RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2021 :: RMTnews

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2021 :: RMTnews 21 President’s column This month I’ve been privileged to attend our equality conferences for RMT women and Black and Ethnic Minority members a big thanks to Glen and Marie for the welcome and good luck to Mandy and AJ for the year ahead I'm sure you'll carry on the work done by your predecessors. I feel that we could all do so much more to make sure our equality advisory groups get true representation and more autonomy so that is the challenge I set the next general secretary. It’s certainly the area I’ve learnt the most from whilst on the NEC and as president. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and for that I am extremely grateful. I‘m prepared to listen and we shouldn’t ignore or think that we know best but try harder as small steps lead to great victories. That means that all of us must listen and change how we act to be inclusive. We cannot change what we are not aware of and once we are made aware we cannot help but change. I also want to say we have made a difference since these conferences were introduced but we are still a long way from having achieved the aspirations of our members and I want to put it on the next GS and president to tackle that head on! I have also chaired our biggest Network Rail meeting online where we hit capacity it was a pleasant focused and robust meeting with everyone is now aware of the forthcoming attacks across the whole network. I feel confident that the determination shown by all our representatives to defend our hard fought for terms and conditions our members will be ready to fight and will not allow the cloak of the pandemic to tear down what they have worked hard to gain. I also met representatives from Stena in our maritime industry who have been given broken promises and had conditions removed by stealth under the pressures of the covid pandemic. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the withdrawal of the sickness policy. I heard one member saying that he had to go off for a week and received only £22 to keep his family. This is absolutely shocking when you were being hailed hero’s for bring essential supplies to the country no wonder the work force feel Stena doesn’t look after their welfare and wellbeing whilst keeping services going throughout the pandemic. Whilst making money for shareholders and owners they are taking taxpayer money to keep staff on furlough and reflag vessels to avoid paying their dues to the government. It’s important that the union gets behind our members. I also pay tribute to RMT members for standing up and telling Scotrail that they want equality and to stop playing us off against other unions for the same rights. We will not be held responsible for your lack of management! It appears a smear campaign has backfired with mass of support and empathy from the travelling public. The SWR DOO referendum should have concluded by the time you read this and whilst some will make a load of noise round what's gone on I won't get hung up on the finer details. We can leave that to the AGM, but I will say that every deal done has been claimed to do the guard in and we have proved that wrong time and time again. Our members are the ones who decide when to fight and that has always been the success of our trade union and we have to listen when they tell us they have no fight left. However what I will say is it was inspiring to see our general secretary Mick Cash speak (even though he doesn’t get to vote) so passionate and so in favour of the deal highlighting similar incidents during his tenure and I've no doubt that his performance actually probably swung the opinion of some NEC members and the way they voted which for me was good to see because despite this myth that exists out there the NEC don't support the general secretary this evidently goes to show they do. It was good to see his leadership hold the boat steady during what has been a difficult time with the attacks on our guard members. However, I'm deeply disappointed with murmurs that our maritime and offshore grades apparently shouldn't involve themselves in Industrial railway issues so ask yourself this if not them then what about our Network Rail or bus members also? The last time I checked we are an all grades union and that sort of grade snobbery should be a thing of the past. I am also aware when you get this edition the new general secretary will be in place and I hope that the whole union unite behind him and these counterproductive factions wither away or change their approach. The members come first in this union not egos and personalities and we must prepare for what will be the worst attacks out there on our members and I will 100 per cent work with whoever is triumphant to make this happen because when we pull in the same direction we win! Solidarity Michelle Rodgers MEMBERS FIRST