22 REASONS TO BE A MEMBER OF RMT

1 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING The union has a dedicated team of officers elected by you to serve your interests negotiating with employers on issues from pay, hours of work, pensions and working conditions. To provide a better service to members RMT has increased the number of officers by two in 2007 and a further officer will start in 2008. These elected officers are supported by a team of researchers to formulate pay claims to obtain the best negotiated terms for you. 2 SUPPORT IN THE WORKPLACE RMT has a national network of 220 branches organised under regional councils aimed at providing local support. Every member has their own branch secretary to provide immediate support and advice in the workplace. The union has health and safety at work representatives coordinated from head office to ensure safety is given due priority by employers and risk is properly managed. RMT’s equal opportunities specialists also provide support to ensure fairness and help to stamp out bullying and harassment. 3 MEMBERS HELPLINE TELEPHONE 0800 376 3706 A freephone members’ helpline staffed by experts in the industrial relations department advises members on all work related and membership enquiries. Lines are open Monday to Friday 0800 hours to 1800 hours and Saturdays 0930 hours to 1600 hours. 4 LEGAL HELPLINE 0800 587 7516 If you have a legal query on any topic besides workplace issues, members can ring up the Legal helpline. RMT to provides legal representation throughout the course of personal and domestic claims such as divorce, property purchases, debt etc and can give some initial advice to help you on your way. 5 CRIMINAL CHARGES Should a member or family members find themselves in police custody, RMT’s Criminal helpline can give initial advice and the provision of a duty solicitor should the need arise. Members who are charged with crimes at or connected to work and who are not guilty can be considered for legal representation. All legal representation is discretionary and according to Rule. 6 INDUSTRIAL DISEASES Members who have suffered an industrial disease will receive free legal support to make a claim. Such claims are underwritten by the union and members will not have any deduction from their settlement unlike claims run by no-win, no-fee companies. 7 PERSONAL INJURY Personal injury claims cover extends to RMT family members and friends should they suffer an injury. RMT underwrites settlements that would not be provided by no-win, no-fee companies. 8 EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS Should a member find themselves unfairly dismissed, discriminated against or have any claim which has reasonable prospects of success at an Employment Tribunal, RMT will provide legal representation. Even if the union is advised that the claim is unlikely to succeed, members who make a claim are eligible to receive free legal advice. 9 DONCASTER EDUCATION CENTRE The union has a new Education Centre in Doncaster offering a range of courses for activists to increase our professionalism in the workplace. The centre has an Information Technology suite which is a valuable training resource together with video linkage to Headquarters enabling conferences with the General Secretary and other officials. 10 ACCIDENT BENEFIT Payable if you have an accident at work or on the way to or from work. Payable for 26 week period at ten times weekly union contribution. So from 2008 one week’s accident benefit would be £34.30 with maximum payable £891.80. Accident benefit is only payable if you have been off for three days or more. Accident must be reported to branch secretary within 26 weeks in order to qualify for accident benefit. 11 RETIREMENT BENEFIT Payable to any member who retires over the age of 60, or aged 55 if retired through redundancy or resettlement. Ill health retirement also payable; proof of this must be sent with application for retirement benefit. This is payable at a rate of £3 per year up to 2004, then £5 per year after that date. 12 DEMOTION COMPENSATION Payable to any member who is experiencing loss of wages through being permanently demoted or downgraded as a result of illness or injury. Payment of £300 provided that member reports this to Branch Secretary within 12 weeks. 13 DEATH GRANT If a member dies in service (i.e. not retired) then a payment of £600 is payable to the members’ next of kin. Documents to be sent in with application for death grant would be death certificate and copy of will or probate, if neither are available, a copy of the funeral invoice will suffice. 14 ORPHAN FUND The beneficiaries of this fund would be any child of a member or a members’ spouse when the member dies in service or if a members spouse dies and the member has responsibility of the children. Benefit is paid while a child is in full-time education up until the age of 22. Payment is made quarterly and the rate is £12.00 per week for children up to the age of 16, then £12.75 per week from 16 to 22. 22 REASONS TO BE A There are many good reasons to be an RMT member and below are just 22 of them RMTnews :: october 2007 :: www.rmt.org.uk 32