RMT WINS RECOGNITION AT ST JAMES SECURITY ON TYNE AND WEAR METRO

R MT has won trade union recognition at St James Security which provides contracted Revenue Protection and Passenger Services for Nexus on the Tyne and Wear Metro. The Metro, currently under threat of privatisation, is a well organised trade union workplace with RMT playing a leading role exemplified in the current campaign against the sell-off St James Security provide contracted security services to retail outlets as well as transport systems and did not recognise trade unions for any of their contracts. The St James Security workers were aware that their colleagues working for Nexus on the Tyne and Wear Metro are members of a recognised trade union, RMT. As one of the first St James members to join the union pointed out: “we could see how the guys on Nexus dealt with issues and the protection that they got because they were in the RMT and we asked ourselves why we couldn’t have the same”. The Newcastle and Gateshead RMT branch were contacted by the St James workers some time ago about getting RMT recognised for the workers on the St James, Nexus contract. Regional council and branch activists, the organising unit and regional officer Stan Herschel launched a recruitment and organising campaign. After several months of leafleting, paying visits and talking to workers about the union, RMT believed we had enough members to ask St James for Recognition. At this stage the company were not keen on this happening and RMT started the legal process of getting RMT recognised using the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) procedures. After the CAC process began Stan Herschel was contacted by the company to discuss recognising the RMT voluntarily, whilst these discussions were going on the organising campaign continued with letters going out to members, visits being made to the workplace and leaflets handed out and members being encouraged to look at who they would want as reps when recognition was achieved. After Stan had met with the company twice the company signed a voluntary recognition agreement with RMT which is based on the model agreement the union put to the company. RMT now has one elected industrial rep Dave Wooton and health and safety rep Andy Armstrong, in place, with one reps position still to be filled. It is now about making sure that RMT structures are in place and supported so that the agreement works and member’s issues individually and collectively are dealt with through the agreed procedures and to their satisfaction. RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: february 2010 :: RMTnews 25 RMT WINS RECOGNITION AT ST JAMES SECURITY ON TYNE AND WEAR METRO Pulling Together gives members an engaging and colourfully illustrated window on the history of the union up to the present day. It tells the story of how the union developed under very difficult circumstances against very powerful opponents and maintained itself as a democratic, fighting organisation that today represents members in all sectors and grades of the transport industry. Pulling Together is available free to members from Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD with a stamped, addressed envelope or by e-mailing bdenny@rmt.org.uk PULLING TOGETHER A Popular History of RMT New free union publication gives an insight into the struggles, defeats and victories of members over 150 years REPS: RMT reps Dave Wooton and Andy Armstrong step into the breach to represent their colleagues at work