NEW LGBT COMMITTEE

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: march 2010 :: RMTnews 31 SOLIDARITY FROM NEW YORK Dear editor, As you and your brothers and sisters battle to preserve the livelihoods of 1,500 rail workers and the safety of thousands of passengers against this latest round of cuts, I bring you words of encouragement and solidarity from the Transport Workers Union of Greater New York, Local 100. We wholeheartedly agree with your union’s assertion that “Rail Cuts Cost Lives” and I would hasten to add from our own here in New York, that rail cuts and lack of maintenance are fiscally foolish in the long run. It has taken a generation of work and billions of dollars to rebuild our subway tracks that were left devoid of regular maintenance in the 60s and 70s. The math is simple: a few million today or billions tomorrow. Ironically – despite this recent history – we here in New York are facing a similar assault on our work and our members’ jobs in the name of a “balanced budget”. Apparently myopia afflicts management on both sides of Atlantic. We wish you luck and great success in your latest campaign for jobs safety. Fraternally, John Samuelson THANK YOU Dear editor, The London Orphan Fund Committee would like to express our gratitude to Paul Jackson of London Underground Engineering branch for his most generous donation of £300. Only the committee and the widows and orphans know just what this means in assisting the families of our late colleagues. Many thanks. Yours sincerely Jim Stevenson T he newly-appointed RMT Lesbian, Gay, Bi- sexual and Transexual Advisory Committee is determined to make a success of their role in voicing the aspirations and concerns of RMT LGBT members. Above all, they want to reassure LGBT members that RMT is here for them. One of the main topics the new delegates dealt with was planning the forthcoming LGBT Conference on May 14 2010. They are determined that the Conference to be held in Belfast will be a success. If you are interested in going, please contact your branch secretary for details or email p.wilkinson@rmt.org.uk R MT executive committee member Dave Letcher presents 40-year and 10-year RMT membership badges to father and son, Graham and Roy Etherton. Graham started as a bus conductor at Western National (as it then was) in the same month as Dave, June 1969. Graham duly obtained his bus driving licence and has been based at Camborne bus depot ever since. His son Roy joined the company just over ten years ago and works as a cleaner. Graham's wife Jane has also been involved with the canteen for many years and Graham does not look underfed. The picture featuring Graham, Dave and Roy represents something in excess of 85 years service within the bus industry in Cornwall, with Graham having completed over 40 years, dave over 34 years, and Roy having served for 10 years N ew executive member for the south west Dave Letcher and incoming president Alex Gordon attended the first meeting of Penzance No 1 branch this yesr recently. Brian Pascoe is the new local staff rep for conductors on First Great Western at Penzance and on the far left is the new branch chair James Bannister NEW LGBT COMMITTEE CAMBORNE CELEBRATES BUS FAMILY PENZANCE FLIES THE FLAG Letters