PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

President’s column THE ECONOMIC CRISIS RMT MEMBERS UNDER ATTACK Readers of this column will know that I have repeatedly returned to the fact that since the unfolding of the recent economic problems RMT members have been in the front line. They face attack after attack on their pay and conditions, staffing levels and safety. On top of this is the appalling impact of compulsory redundancies. This month is no different. One of the latest attacks we are dealing with is the systematic attack on the pensions of RMT bus workers employed in the companies owned by the Go Ahead group. With this in mind – and because I like to get out and meet our members – on May 10 I attended the Poole and District bus branch meeting. This was a well attended meeting with important issues on the agenda. Roster problems were discussed and voted on. The regional organiser Peter Gale was able to give a comprehensive report on the current pay negotiations, as well as the current situation on pensions. Basically – using the excuse of cost – the management want to stop the final salary scheme for new members. Now our bus driver members in this company, some of whom have spent their whole working lives in the industry, see their pensions under threat. This is totally unacceptable and will be resisted, using all means at our disposal. Political support has been sought from our group of MPs. The legality of managements’ actions will be questioned, and we will ballot for strike action, if that’s what it takes. At the branch, I made the point, as I had at other conferences and meetings I’ve attended, that if you put up a map of the UK, and put a pin where every cut or attack was taking place. Then the whole map would be covered. Network Rail Renewals, Network Rail pay and Harmonisation, LUL /TFL, East Midlands Trains and South West Trains are just some that spring to mind. In fact, with the train operating companies the whole franchising scheme is on the edge of collapse. Why on earth doesn’t the government use this chance to renationalise the whole lot? The truth is that they don’t do it because they don’t want to! We have had meetings with the government, where the case has been put to take back the industry that should never have been flogged off anyway. And all we got was a shrug of the shoulder and nothing afterwards. Well it’s not on. We also have met the most senior management in Network Rail and I stated, on the record, that our union felt that the reduction of renewals by 28% could be unsafe! On that basis I would urge every single rep of our union to argue the case against any cut, any reduction in the name of economic efficiency. If you hear anything to do with cuts or so called efficiencies that are dodgy or worrying, then contact your full time RMT officials. While all this is going on the union continues at all levels to fight for our members interests. To all of the representatives I salute your efforts, as I have said before; your hard work is the backbone of RMT. Our members on London Midland are at the forefront as I write this column. They have taken 8 days of strike action, and plan to escalate more in defending their right to refuse to work Sunday shifts, as long as they give enough notice. This is a point of principal for them. They have turned down financial offers and are holding firm. I know that when I say that we salute your determination to stick by your rights and hard won conditions, then I am speaking on behalf of the whole union. So as I said at the start, the union carries on in spite of the economic problems. We have no other option! We organise, we educate and we fight for our union and its members. And the union is never more needed by its members than at a time of economic crisis. John Leach RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: may 2009 :: RMTnews 19