LETTERS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2018 :: RMTnews 29 ACROSS 1 Make more complex (10) 8 Begin again (7) 9 Anew (5) 10 Lock of hair (5) 11 Diplomatic building (7) 12 Inundation (6) 14 Change to ice (6) 16 Small salmon (7) 17 Grasslike plant (5) 19 Porcelain (5) 20 Increase (7) 21 Pleasing (10) DOWN 1 Productive (4,9) 2 Resources (5) 3 Brood (6) 4 Room (7) 5 Supremacy (13) 6 Gravel (4) 7 Biochemical catalyst (6) 12 Bug (6) 13 Too old (7) 15 Return to normal (6) 17 Colonial term (5) 18 At any time (4) £50 PRIZE CROSSWORD The winner of last month’s prize crossword is Peter Shaw, Sheffield. Send entries to Prize Crossword, RMT, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NWI IJD by May 14 with your name and address. Winner and solution in next issue. Last month’s solution... Crossword sponsored by UIA Dear editor, In defence of Bro Steve Shaw I feel he raises a valid point by asking about electioneering. This matter has been raised before with no answer that I can recall. In the US Presidential election Donald Trump used Facebook to prosecute his case for why he should be president, Facebook with a following of millions, he won. Compare that with RMT News and a readership of 80,000 members all with a vote and a president coming to the end of his tenure, starts talking about equality. Bro Shaw has a point, why didn’t the president stand aside in favour of another candidate. I am also concerned about letters in the March issue, from members who have been in the union for forty years and members who state that they are RMT tutors who have “met a wide brush of members”. If this is the case, it raises the question why have they not done anything to resolve the issues raised? An RMT rep is meant to represent all members not sections. We are not an elitist union but inclusive of ALL. As for standing for offices in the union, members should be elected on merit not appointed. I don’t think Bro Shaw needs equality training but the question he raised needs addressing. Yours fraternally, Denis Connor, Glasgow5 Dear editor, I am writing in response to the letters last month concerning Bro Steve Shaw. I have known Steve for 25 years both as a colleague and a friend and in all that time he has been nothing but a fighter, servant and a leading example of union representation to all who know him at his workplace, within his own region and also on a national level while serving on our NEC. Some of the responses insinuated that Steve knew nothing of the struggles faced by migrant workers entering the workplace and the industries that our union organises in. If they had bothered to try and get to know Steve at all they would maybe have been able to find out that he is indeed himself the offspring of a parent who came to the UK facing many of the same challenges that some of our fellow members today have faced as migrant workers themselves. Crucially the original question that was asked in Steve Shaw's letter has still not been answered. In the previous election the current President at that time stood against a candidate from a BEM background. If our President feels so strongly about under representation within our union amongst minority groups, why did he stand against a candidate from one of the groups that are under- represented in our union at a national level? Has he only realised that minorities are under-represented within the last two years. As Secretary of the North West and North Wales regional council, I noted with interest Bro Mo Malik's comments on the issue. I agree as a white middle-aged male I need to try and better understand along with other delegates the issues our BEM colleagues and other minority groups face and would like to extend an invitation to him as a member within our region, to start attending our regional council meetings. It would be great to see minority groups represented at these meetings. Kind regards, Neil Sharples ANSWERING QUESTIONS QUESTIONS RAISED UNFAIR BALANCE Dear Editor, I write in response to the 6 letters which were published in your March edition, which gives unfair balance to the issues raised in Steve Shaw's letter. Whilst I am in favour of better rights of representation in the union's structures for equality groups, there is a need to be aware that the RMT News outside of branch adverts shouldn't be used to promote potential candidates in forthcoming elections. As a Regional Organiser I worked with Brother Steve Shaw for a number of years, and have always found that he has positive views on equality issues. Whilst he is always upfront with his views, that shouldn't be misinterpreted as being ignorant on the importance of equality issues. Yours fraternally, Andy Warnock-Smith, Retired Regional Organiser