LETTERS

RMTnews :: august/september 2007 :: www.rmt.org.uk 36 Dear editor, After reading your excellent article on the merits of reopening the Skipton to Colne railway line (RMT News June/July), I proposed to members that Freight on Rail should support the campaign and I am pleased to report that the proposal has been accepted on condition that the line confirm to the principles of the Big Freight Railway, ie W12 gauge, RA10 and 775m length and has a connection to the Grassington quarry. Regards Philippa Edmunds Dear editor, As a union, we need to get some kind of safeguard for existing paid- up members in the RMT rulebook as many members are getting cheesed-off with members only joining when they are in trouble. I can think of two incidents when non-members have refused to join but as soon as they were in trouble they get on the phone for a membership form. These people were asked to join at some stage but claimed they didn’t need the union as they could look after themselves. But, as soon as they were in trouble, they are the first to join up. This should not be the case. The only exception would be for new entrants to the industry who have not been asked to join or are frightened to rock the boat during their probationary period. I believe that, unless we get some kind of ruling put in our union book, these people are going to continue to abuse the union and only join up when in trouble. They are the first people to break any strike action, making it difficult to take effective industrial action. But they are the first to take the pay rises we negotiate every year. Yours sincerely John McEvoy Retail Company Council Rep Dear editor, I have been in the union many years and I have flown the NUR/RMT flag as a branch chair, school governor, magistrate, city councillor and deputy mayor for Exeter. In March I wrote to my branch to tell them I intended to contest a seat in Exeter in the May elections and requesting help from the branch political funds. I informed the branch I was standing on an anti- privatisation platform against the Iraq war, against EU laws, for the repeal of anti-trade union legislation and for assistance to the Palestinians. I was standing as a candidate for the old Liberal Party, which provided help to the union at the time if the Taff Vale struggle and has four councillors on Exeter council, and not the Labour Party. Following a debate about funding parties other than Labour, my branch agreed with my view that Labour has no pretensions of supporting the people and organisations that set it up and gave me overwhelming support. A request was sent to the executive to endorse this support but this was turned down on the basis of lack of time to consider the request. The branch did not agree with this and appealed to the annual general meeting. I was not surprised to learn that the AGM turned down my appeal and it appears that far too many old Labour supporters have yet to realise new Labour is a very different beast. Our union needs to look elsewhere for a political party that goes some way to reflecting its aspirations and policies. I feel that my union has let me down and I am disappointed that union officers still seem to be wedded to a party that is now so far to the right that even Tories are happy to defect to it. I believe that the issue of the Labour Party and trade unionism needs to be debated fully and openly within our movement so perhaps this letter is a start. Yours sincerely Rod Northcott Winchester No. 2 Branch Nominates PETE GALE For Regional Organiser. Wessex Region And seeks supporting nominations for this Experienced candidate Solent Salaried Branch Nominates PETE GALE For Regional Organiser. Wessex Region. And seeks supporting nominations for this Experienced candidate Basingstoke No. 1 Branch Nominates PETE GALE For Regional Organiser. Wessex Region And seeks supporting nominations for this Experienced candidate Bournemouth No. 5 Branch Nominates PETE GALE For Regional Organiser Wessex Region. And seeks supporting nominations for this Experienced candidate Croydon No1 Nominates PAUL COX For Regional Organiser South East Region “Putting Members First” Deptford branch Nominates PAUL COX For Regional Organiser South East Region And asks members to support him South London Rail Branch nominates our secretary PAUL COX For Regional Organiser South East Region And seek supporting nominations Cinque Ports Branch Nominates PAUL COX For Regional Organiser South East Region For a member-led agenda Three Bridges Branch Nominates PAUL COX For Regional Organiser South East Region For a member-led agenda