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30 ACROSS 1 Semiconductor device (10) 8 Oozing (7) 9 Occurrence (5) 10 Result (5) 11,6 down, Eire (7,4) 12 Exit (6) 14 Treacly (6) 16 Art lover (7) 17 Narrow hill (5) 19 Hawaiian hello (5) 20 Intoxicating liquid (7) 21 Easily seen (10) DOWN 1 Hidden store (8,5) 2 Spiny plant (5) 3 Long pin (6) 4 Stage set (7) 5 An excess (14) 7 Indigestible (6) 12 At the same time (4,2) 13 Transvestite (slang) (7) 15 Return to normal (6) 17 Undergone rehabilitation (5) 18 Girl’s name (4) £50 PRIZE CROSSWORD The winner of last month’s prize crossword is Geraldo Calambro from Stockport. Send entries to Prize Crossword, RMT, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NWI IJD by March 3 with your name and address. Winner and solution in next issue. Last month’s solution... Dear editor, I disagree with John Milligan’s article ‘For an independent Scotland’ (RMT News November/December) as I feel all the countries within the UK are better together. You have only to look at two situation’s that are better as a whole than split up and both affect our members. Firstly, privatisation of the railways, I don’t need to explain how splitting the railways in Britain have been a total mess only benefitting the privateer. Secondly our union represents all grades as unity is strength. If our union split up or only represented certain groups it wouldn’t have the strength it has now. It would be like other federations and associations on the railway and would be the worse for it. These are just two examples of why being together is better. We are only a group of relatively small islands and I feel it would be foolish to split us up. We really do work better together. Yours sincerely, Ian Bentley We hear a lot about rail and Tube workers and the high profile given to the problems faced by British seafarers. There are also campaigns in the taxi sector and at City Link and, let's be honest, it rankles with some in the bus industry. Some feel that ours is the forgotten sector within our union. There are those that recognise the disparity in pay, terms and conditions across the big five bus employers, but assume that the union is either unaware or reluctant to organise more robustly to close the gap. Others remain wary of the increased responsibility imposed on bus drivers with regard to vehicle roadworthiness and compliance with the minefield that is the Driving Hours and Tachograph Regulations and feel that the union doesn't offer enough guidance. Well bus workers, if this is the case, sadly we only have ourselves to blame and let me explain why. Rail and Tube workers are highly motivated and very well organised. They communicate, they gather information and support; share and advice and pool ideas but most importantly they stick together. If they think they're being badly treated they don't back-down easily. They are able to do this because they understand and recognise that they are the union – they hold the power. They do all this because they attend meetings, they go on courses, they get involved and they help run their own union. It took my branch secretary almost two years to persuade me to join RMT and I only agreed on the proviso that I would not be prepared to remain a passive member. My relatively short membership of nearly three years he has sent me to the Isle of Wight, Doncaster, Northern College and Poole College encompassing eight courses. I have also attended bus workers' conference three times as a delegate and now sit on the conference committee. I also attend my regional council and sit on the committee as well has holding branch positions. It has been a busy few years, but it illustrates how much you can do if you get involved and it demonstrates that, because of the RMT's democratic constitution and inclusive procedures, you are not just a member – you are an activist. So don't sit in your canteen bemoaning what the union does or doesn't do for bus workers – stand up and do it. Regards James Ide, Poole and District Bus branch RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2014 :: RMTnews BETTER TOGETHER CALLING BUS WORKERS