YOUNG GIFTED AND RMT

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2019 :: RMTnews 12 RMT has a number of structures and positions designed to encourage young people to become members and then activists within the union. RMT runs a young members course alongside the union’s annual general meeting every year as well as an annual young members conference. These structures allow young people to become familiar with how the union operates and how they can take part in them. This includes learning about union policy and how to promote them and campaigning in the workplace and building the union for the benefit of everyone at work. Young members can also learn about union rules and how to shape them through debate. However, there is a lot of work to be done recruiting, training and retaining young people within the RMT family. Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that fewer than one in 10 workers under the age of 24 are now in a union. The proportion of unionised 16 to 19-year-old workers has halved since 1995, from 6.4 per cent to 3.2 per cent, with a similar pattern among 20 to 24-year-olds. Nevertheless, the same statistics also show a recent surge in membership among young workers. In 2017-18, for 16 to 24-year-olds as a whole, the membership rate went up from 7.8 per cent to 8.4 per cent. YOUNG, GIFTED AND RMT RMT welcomes young people into the transport industry and encourages them join the union! UNION: The 21 newest CalMac MAs are welcomed to City of Glasgow College at the start of their training with RMT recruiter Brian Reynolds. ALSTOM: RMT relief regional organiser North Craig Johnston calls in at Polmadie train care depot at Glasgow meeting with Alstom depot manager Robbie Livingston and RMT engineering apprentices Jack Petrie and Clark Dixon Ure.