PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Restaurant Car Wages Council No2, serving as Chair from 1971-80, and was elected to the Regional Council in 1972 and served as chair from 1974. He was a regular delegate to the Catering Grades Conference, serving as the Secretary from 1973-83 and President during his time, he was also the Secretary of the National Train Catering Staff Council. Furthermore, Jim served as a delegate to the East London District Council, an NUR tutor and was elected to serve as an AGM Delegate and a Labour Party delegate in 1984. Jim was elected to serve on the Executive Committee from 1980 - 82 and again from 1986 – 88, serving part of his term before becoming a Divisional Organiser in 1987. He initially covered Division 14 (London) and was later elected as the regional organiser for the South East region until his retirement in 2008, during which time he became a member of Croydon No.1 Branch. Jim put his excellent organisational skills to good use in all areas of his life, including his work with the British Legion and a number of charities which were featured in newspapers and RMT News. A little-known fact is that Jim was also featured performing his regular Silver Service duties on a train in the opening credits of the 1971 Michael Caine classic film Get Carter. Well comrades, solidarity for 2020 and I hope we are ready for the attacks coming our way! There will be no easy ride for protecting working conditions fought hard for by our forefathers! There will be no place to hide with more establishment anti-trade union laws with the right to withdraw your labour when the greedy bosses ride roughshod over our negotiators. With the threat of minimum services we will be having two hands tied behind our backs and a gun to our heads to provide more profit for the greedy bast@rds that run our railways while stealing taxpayers money for the worst service this country has seen in decades. But I know as a union that campaigns for and fight for democracy we will lead from the front. Never has it been more important that transport trade unions forget their differences and fight unanimously as one for our members future. We rely on them for support and now it’s our job to show that we believe in them as together we are stronger. Bojo and his clowns will try to spread hatred in every community to blame anyone but themselves. Their government has raged cuts and hardship on millions from a race to the bottom for wages, destroying workers’ rights, cutting spending, blaming local councils for poor spending choices, attacking and selling off “our” NHS, blaming immigrants for the country’s problems when they control what houses are built, what budget councils and hospitals and how many police officers are on our streets. This rotten, disgusting government control the media to fill our heads with its everyone else but them. We have a tough year of work and our communities, we will endure lots of criticism but will remain united and stronger as we fight. Can I thank Manchester South branch, York’s and Lincolnshire Regional Council, South Humberside branch and South East Essex branch for my warm welcomes and the monies raised for SWR guards. It’s important we dig deep to help those that have sacrificed a month’s salary for the safety of the train and its passengers, for all those who received long service awards keep up the great work you do and it’s lovely seeing so many comrades and building new friendships. Solidarity everyone and may 2020 be the year trade unions shine brightest. Michelle Rogers President’s column WELCOME TO 2020 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2020 :: RMTnews 23