ofworkers and their supporters outon the streets of the City as partof a national six weeks ofaction which forced thedropping of the employers anti-union pledge and paved the wayfor national wage rates and theclosed shop.

The pamphlet pulls nopunches – taking us through thedark days when the NUS refusedto support the general strike,was thrown out of the TUC anddidn’t return until the 1930’s bywhich time the depression washammering jobs and wagesthroughout the industry.

A “top down” approach

remained in the union and itwas left to local militants tofight wildcat actions with somejailed just after the SecondWorld War.

It was these industrialmilitants who were thebackbone of the rank and filemovement as the clock tickeddown towards 1966.

“Turning the Tide” sets out aunique background to thelooming dispute and a handytime-line through the fortyseven days in 1966 that quiteliterally shook the country to itsvery foundations.

With archive shots of “TheSeaman” newspaper, and a richuse of contemporary pictures,this pamphlet will be seen in the

future as an importanteducational and historicalresource. It will be invaluable toanyone studying the industrialbattles of the sixties andseventies.

The publication explores thepolitical climate at the time ofthe dispute and homes in onbiographies of some of the“politically motivated men”named by Harold Wilson in hisinfamous quote.

A highly recommended readfor all RMT members thepamphlet is available from yourregional office and from headoffice.

For copies contact your branch oremail:[email protected]

TURNING THE TIDE RMT Newsreviews the new unionpamphlet on the 1966 seamen’s strike


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RMT has launched acampaign to increase

membership and improve theunion’s organisation atNorthlink Ferries.

RMT regional organiserGordon Martin, lead officer forNorthlink, arranged the meetingwith local reps and DonaldGraham from the organisingunit, and Dennis Fallen learningcoordinator attended.

Members discussed the issueswhich may have been barriersto organising in the past beforespending the rest of the dayworking out a positive strategyto take RMT forward.

The agreed strategy isalready taking shape with thereps training needs beingaddressed and a newsletter hasbeen sent to every member withhelpful information and contactdetails.

Regular visits to the vesselswill continue to be made by

union activists and Paul Shawfrom the RMT nationalexecutive committee willaccompany the RO on his visitsto all three vessels next month.

BRIAN TAYLOR

New shipboard rep on theHamnavoe said that he was verykeen to play his part along withthe others to build a strongerport committee.

“The new reps are in thefortunate position of having two

experienced reps, Keith Whyteand Tom Causby, who arealways willing to offerassistance and give advice whenrequired.

“RMT and Northlink havealso recently reached agreementon a learning framework whichoffers all staff the opportunityto learn new skills.

“The company has purchasedsix new iPads which will besplit equally between the vesselsto allow the most to be made of

the learning opportunities, andthe shipboard union learningreps and the learningcoordinator are available todiscuss this further withmembers if required.

“We intend having anothermeeting towards the end of theyear to review our strategy andwill amend, if required, toensure the very best possibleorganising structure is in placeat Northlink Ferries,” he said.

ORGANISING AT SERCONORTHLINK FERRIES


20

EDUCATING FOR ACTION


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The Bob Crow education centrehas provided an extensive tradeunion education programme foralmost ten years.

All courses are relevant andregularly updated and amendedfollowing student or tutorfeedback. For the last two yearsalmost all of them have beenfully ‘accredited’ in partnershipwith Northern College.

This partnership provideseducation expertise from thecolleges’ longstanding tradeunion education department andpractical help with tutordevelopment for our lay tutorsas well as recovering some ofthe costs of delivering ourprogramme in Doncaster.

The partnership also meansthat all students thatsuccessfully complete a coursewill also receive a meaningfulacademic award after the course.The centre is fortunate to have agreat team of staff who alwaysensure a warm welcome andenjoyable stay and properlyqualified lay tutors deliveringthe courses.

The whole point of the centreis to equip, support, develop andprepare reps and officials foractivism back in the regions,branches and workplaces. As aresult this will contribute hugelyto a growing and more effectivetrade union.

APPLICATION

The current RMT educationprogramme is organised asfollows: members can applyonline or by paper applicationto attend a course. It is still thecase that the majority ofapplications are not madeonline, but this is very slowlychanging. Paper applicationshave to be signed by therelevant branch secretary; onlineapplications automatically notifythe relevant branch by email. Soany member attending thecentre will be doing so with the

full knowledge of their branchsecretary.

Members can no longer dothe same course twice because,as we are accredited, the issue ofwhat is called ‘firstness’ in thecourse pathways means we arenot allowed to teach someonethe same thing twice. Somembers’ applications andrecords are checked to ensurethis is managed properly.

Once members attend theircourse RMT provides studentinformation to regionalorganisers, regional offices andregional councils.

Each week an email list ofattendees is sent out by theeducation department. Eachstudent’s records are updated toshow all courses attended intheir membership record under‘events history’.

ACTION

The union wants students to usethe knowledge and skills gainedat Doncaster back in theworkplace for the benefit of themembers.

Ensuring that this happens isthe issue the union is currentlyaddressing and looking at anumber of possible solutions.Part of the problem is one thatunion staff, officers, officialsand reps are already workingflat out for the union and so forthem to keep in contact with allmembers in their areas that havepassed through Doncaster issimply impractical.

The union needs to develop aprocess that utilises the alreadyavailable information for nearly2,000 attendees over last threeyears and those attending in thefuture.

This will ensure themaximum benefit for the unionfrom those attending courses aswell as offering those studentsthe support and encouragementthey deserve.

When a suitable plan is put

in place the information thatcould be gathered would notonly ascertain their learningexperience but, crucially, whatsupport or contact they havehad from all levels of the unionto encourage them into unionactivity.

If they have specific issuesour need assistance the unioncan point them towards theappropriate RMT personnel intheir area that can give thatsupport.

In due course it is intendedto provide regular reports to thenational executive committee onall developments in order thatthe union can put forwardstrategies and ideas forimproving either the service orhow to link education provisionto actual activity back in theunion or workplace.

REGIONAL EDUCATION

One area that has seen asignificant increase has been theplanning and delivery of tradeunion courses in regions. This isnaturally welcome as manymembers for a variety of reasonsare unable to attend aresidential course in Doncaster.

Therefore the opportunity toget RMT trade union educationlocally is vital. In time it ishoped that all regions developand deliver regional educationprogrammes, in some cases as aprecursor to attending the BobCrow centre itself.

A critical part of that processis developing strategies toensure that those receiving thateducation utilise the skills andknowledge gained back on thefront line of union activity.

The union’s message is thatit’s your union and youreducation centre and the unionwelcomes ideas, suggestions orconstructive criticism if it cantake us forward as a fightingRMT.

RMT News outlines theunion’s education programmeover the next year


22


23


24

RMT AND NEWYORK’S TWU LOCAL100 SHOULDER TOSHOULDER


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RMT has forged close linkswith our brothers and sisters

from the TWU Local 100 – themain union organising on NewYork’s mass transit system –overmany years.

The TWU hold an annualgathering, the Quill ConnollyDay, which celebrates the livesand work of Mike Quill, whoformed the TWU, and JamesConnolly.

The 2016 event had theadded resonance of marking the100th anniversary of the EasterRising in Ireland whichConnolly played a central role.

This year, RMT generalsecretary Mick Cash andexecutive member Pat Collins,travelled to New York to takemessages of support andsolidarity and to hear about thecurrent struggles of the TWUand to share experiences andtactics.

Many of the issuesconfronting transport workers inthe United States are a mirror ofthe threats and challenges weface day to day here in the UK –hardly surprising when youreflect on the global nature ofthe transport industry and itsmain players.

So, from de-staffing,undermining safety, threateningpay and conditions and pilingmore and more passengers intoover-stretched services there is a

common thread that unites ourtwo unions.

These were the themes thatMick Cash picked up when hespoke at the well-attended QuillConnolly gathering at the TWUUnion Hall in Brooklyn:

“We know that ourorganisations face commonthreats from employers who seebreaking union strength as thegateway to hammering down onjobs, safety, pay and workingconditions.

“But we also know thatstrong trade unions win.

“You are securing majorvictories here in New York and Iam delighted to be able toreport that today a long, RMT-led campaign has resulted in theMetro service in the North Eastof the UK being brought underpublic ownership.

“Our unions are strongbecause we embrace theprinciples of industrial tradeunionism – principles developedby the likes of the great MikeQuill when he arrived in NewYork as an Irish immigrant andbegan organising the citiestransport workers.

“Those principles are asrelevant today as they everwere,” he said.

TWU Local president 100John Samuelson thanked Mickand RMT for its solidarity andsupport and stressed again the

importance of internationalunion links in this era ofglobalisation and co-ordinatedcorporate attacks on theworking class.

Along with representativesfrom the Rail, Tram and BusUnion in Australia, Mick andPat were invited on a visit tothe massive New York TransitAuthority train maintenancedepot on Coney Island. It is ahuge site which local union repstold us is visible from outerspace.

The depot carries out allmaintenance and renewals workon the New York fleet in-housealongside a smaller facility upin Queens. The depot is whollyunionised and a stronghold ofthe TWU Local 100 set up. Withwheel sets, bogies and carsstretching as far as the eyecould see, the internationaldelegation was given a guided

tour of all of the main facilitiesand you couldn’t fail to beimpressed with the sheer scaleof the operation.

The New York visitculminated with an invite tojoin the Irish American LabourCoalition behind their bannercelebrating the life and work ofJames Connolly on the annualNew York St Patrick’s DayParade.

At their earlier St Patrick’sDay breakfast, Mick Cash hadspoken of his own pride in hisIrish traveller heritage and hadtalked about the union’s supportfor the Connolly Association asa living and breathing vehiclefor taking James Connolly’slegacy forwards.

It was a fitting conclusion toa short but importantinternational solidarity initiativeacross the ocean.


26

Last month 12 womandelegates from around the

country attended the BritishTUC women's conference atCongress House in London.

The main theme of the

conference was to inspire thelives of women in ourcommunities to join a tradeunion and be active members.

The RMT delegation spoke onvarious motions one introduced

by Mary Jane Herbison on therole women have in our societyas a carer.

Nearly 60 per cent of full-time female workers withfamily caring responsibilities

have considered resigning fromtheir jobs due to the difficultybalancing their carers dutieswith work commitments. Ourmotion called on the TUC topress for stronger rights in

DELEGATES: from left to right Janine Booth, Ann Mooney, Millie Apedo-Amah, Jennifer Gray, Christine Willett, Cat Cray, Katherine Burke, Shirley Fulton, Mary Jane Herbison,Ann Joss, Kathleen Gaughan, Eileen Orrell. A full report will appear in the next issue of RMT News.

RMT Black and EthnicMinority members packed

out the Mercure Manchester lastmonth, condemning the recentspate of murders of black peoplein the United States anddeclaring solidarity with theBlack Lives Matters movement.

Moving the unanimouslybacked motion, RMT veteranFrank Murray said: “The deathrate of Americans of African

heritage is 5 times that ofwhites. The atrocities go on aregular basis.

Worried about policecracking down on young blackpeople in the UK, Mr Murrayadded: “Here we have stop andsearch. What we are sayingwhat is happening is somethingthat the whole country shouldbe aware of.

The RMT should get behind

this and spearhead a movement.We are championing UnitedFriends and Family who arecampaigning about black deathsin custody.”

Seconding the motion,Bakerloo branch delegate LeonBrumant said: “This can be amassive organising tool forblack and ethnic minorityworkers, as it will show the RMTis about raising awareness for

the problems in ourcommunity.”

Keeping with the theme ofsolidarity with black liberationstruggles in the United States,BEMAC members also passed amotion of legendary blackcommunist Paul Robeson.

Moving the unanimouslybacked motion, Finsbury Parkdelegate, Glenroy Watsonpraised Robeson for his support

RMT BEMAC CONFERENCE

RMT AT WOMEN’S TUC


27

of black and workers strugglesadding that this year’s RMTBlack History Month eventshould be dedicated to educateRMT members on the history ofthe role of Robeson andmembers of NUR/RMT in theSpanish war against fascism.

Conference discussed otherissues including domesticviolence, how BEMAC should fitinto the union and honouringlong serving activists.

Retiring LondonUnderground engineeringbranch activist, Frank Murraywas presented by generalsecretary Mick Cash with a 30year long service award for hisservice to the union and as oneof the founder members ofBEMAC.

Chair of conference JenniferKissi-Debrah said: “Thank youfor all the time you have put into this committee and the unionFrank. You will now have moretime to mentor the rest of uscoming up behind you. Weappreciate you and we loveyou.”

Mr Cash added: “Thanks forall your work for the union overthe last 30 years. Credit toFrank and credit to all of youwho made this conferencebigger and more successful.”

requesting flexible working. Janine Booth also moved our

motion on sexual assaults ontrains and stations.Unfortunately this is a seriousmatter, that affects both ourmembers and passengers alike.RMT calls for the TUC tovigorously campaign for therenationalisation of the railwayindustry with adequate staffingon trains and stations.

Ann Joss also spoke callingfor the TUC to encourageNetwork Rail to make genderequality a reality. Womanrepresent 51 per cent of thepopulation, yet Network Railhad stated they want 20 percent of their future leaders to befemale by 2019.

Mary Jane Herbison wassuccessfully re-elected torepresent RMT on the TUCwoman's committee foranother year.

President’s column

Recent leaks regardingoffshore tax dodging fromPanama law firm, MossackFronseca should remind usall about the real society welive in, not just in the UKbut globally.

The level of hypocrisy weare seeing is breath-taking,with 12 current or formerheads of state outted, aswell as more than 60associates and otherpoliticians implicated andthis is only one company.

I realise that we will be toldthat it has not been proventhat tax laws have beenbroken.

But to see individuals whohave been proclaiming onething and all the time doinganother is sickening,especially the likes of ourown pillar of the communityDavid Cameron who hadstated when askedpreviously about offshoretax havens “they are notfair and not right” and nowhe just says he will notbenefit in the future!.

It’s also heart-breakingseeing what’s happened toour steel industry overmany years and now is thetime to re-nationalise andnot just for the short term,to stop thousands ofworker being thrown on thescrap heap.

We must stop buyingartificially cheap steel fromabroad and support ourown industry and this goesfor many other sectors.What’s the point of buyingsomething a little cheaper ifwe then have to supportthousands of workers withwelfare?

Yet you will not get anyhelp from the Tories or theEU. This is what theEuropean Commissionannounced last month: "EUState aid rules do not allowpublic support for therescue and restructuring ofcompanies in difficulty inthe steel sector". Thisdoesn’t apply to ailingbanks of course.

But David Cameron has noproblem spending ninemillion pounds oftaxpayers’ money to send a14-page pamphlet to everyhousehold in the country tobrainwash us into voting tostay in the EU.

That is why RMT haslaunched its campaign for avote to leave the EU in thereferendum on June 23.

EU policies further entrenchprivatisation andfragmentation promotessocial dumping and attackson workers’ rights.

That is exactly whyCameron, the City ofLondon, the CBI andfinancial vultures likeGoldman Sachs all supportstaying in.

Labour movement giantslike Bob Crow and TonyBenn understood this onlytoo well and if they werestill around it is clear howthey would have voted andthat’s good enough for me.

"Politics isn't about rightand left...it's about rightand wrong and rightingthose wrongs" Ella Hewitt

In Solidarity, Sean Hoyle

HYPOCRICYRULES


28

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SPECIAL OFFER ON HOMEINSURANCE FOR RMT MEMBERS


29

RMT president Sean Hoyleaddressed the Medway

branch recently about thecontinued threat to jobs and inparticular the ticket offices andconductors.

He said that the union neededto fight the attacks andchallenge companies before theycame for more jobs.

He spoke about the EuropeanRailways which are now at thestart of the process of de-staffing

having learned many lessonsfrom the EU model foisted onBritain’s railways 20 years ago.

Chaplain to the RailwayMission in London and theSouth East John Robinson alsospoke about his work withmembers around mental healthissues, welfare and a wide rangeof personal issues that wouldprobably not feel comfortablespeaking about with a manager.The branch agreed a donation to

the Railway Mission of £100. Tocontact John in confidentialityyou can Tel: 07793 246534 oryou can email [email protected]

Branch chairman Ivor Riddellthanked the outgoing secretaryDaniel Burn for his work as arep and as the branch secretaryfor two years. Dan has moved onto work as flight crew with EasyJet.

Officers were elected

including the new branchsecretary Paul Middleton.

The branch also said farewellto Bro Steve Wrenn who after along illness has decided to retire.Members wish him well andhope he still stays in touch as aretired member.

Finally the presidentpresented a ten year badge toBro Steve Dennis who has beenan active member and supporterof the branch for many years.

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MEDWAY MEETING


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(3,3)12 Upper house (6) 13 smother (7)15 Group of seven (6)17 Go upward (5)18 Failing EU currency (4)

£50 PRIZECROSSWORD

The winner of lastmonth’s prize crosswordis R Stone Andover.

Send entries to PrizeCrossword, RMT, UnityHouse, 39 Chalton Street,London NWI IJD by May 15with your name and address.

Winner and solution in nextissue.

Last month’s solution...

30

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Protecting our members’ interests is our priorityJoin us todaywww.rmt.org.uk FREEPHONE 0800 376 3706

Britain’s Largest Specialist Transport Union

Northern Rail

Deutsche Bahn ÜbernehmenDeutsche Bahn Take Over

Local authorities in the North of England, through a body called Rail North, will jointly oversee the Northern Rail franchise with the government.

According to Rail North’s own estimates passenger demand for the North’s railway will soar by 50% over the next fifteen years. Despite this, and the clear need for investment, the government has stated that the annual subsidy will be cut by over 50% by the final year of the franchise. This will be realised through attacks on the quality of service available to passengers and the loss of hundreds of skilled, safety critical railway jobs.

Why do we continue to subsidise rail fares and help improve services around Europe but not in the UK?

Something needs to be done – we need a nationalised People’s Railway.

Since 2007 Northern Rail has paid £179 million of passengers fares in dividends to previous franchise owners.

Arriva, owned by German state railway Deutsche Bahn, begin operations on 1 April.This is no April fools joke ...

Foreign state- owned rail companies use profits to keep fares down in their own countries and deliver a better all round service,

FACT.

Documents

RMT News April 2016