RMT WOMEN LAUNCH CHARTER

RMTnews :: march 2006 :: www.rmt.org.uk 12 T he RMT Women’s Charter represents a massive step in the right direction, but now the work starts to get it implemented, delegates at the union’s national women’s conference agreed. The charter was proof that women were organising with confidence in the union – but it also threw up many challenges, said conference chair Pauline Howe. “We need to get more women involved and to offer themselves for office at every level in the union. “This shouldn’t be a stopping point for a small group of activists -we need to go further,” she said. “RMT had just cause to be proud of the Women’s Charter, but the point is to put into practice in the workplace,” said general secretary Bob Crow. “We are up against employers who would rather pay for a first-class lounge than a women’s toilet,” said Bob. The battle was on to win decent childcare facilities for women – and men – despite employers’ protests that it cost too much. Pensions RMT women had a key part to play in the battle looming on the Railways Pension Scheme, said Bob. “Pensions are shaping up to be the biggest battleground in the rail industry for 50 years,” he said. The RPS had had a massive surplus in 1988 but been split into dozens of pieces by privatisation, and employers had taken advantage of long contributions holidays. “Yet now they want us to pay for shortfalls with massive contribution hikes, or close the scheme by the back door by barring new entrants. “We want employee contributions capped at their British Rail level of 10.56 per cent, we want the fund open to new entrants, we want benefits maintained at least at current levels and we want a streamlined scheme,” said Bob. The disproportionate impact of proposed changes from final-salary schemes to average-salary schemes was emphasised by RMT president Tony Donaghey. This was because women were more likely to have taken breaks in employment for family responsibilities, added Ruth Strong, East Midland Central. “Women not only lost out in respect of equal pay, but were also likely to receive lower pensions than men,” she said. Delegates endorsed the union’s campaign to defend pensions and to resist pressure to downgrade provision. Conference backed the call by Stephanie MacKay, EPS branch, to insist on an ‘equality audit’ of any proposed change. WOMEN’S ORGANISERS Delegates welcomed the efforts being made to recruit and organise women members, and called for the election of lay regional women’s organisers for a trial three-year period. It had taken a lot of work to establish the first regional women’s advisory committee in south Wales and the south west, said Glen Burrows, Bristol Rail, and the experience had underlined the need to see lay women’s officers elected in every region to increase women’s participation in the union. UNIFORMS Women should be involved in the design and specification of the uniforms they are obliged to wear, conference agreed. Bing consulted was not enough to guarantee that companies would take note of what staff wanted, said Caroline Parry, Gloucester. It was down to the union to ensure that employers provided what was needed. Delegates agreed that every uniform consultative committee should include at least one woman. Existing uniforms were too often uncomfortable and inappropriate. RMT women gathered in Gloucester last month to launch the Women’s Charter and demand that employers deliver the goods Jackie works as an engineer on London Underground. She is employed by Metronet, one of the three infrastructure companies, or infracos, operating under the Public-Private Partnership. As an infrastructure protection engineer, her responsibilities include investigating how building and demolition work will affect Tube tunnels, bridges and embankments. And she is clearly proud of her job. “If the public could see what has been achieved in the three or four hours at night when the power is off I don’t think that they could fail to be impressed,” says Jackie. She says it is a shame that engineering is not normally associated with women. Nevertheless, she says things have improved and she would encourage any woman to join the industry today. Jackie has a lot of trade union experience and is already a rep and has attended her first branch and regional council meetings. “They are certainly some very lively debates,” she says. Asked why she joined RMT, Jackie says, as a committed trade unionist, she could not think of a better organisation to belong to. “Tube workers are highly skilled and dedicated people who deserve representation. “I think it is important to develop a good relationship with management where possible to get good results for members,” she says. And as for the future for RMT - “well, governments come and go, but trade unions abide don’t they?” she says with a smile. JACKIE JOINS UP New RMT member Jackie Darby talks about her work and why she joined the union RMT WOMEN LAUNCH CHARTER WOMENS PAGE