ORGANISING AT CALEDONIAN SLEEPER

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2016 :: RMTnews 10 After a very difficult first year working for Serco since it was awarded the iconic cross border Caledonian Sleeper Service by the Scottish government on a fifteen year franchise, there are signs things may be getting better for the hard working staff who have been joining RMT in increasing numbers. Following on from last year's dispute and strike action, which was solidly supported by members, the union is now beginning to properly organise workers to ensure that hard won terms and conditions can be maintained and improved in the years ahead. We had recently been elected as company council and local level reps and were keen to take up the one-day training course which the lead officer Gordon Martin arranged for us in Glasgow. Donald Graham from RMT's organising unit led the lively debates and discussions which ranged from the role and responsibility of RMT representatives, through to the important requirement for good communication between reps and members and the need to strategically map the workplace on an on-going basis to ensure new members of staff were encouraged to join the union. We discussed a number of methods of communicating with our members and we will be producing regular newsletters and sending emails to members to keep them fully informed. Donald also made a very strong case for us to be active not only in the workplace. This meant attending branch meetings where all matters of importance can be fully discussed and decisions made which can include changes to union policy through branch motions to the national executive committee and the annual general meeting. We also had a presentation from one of the Director's with an informative question and answer session which was welcomed by us all. With much more to learn we have completed application forms to attend reps training courses at Doncaster and look forward to the next stage in our development as reps and continuing to build towards 100 per cent RMT ORGANISING AT CALEDONIAN SLEEPER RMT reps at Serco Caledonian Sleeper report on progress and developments within the service