PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Well, 2019 started with greedy train operating companies putting fares up and yet again fare-paying passengers are suffering the most. Some would not have received a pay rise to match the increase meaning they get closer to the poverty line this government seems intent on inflicting on all workers. I was proud to be part of the many demonstrations across the country highlighting the rip-off fares passengers pay to such private companies and their shareholders, who make nothing only empty promises to improve. While getting maximum profits from the passengers, train operators refuse to have dialogue to resolve real concerns over removing a second person safety-critically trained guard as the government hand over millions to ensure their private venture’ are protected. The misery continues for everyone. I also had the pleasure of finally spending time with our great comrades in the CGT, who are facing the same struggle in France as we are in stopping the private sector taking over the railways. I heard in their branch meeting the success of action they have taken with more to come to put their members at the front of the dispute and not surrendering to the government or bosses. Their meeting was lively and full of passion to fight and protect the industry they work in collectively leaving no one behind but showing solidarity with low paid workers. Throughout the excellent example of democracy I’m sure you will join me in a message of solidarity to all workers in the class struggle they face. I also want to thank everyone who turned up at Manchester Victoria to show support to our member who was disgracefully abused by racists. The message seen by the far right was one of solidarity from across every aspect of the left coming together to say an injury to one is an injury to all. I am out and about where possible, with visits to Wessex Regional Council, London Taxi Branch and Dorset rail branch with one theme fighting to make improvements for our members on every level, proud also of the action guards at ARN and SWR have taken at great personal cost to themselves to keep the railways safe. Hopefully I will be meeting many more members in the coming months. In Solidarity Michelle Rodgers President’s column IN SOLIDARITY RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2019 :: RMTnews 23 Thackley in Yorkshire, leaving a widow and four children. Union representation ensured that they were granted £234.11.2 in compensation (around £24,100 today), of which £98.11.2 was to be paid to the widow and the rest in quarterly instalments until the youngest child was 14. A later note recorded that the mother had died and payments were transferred to an aunt. Of course, the union wasn’t just interested in fatal accidents. Life-changing injuries appear all too frequently in the pages of the volume, and again we can see the Union defending its members and ensuring compensation was paid. All of this helped to push the railway companies towards paying the costs of a dangerous workplace, something they’d avoided doing for most of the 19th century. The volume is full of all sorts of detail about life on the railways at the start of the 20th century and will make for fascinating work. As well as being a great help to family historians, railway historians and many more, it’ll mean that everyone – RMT members and beyond – has a much better appreciation of the dangers of railway work in the past and of what the Union has done to look after its members. Full details of how to get involved, including helpful instructions, are available from: http://www.railwayaccidents.por t.ac.uk/transcription-tuesday/ After checking for accuracy, we’ll be making the data available to all, for free, via our website. It will join the data that the existing ‘Railway Work, Life & Death’ project volunteers have transcribed, covering around 4,500 accidents to British and Irish railway workers between 1911 and 1923. We think all of this is a great resource, and that ‘Transcription Tuesday’ and this volume will show the power of trade unionism – as well as how far the industry has come over the last 120 years. • Mike Esbester is based at the University of Portsmouth and co-leads the ‘Railway Work, Life & Death’ project.