CYPRUS REUNITED

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2013 :: RMTnews 29 R etired RMT member Andreas Ashioti presented Bob Crow with a flag of the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) the oldest trade union grouping in Cyprus. When the left wing party AKEL was declared illegal by the British colonial government of Cyprus in 1955, PEO was the only legal left wing political entity. PEO organised all ethnic groups in Cyprus but the far right Turkish Cypriot terror group TMT launched a campaign against Turkish Cypriot PEO members, driving them out of the union. After Cypriot independence, PEO led campaigns for better working conditions for all. However the Turkish invasion of the island on July 20, 1974, led to partition and over 200.000 Greek Cypriots were forced to leave their homes and properties and become refugees in their own country. Andreas is involved in the campaign to reunite the island and allow Greek Cypriots return to their homes particularly in the ‘ghost town’ of Famagusta which was sealed off by Turkish forces and has been effectively abandoned. The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has launched a campaign highlighting logistic giant DHL’s harsh treatment of workers in Turkey and around the world. In the latest development in Turkeya shelter built by members of the TUMTIS union outside DHL’s depot in Kıraç was attacked and damaged and union flags were torn down. There is good reason to suspect that DHL made a complaint, which led to this action. The highly-regarded German television Channel SWR, exposed to the German public the real face of German-based DHL’s worldwide industrial relations in a hard-hitting critique of its activities. The clip highlights DHL’s neglect of its workers outside Germany and features interviews with dismissed TUMTIS workers and victimised Norwegian shop steward Monica Okpe. A leading German industrial relations expert endorsed the report, which details the labour rights abuses of Deutsche Post DHL in Turkey. The ITF called on activists to organise solidarity action at DHL and contact DHL headquarters in Bonn over dismissed workers in Turkey. R MT’s equality officer Jessica Webb is the Hackney speaker for May 2012 to May 2013.With her husband Mat, she has made her home in Hackney since 1998, living a stone's throw from the Olympic Park. Their children, George and Beatrice, were born in Homerton and now attend Gainsborough Primary School. Elected to the Council in a by-election in October 2000, Labour Councillor Webb has represented the ward where she lives, Hackney Wick, ever since. Honoured to be the Speaker of Hackney during the Olympic year, Councillor Webb hopes that all Hackney residents will benefit from the wide range of opportunities it has brought. Councillor Webb also welcomes all Hackney residents and businesses to join with her to raise money for her nominated charities, Amnesty International and Positive East. She also invites everyone to set themselves challenges for this year. The challenge she has set herself is to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in February 2013. REGION ONE SCOTLAND REGIONAL ORGANISER ELECTION WISHAW AND MOTHERWELL BRANCH ARE PROUD TO NOMINATE JAKE MOLLOY WE URGE ALL MEMBERS TO VOTE FOR THIS PRINCIPLED AND EXPERIENCED CANDIDATE REGION ONE SCOTLAND ORGANISER ELECTION RMT OFFSHORE ENERGY BRANCH NOMINATE JAKE MOLLOY WE URGE ALL MEMBERS TO VOTE FOR THIS EXPERIENCED AND DEDICATED CANDIDATE. SOUTH LONDON RAIL BRANCH SUPPORTS STUART BENNETT FOR AREA COUNCIL ELECTION SOUTHERN TRAINS DEFEND WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN TURKEY CYPRUS REUNITED JESSICA WEBB