ALABAMA THREE AND RMT

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: april 2010 :: RMTnews 28 Alabama Three are currently re-recording their hit single 'Woke Up this Morning' (the theme music for The Sopranos) as a special download for RMT members with 'RMT lyrics'. They are have also produced their eighth studio album 'Revolver Soul'. Bob Crow and Alabama Three lead singer Larry Love asked each other a few questions: Larry: What is the point of joining RMT? Bob: The only way workers can protect themselves is to join a strong union like RMT. We are currently engaged in major battles in order to save thousands of 'safety critical' jobs. Private companies want to maximise their profits off the backs of our members. We can't let that happen. The breathtaking greed and obsession with making huge profits should never replace safety. Larry: How do you sell the concept of a union to young people? Bob: We have over 11,000 young members in RMT and we have seen recent examples where our ability to organise young workers has improved. Our starting point is to listen to what young members say and then give them a voice in their union. RMT is a fighting union that appeals to young and old. Larry: Why is culture important in the development of a socialist organisation? Bob: The late great union leader, Jim Larkin, said 'We want bread, but we also want roses too'. What he meant is that workers rely on their union to fight for 'bread and butter' issues like pay and conditions. However, just because you weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth shouldn't mean you are deprived of cultural things. We would like to think we can help improve all aspects of our members' lives and that means helping access creative things like music, theatre etc. Larry: How can RMT combat the rise of the far right and the BNP? Bob: Our union has a very proud history of standing up for equality and fighting all forms of discrimination. We abhor racism and the damage that organisations like the nazi BNP does to our society. RMT will always play a vital role in opposing racism and helping to educate people. Bob: How important is it for your music to make a statement on what's going on in society? Larry: Our lyrics reflect our take on society and we strongly condemn racism. Our latest album 'Revolver Soul' has a track called Vietnamistan which is about the horrible sight of mainly young men returning to their families in body bags and draws parallels with what happened when the US waged war against Vietnam. The way I see it is the RMT is a union that fights for its members but for human rights too. It's great if our music can help inspire RMT members to keep on fighting. Bob: What is your famous song 'Woke Up This Morning...' about? Larry: Yes, it’s about a woman called Sarah Thornton who had been battered for many years by her policeman husband. Her case successfully changed the law after it went to the European Court of Human Rights. Her defence argued extreme provocation as a result of systematic abuse that led to her waking up one morning and killing her abusive husband. Bob: A3 and RMT share common ground - not least support for Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (MOJO). Why do you support MOJO? Larry: MOJO helps innocent people who have been jailed as a result of a miscarriage of justice. We have supported MOJO and are only too happy to do benefit gigs. We've now sampled Paddy Hill, Gerry Conlon on previous albums. We have even sampled Bob Crow. So we'd love it if all our fans put up posters of Paddy, Gerry, Che, Malcolm X and Bob Crow - coz they're the real pop stars. ALABAMA THREE AND RMT