CORONAVIRUS - A REPS GUIDE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june bulletin 3 2020 :: RMTnews 12 During the Coronavirus crisis transport and offshore energy workers are key workers transporting other key workers and essential goods and supporting key services. RMT’s priority throughout this crisis is protecting members’ health, safety, jobs and conditions. So it is of vital importance that our members know that all departments and functions of their union continue to work through this crisis. Be it industrial, safety, legal advice, equalities and equal rights, union benefits, organising and campaigns, as a rep you will get the support that you need. RMT members are key workers and RMT’s strong network of elected reps such as yourself are essential to protecting members and keeping your union strong during this crisis. This short guide is designed to assist you in that role. Thank you for all the work that you do as an RMT rep. Together and united we can help defeat coronavirus and continue to build a strong union that protects all of our members. There are 10 key steps to protecting members which are outlined in further depth in the guide. They are: Keep yourself informed, keep your workplace informed, keep organising and keep recruiting and keep members in RMT. There are a range of digital communication tools such as Zoom, WhatsApp and Telegram that will help you reach more workers and scale your campaigns up quickly. A useful summary of these can be found at the TUC under Apps for Organising. Keep educating, RMT is seeking to provide a range of courses for reps by hosting online education. You can find out more about these and other courses here. RMT also has a unique arrangement with the Labour Research Department that supplies up-to-date employment, equal rights, legal and safety briefings for reps. You can find LRD here and access free up-to-date information by entering the RMT log in details as follows - username: rmt, password: pot427. RMT has also launched a new online learning offer to support many of its members who have been stood down, furloughed and isolated. Keep agitating to protect jobs, pay and conditions. Keep safe and RMT health and safety reps have a critical role to play in protecting members during the crisis. The union has produced detailed guidance to advise reps of steps that should be taken to maximise the safety of members and to intervene if you think members are unsafe. Keep fighting for equality and ensure that when employers are implementing measures in relation to Covid -19 our members are not discriminated against in any way, for example because of their gender, race, sexual orientation or if they have a disability. Keep campaigning to ensure RMT members don’t pay the economic price of this crisis and that their role as key workers is recognised. Keep meeting (remotely) as right across the country reps and branches have started to utilise online meeting facilities such as Zoom. Keeping in touch with fellow activists and reps is essential for sharing information, supporting each other and planning and coordinating activity. Finally, keep in touch and keep strong by letting the communication flow within all the RMT networks. This will help the union work effectively and also support your own mental health during this particularly challenging time. Remember all of the union is still fully functioning and available to provide you with the advice and support you require. CORONAVIRUS A REPS GUIDE RMT general secretary Mick Cash introduces a new reps guide which will be available on line and in print