PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

24 President’s column RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2021 :: RMTnews Well we have our new general secretary Bro Mick Lynch and I am excited about the future I hope we as an organisation can move forward together as the last year or so with the pandemic and organisational difficulties have been stressful for all. I really do hope Brother Mick Cash has a long and prosperous retirement I am sure when he is refreshed, and getting under Dawn’s feet we will see him engaging as a retired member or in another role connected with the movement. He has a lot of talent and he did his best to guide our union through some extremely difficult times, it’s been a difficult time for him but I know he enjoyed most if not all the hurdles that came his way and I wish him well and look forward to meeting at social events for a drink or two, take care and be kind to yourself brother. I have been to conferences where I’m asked how I have found the role as president and sadly sometimes the response is not what folk expect to hear. I am extremely proud to be your national president and I have always tried to do my best but, I am also still me with opinions and views which some think I should not address, well that wasn’t in the job description when I applied and over 30 years of membership gives me a right to an opinion just like everyone else and as a democratic union I would like to think that was acceptable. I have accepted the criticism and views of others graciously and accept we all see things differently but we must still work to make our union the best it can be and that sometimes means accepting each other’s view is it not? If we don’t personalise our opinions it makes debate and disagreement easier to listen to. I know our general secretary also wants a new phase and future for our organisation to join forces as we have an onslaught of attacks across the whole of our members workplaces. Nowhere is exempt so I along with your general secretary and elected national executive members intend to get on with that job. As lockdown restrictions come to an end we must be ready as workplace activists and members start engaging and making our workplace colleagues aware of the intentions of what lies ahead and recruit non-members to make defence of the terms and conditions that we have inherited are left in tack for future generations. That is a responsibility of all of us. The time is now and it’s not up to someone else it’s up to you! We are not sure at this stage how these attacks on jobs, pay, and conditions will be rolled out but we do know because of our involvement in RICF meetings that is there is millions of savings to be made via the government who allowed privatisation to rob the industries we work in of the profits which should have been re-invested to make our services the world’s best. However, that never happened and now investors want more so they think we the workers are fair game to take our pensions, our earning and our working weeks so join up, stand up and FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS! Solidarity Michelle Rodgers LOOKING FORWARD bame ad bame ad UNITY IN DIVERSITY A celebration of black and ethnic minority union members RMT published a pamphlet to mark the 25th anniversary of the union’s black and ethnic minority members’ advisory committee and its annual conference. Available from jwebb@rmt.org.uk