MAKING A DIFFERENCE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2019 :: RMTnews 18 “We’re women who want to make a difference,” RMT president Michelle Rodgers said in her address to the RMT women’s conference in Dover. “I woke up in the morning and I realised I’ve got something really special here - but I didn’t do this - we did this”. Delegates unanimously endorsed a call for a dedicated RMT women’s badge to be made available for purchase in the online shop. This was one of two motions to be submitted to RMT AGM in June. A motion calling for a wellbeing survey of female seafarers will also go to AGM. Shirley Fulton, Dover Shipping highlighted the “unsocial shift patterns, long hours and intense working environment” faced by such workers, saying that the union should “collate the information and produce a booklet to help reduce fatigue and improve the wellbeing of our women seafarers”. Another motion called for a new campaign for women in the maritime sector to become active in the RMT. Jean Wilmort, Dover Shipping said that the high number of female seafarers working on vessels within the UK meant there was huge potential for women to become more active within the union. The motion called for gender-specific recruitment materials, raising awareness of opportunities for women seafarers in the union, and better use of RMT News and social media to promote the cause. A call for enhanced childcare provision at union events was also carried after a healthy debate. The union currently makes childcare provision available when delegates request it on a form, but the motion called for “creche facilities or a suitable expense allowance”. Kim O’Shaughnessy said: “There are other things that are paid for that tend to be the things that men need.” She said that the social model of disability - where society is seen to be disabling people, rather than the onus being on disabled people to work around society’s barriers - should be the model for the union. “Childcare shouldn’t be an extra as required - it should be a given, where you don’t have to ask,” she said. Shirley Fulton, Dover Shipping said: “Some branches don’t have as much money in their pot, so why would you facilitate a room when nobody’s going to bring children with them?” Rebecca Crocker, East Ham spoke in support: “I spent more than 10 years running around every RMT meeting I could. The MAKING A DIFFERENCE Women’s conference meeting in Dover calls for female workers to become active in the union