CATERING FOR THE FUTURE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2019 :: RMTnews 14 This year’s packed national organising conference of hotel, catering and ancillary grades assembled in Birmingham for a full programme of discussions mapping out a programme for the year ahead. Conference was opened up by chair Derek England from LNER. He set the tone for the fighting, organising and ambitious spirit of the activists present that would flow through throughout the day: “There are huge challenges facing this union of catering employers in our industries trying to cap wages and conditions to the legal minimum. “We must never under-value or under-sell ourselves – we make these companies their profits through our hard work. We are worth every penny of what we are demanding and more,” he said. Craig Johnson, acting midlands regional organiser, reinforced the points made that “all catering work should be brought back in-house on collective terms and conditions. “Catering is an integral part of the travelling experience and staff should be valued accordingly, that is our most basic of demands. “Instead, we are confronted with some of the most Dickensian employment practices in our industry with some members working inhumane 13 hour shifts on services stretching from Newcastle to Southampton. That is what we are up against. “As well as fighting to defend services one of our key priorities should be for expansion with the reintroduction of buffet services a central demand, proving that the catering sector is a key priority for the union,” he said. RMT general secretary Mick Cash updated conference on the wider work across the union and on how the catering sector fits in as an important and integral part of RMT’s activities. He also set out how the union is prioritising building membership density, improving education and representation and strengthening the union’s financial position to underpin the battles ahead. Kathy Mazur from West Coast thanked both officials for their contributions and pointed out how the industrial organising approach of RMT had been instrumental in securing the superb victory of the DHL staff working on the supplies and logistics side of the Virgin operation but also reminded conference that the union is only ever as strong as its members on the ground. Dave Marshall from the RMT organising unit then took conference through a series of activities aimed at identifying priorities, best practices and how to achieve them which sparked off some lively debate. The afternoon session was filled with a number of motions covering a wide range of subjects pertinent to the grade from the impact of training cuts, sharpening up recruitment activities, safety and the shocking pressure on personal well-being of the long hours and low pay culture that blights the industry. There was extensive debate around the motion from Swansea No 1 Branch laying the launch pad for an all-out campaign over the future of CATERING FOR THE FUTURE RMT catering conference delegates discuss priorities and challenges for the coming year