PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

I want to start this month’s column by promoting the RMT’s women’s survey being distributed by your union. I believe the more data we have the better we can support our members and this type of work is important to understand the needs and aspirations of our membership. The results will be shared later and with the launch of the new app we should be able engage more on issues that directly affect our members and the greater involvement the better the result. So please get your colleagues to fill it in as we only have a ten per cent participation so let’s double this and get your voice and views heard. www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/rmtwomen Equality is a must for a modern union to grow. We must be proud of our backgrounds and roots and never allow for bullies and control freaks to take over. We must speak out, it’s what brings us together learning, accommodating and growing together to empower each other. I also want to say a big thank you to SIPTU and it’s general secretary Joe O’Flynn for the hospitality shown whilst attending their AGM in Cork to myself and Mick Cash along with comrade Steve Todd an old friend of Joe’s whose relationship has been built over many decades, building solidarity with our unions. Best wishes for your retirement Joe. We had a fantastic few days! I also want to thank all those that turned out to the Get the Tories Out demonstration in Manchester we all got absolutely soaking wet but our voices were heard, it was great to meet up with friends and comrades! Special thanks to Adie and Manchester Palestine Solidarity campaigners, we definitely got our message across and I was proud to be amongst them, time to let Palestinians live without fear in their own country. The atrocities that are now unfolding against the Kurdish people by the Turkish government are a disgrace to mankind and a shocking indictment to our government and the US along with others for watching on with nothing but empty words. These poor souls have been pushed and pulled from pillar to post for different gains by lots of countries in the past. This world has become greedy and selfish but we must keep fighting for others as well as fighting for ourselves. So much is happening with the climate fight and one where we all must shoulder some responsibility in any way that we can to change what we leave for our future generations. I am also working alongside the European Transport Workers Federation and trade unions from different parts of the community of European railways and infrastructure companies on women’s employment in the railway sector, where only 20 per cent of the work force are women. Due to the ageing population there will be a need for a greater recruitment of women into more skilled roles but there is still a lot of work to attract women secure from sexual harassment and bullying in a safe environment. I hope we can achieve something which is a starting point around the gender pay gap and more skilled women workers across the whole railway section, more senior managers to on-board staff to human resources to build a future railway industry which has real equality when it comes to workers. I also want to apologise to Edinburgh 1 and Portobello branch, and South west of England regional Council as business sometimes catches us on the hop but thank you for your understanding. In Solidarity Michelle Rodgers President’s column FIGHTING FOR WOMEN RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: october 2019 :: RMTnews 23 Plans. Since then, more and more children have needed extra help, but the funding available for them has not kept pace. The Local Government Association estimates that councils in England have £500m less money than they need for SEND provision this year. In Scotland, the number of specialist teachers supporting pupils with additional needs fell from 3,840 in 2012 to 3,437 in 2018. Mainstream schools are expected to meet the first six thousand pounds of additional costs for special-needs children, so there is already a financial incentive for cash-strapped schools to not admit these children or to coerce families into withdrawing them, a practice that has become known as ‘off-rolling’. Disabled children are being pushed into segregate schooling, or out of school altogether. Those who remain in school are prevented from achieving their potential. RMT members with SEND children are having to deal with the impact of their kids’ support being reduced or withdrawn – juggling this with shift work and other responsibilities. So RMT’s disabled members asked the union to support the fightback by students, parents and education workers against these cuts. RMT supported the day of protests against SEND cuts earlier this year, when thousands of students, parents, workers and supporters demonstrated at dozens of locations around the country. We are now asking RMT members to contact your MP to urge them to support efforts to reverse the funding cuts. You can find a model letter on the RMT website, along with details on how to contact your MP. END