TUC CALL TO BRING TUBE MAINTENANCE BACK IN-HOUSE

RMTnews :: october 2007 :: www.rmt.org.uk 6 D elegates representing six million working people at the Trades Union Congress backed calls by TSSA and RMT for Tube maintenance to be taken back in-house following the collapse of Tube privateer Metronet. Congress agreed to urge the government to support London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s desire for infrastructure work to be taken under direct London Underground control. RMT president John Leach seconded TSSA call for all London Underground maintenance work to be taken back in-house. He made a successful call for an early conference to campaign for the re-nationalisation of Tube maintenance. “We must demand full public control of the Tube and rail network to put an end to the carnage of privatisation,” he said. TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty praised the strikes organised by RMT over job and pension insecurity after the collapse of Metronet and vowed to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with RMT. “The nonsense of public- private partnership, which we all knew wasn’t going to work, has seen the dearest fares in Europe and diminished services,” he said. Delegates also backed RMT delegate Janine Booth’s call to oppose planned Tube ticket office closures. Janine warned that 39 outlets were facing closure, with around 270 job cuts and huge cuts in the opening hours of the rest. “The Oyster card system is complex to use, there are already long queues at stations and, without ticket offices, they are more hostile places, especially at night,” she said. PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF SEAFARERS RMT delegate Mark Carden addressed Congress on the privatisation of Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services as demanded by EU rules. He won support from delegates to urge the government to challenge such EU regulations. “RMT and others lobbied the Scottish Executive against putting CalMac out to tender and received guarantees that jobs, wages and routes would be protected. “As a result companies pulled out of the £17 million pound tendering process because they could not slash jobs, attack terms and conditions and cherry pick the best routes,” said Mark. Delegates also backed the RMT call for a TUC conference to be organise a campaign against such EU directives that privatise public services. FOR TRADE UNION RIGHTS Delegates backed an RMT call for the repeal of Tory anti-union laws and in support of the Trade Union Freedom Bill. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said it is unacceptable that, after ten years of a Labour government, such vicious legislation is still part of UK law. “Action must be taken now to restore the rights of every worker,” he said. Delegates supported the establishment of a trade union week in Parliament along the lines of an STUC event last year. Bob also seconded a successful motion from the Prison Officers Association demanding trade union rights for prison staff (see page 28). CONGRESS DEMANDS EU CONSTITUTION POLL RMT joined other delegations to overwhelmingly back a GMB motion calling for a referendum on the EU constitution. The motion described the constitution as “a Trojan horse to provide unfettered privatisation throughout the EU”. GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said that the government should honour an election pledge to hold a referendum, warning that “ducking and diving” on the issue may cost Labour the election. TUC DEMANDS TUBE MAINTENANCE BACK IN-HOUSE Bob Crow John Leach Janine Booth Mark Carden