RMT LEGAL SERVICES – SECOND TO NONE

LEGAL RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march 2021 :: RMTnews 13 RMT is fortunate to have one of the most committed in- house legal departments of any trade union in the country. The RMT legal department is now firmly established and employs four solicitors and our dedicated team of solicitors fight a number of cases on a number of fronts. Unlike some unions, we do not rely exclusively on external providers. Instead we deal with all employment tribunal cases from assessment to the case’s conclusion at a tribunal; except where it is a multiple action claim or the case warrants being referred out to panel solicitors, for example so that our member can have local representation. RMT’s legal team has also submitted claims to the Employment Appeal Tribunal for members who have been unsuccessful with their claim at the employment tribunal and the basis for an appeal has been identified. As well as providing excellent in-house coverage, our legal team have established great links with a network of lawyers throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland to ensure that members are best represented and get the best possible service. Our legal team continue to advise and support members in their work-related criminal cases. This often involves defending members against false allegations made by the public of assault, false allegations of theft and alleged driving offences. Furthermore, we continue to offer tailored advice and support for bus and taxi drivers, in respect of their licensing issues, licensing appeals before the Magistrates Court, driving offences, and in respect of appearances before Traffic Commissioners. Our panel criminal solicitors also continue to offer a first class service to our members at a time when Legal Aid is often denied to them. The union’s dedicated helplines for work and non- work matters continue to provide enormous benefit to our members. Due to the deep cuts in Legal Aid funding, the number of calls to our dedicated criminal helpline remains high. The Criminal Helpline is also open seven days a week, 24 hours a day and has proved valuable assistance to members. We are therefore fully primed to ensure that members are in a position to be advised, supported or represented on a variety of matters including personal injury, employment rights, criminal, licensing and inquest cases. In addition we supply legal advice on a range of matters to our NEC. Our legal team are dedicated to assisting our members. Whilst we always look for ways in which we can fight a member’s case, we have to advise on the law as it is and not how we would like it to be. This means that in practice we are unable to support every case, and are only able to support those cases where there are reasonable prospects of success. However, the union is not averse to taking on cases even when the legal advice is that the case may not succeed. There exists an invaluable safety valve open to members, whereby they can appeal a decision to refuse legal assistance through their Branch. The Union can then run a case when the NEC deems that there are sufficiently important considerations to support it, irrespective of the legal advice on the merits of the claim. As far as we are aware very few other unions offer this level of redress to its members. We remain a democratic, fighting union so it is no surprise that employers are using the law in an attempt to get rid of RMT members. Therefore our solicitors are routinely instructed to fight those cases where it is deemed necessary, and they do so proudly. The number of members seeking legal advice from our legal team has increased since the department began. Over the last five years our referrals and requests for assistance have grown, and our legal team have more than risen to the challenge, delivering high levels of service and outstanding outcomes for our members. The legal team have also been steadfastly reliable and have worked consistently hard for our members throughout the global pandemic. In these challenging times, RMT has ensured that we are best placed to serve our members and to develop the legal service that we offer. Our legal team will continue to strive to deliver a first class service to all of our members. We are committed to provide a strong legal service to assist and support the Union through the ever- changing legal, political and economic landscape. It is important going forward that we have a legal service fit for the challenges that we face, and through their excellent results and persistent dedication, our legal team continues to deliver this and to go from strength to strength. RMT LEGAL SERVICES – SECOND TO NONE