WOMEN ORGANI SI NG

R MT women urged the union to develop a quarterly women’s organising week to encourage more diversity at all levels of the organisation. In an action packed two days, members from across the country descended on Scarborough in March to discuss key issues facing women members. Issues around safety on the transport system and women’s role within the union were top of the list. Moving the unanimously passed motion on women’s organising, Central Line East branch delegate, Jennifer Blane said: “It is important that members and potential members see the RMT as a diverse union which includes people like them. However there are no female RMT organisers. “We ask the union to organise a quarterly women’s organising week, with central funding for members of the National Women’s Advisory Committee to have release from work to visit workplaces and take part in organising activities,” she said. NEC member Kathy Mazur said it was vital the union carried on its great work organising low paid contracted out workers and urged women members to be militant when challenging the bosses. She recalled a time when she was escorted off Euston station after attempting to deal with a workplace dispute. Referring to late general secretary Bob Crow, she said: “I was incensed, but Bob backed me all the way,” to applause from conference. Conference also urged the union to highlight the role of the women’s committee including sending out a new updated version of the union’s women’s charter. Assistant general secretary Mick Lynch encouraged women members to become more involved pointing out that he was elected to office directly from the rank and file. “I do think our union is unique, I was working as an electrician this time last year. I don’t think there is another union in this country who would elect someone directly from the shop floor into a leadership position such as this,” he said. Recalling his experience of organising on Eurostar, after he was blacklisted from the construction industry, Mr Lynch said: “I got the job to get a bit of real money and keep my head down but there was no union so we built one and now I am here.” “We want every woman to be represented in this union and to have union officers who are women too. “We want our executive to be populated with women members who are confident and strong and who have faith in the structures which we are developing. It is improving. It is not improving as quickly as it should do but it is improving,” he said. RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march 2016 :: RMTnews 20 WOMEN ORGANISING RMT at women’s TUC DELEGATES: from left to right Janine Booth, Ann Mooney, Millie Apedo-Amah, Jennifer Gray, Christine Willett, Cat Cray, Katherine Burke, Shirley Fulton, Mary Jane Herbison, Ann Joss, Kathleen Gaughan, Eileen Orrell. A full report will appear in the next issue of RMT News.