PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2015 :: RMTnews 25 Recently I visited France to address the Versailles branch of the rail union CGT. I have always said that we can learn a lot from our French comrades and this visit did a lot to reaffirm my admiration for our comrades across the Channel. The subject I was asked to speak about was privatisation and its impact on the working class and trade unions. There were over ninety members there and they were very attentive to what I had to say. They want to learn from our mistakes and make sure that the same does not happen over there. Of importance to them is the reduction in jobs and the erosion of health and safety under privatisation, very understandable fears. Unlike in Britain, even though the meeting was relatively small, there was interest from the media. I was interviewed by a television company and they seemed to be very sympathetic to the struggle against privatisation and also to the problems in Britain. That night I was in for a further eye opener. I was invited to stay at Matthieu’s, secretary of the Versailles branch. It is a beautiful area and the apartment was very nice. The eye opener was not about how beautiful it was but the fact that it was social housing owned by the state railway company. Workers also paid rent according to their earnings. Matthieu is a driver, so he pays more rent than would a booking office clerk. That is something that I would love to see over here. It would help workers enormously. I also had a meeting with several leading activists and their main concerns were not the results of privatisation, but how to prevent it. That was a good question and a very difficult one to answer. Obviously they can take industrial action and organise demonstrations etc but will that prevent it? Unlike the UK, the French can go on strike a lot easier than we can and, while I was there, the local over ground drivers walked off the job because one of their members was attacked by a member of the public. They instantly downed tools and walked off the job, something that we would never be allowed to do here. They have taken action on several occasions to try to stop privatisation and this has included demonstrations but, just like everywhere, the government continue to push forward on their privatisation agenda. The next day I went on the demo and march through Paris with the CGT and members of other trade unions and activists. If you’ve never been to a demonstration in France, you should really try to get to one. The spectacle is amazing. Fireworks, flares, and loud singing of revolutionary anthems, it really gives hope and can put revolutionary fervour into the most jaded of us. Luckily this demo didn’t involve fighting with the riot police, apparently a common occurrence! They said that it was too cold and wet to do so. France has a great history of revolution and fighting for a more equal society and continues to do so. We could do a lot worse than to listen and learn from them. Peter Pinkney LEARNING FROM THE FRENCH a tutor and passes on his knowledge and experiences to new activists. South Devon bus branch secretary Peter Simmons thanked activists and the personnel at head office that have assisted and supported the branch during the past 25 years. “In the last two years our branch has invited the general secretaries of our union to hand out long service membership awards. “In 2013 Bob Crow came to the branch and handed out 25 year membership awards to Ian Earley and Brian Bellamy while Ray Elliott, Amanda Bayliss, Joy Perkins, Chris Shuttleworth and Phil Gaizey received their 10 year awards “The meeting was attended by more members than normal and it was such a success it was felt that it should be repeated,” he said. The new general secretary Mick Cash was invited to the branch where he presented Brian Hutchinson and Roy Bryant a gold medallion and badge in recognition of their 40-year long service in the trade union movement. Martin Brooks received his 25 year award while Tony Pratley, James Montague and Mary Brock were all presented with their 10 year service award. The meeting was well attended and more members came to the meeting than normal and the branch thanked Mick for taking time out of his busy schedule to attend, especially so soon after officially being elected. Mick Cash said that he had many fond memories as the assistant general secretary which dealt with bus matters before his election. “Members of this branch have always played a positive role in this union, not only in rebuilding the branch after privatisation but nationally at many a memorable and enjoyable grades conference and at AGMs. “Long may you continue to flourish,” he said. President’s column