A TRIBUTE TO CAROLYN SIDDALL

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: march 2010 :: RMTnews 29 A fter a brave fight against cancer Carolyn Siddall passed away on December 5 2009. Carolyn joined RMT in July 2003 when she became an employee in the South East Regional Office. Two years later she moved across to become a highly valued member of RMT’s Organising Unit. However, her relationship with the union went back many years before her direct employment. A political activist in the London of the eighties, Carolyn had already embraced a tradition that held action to be of paramount importance. As a militant in NALGO it was natural that she would get drawn into actions of other fighting trade unionists, solidarity was the order of the day then, for everyone. Carolyn as an influential member of NALGO provided platforms for other trade unions to speak from, not least of all our union. She personally played a major role in the campaign to reinstate two of our drivers, sacked for trade union activities by London Undergrounds’ Central Line management. She later worked tirelessly in the campaign against the part-privatisation of London Underground. Carolyn brought enormous experience with her to our union. As leader of the huge Newham NALGO branch she became a veteran campaigner. Carolyn led the fight to defend her unions’ actions against a rotten corrupt borough that involved five years of hard battles. She loathed racism in all its forms and passionately campaigned in Newham against it, bringing her again into contact with our union members doing the same. Carolyn fought to establish the Stardust Youth Centre and the Asian Women’s Refuge. She organised the UK-wide Socialist Movement Trade Union Committee. She set up ‘Unshackle the Unions’ to draw the left together to organise against the anti-trade union laws, bringing hundreds together at packed meetings of trade unionists. She put her all into solidarity work for the miners during their year long strike. Along with senior RMT figures she was a founder member of the Socialist Labour Party and recently of the Peoples Charter. Carolyn was in her element working with others united in the fight to rebuild RMT. She was completely at home wherever she was organising for recruitment into the union. In spite of her experience and history Carolyn never strutted her stuff, or claimed a special platform to air her views. She was modest and listened to the views of others at all times and was respected because of it and will be missed because of it. In May of this year a memorial service will be held in London to enable all those who for various reasons could not get to the funeral. An announcement of venue and date will be announced later. Geoff Revell A TRIBUTE TO CAROLYN SIDDALL FRANK MURRAY F rancis (Frank) Henry sadly passed away on Saturday December 12 2009. Frank was a signal man for 48 years, starting in 1955 and retiring in 2003. Frank was also railway snooker champion in 1970 something that he and his family are very proud of. He will be greatly missed.