PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

24 President’s column RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2021 :: RMTnews Well, what a month! I am going to start with my disappointment in the ballot results recently to protect those that protect you. Our reps and activists put their heads above the parapet daily to keep checks and balances between your hard-earned terms and conditions and the abuse of these by the management within your companies. A lot of the time you will be oblivious to this going on as they are trained and experienced so there are no waves of panic for you the members. However, this role is unpaid and done for their love of this trade union and the will to want to help their fellow members and in recognition of what their forefathers fought for years ago such as decent pay, safe work practicing with breaks and of course holidays among many other things. Management didn’t gift these, they were won with membership solidarity and often through industrial disputes. When one of these reps are singled out it’s because they have been doing what they are meant to do and become an issue for your management teams via holding them to account on your behalf and they do that believing they have their fellow RMT members behind them supporting them with faith in the system we all sign up for. So, when we ballot because sometimes that system lets us down “WE SHOULD ALWAYS SUPPORT THEM WITH A HUGE MANDATE” that says loud and clear we have your back like you have had ours over the years. It is time we all played our part and stop letting our representatives down - stand up and be counted don’t leave it to others “IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY” to return the ballot papers and keep Our Union the Militant Union that Will protect you and your safety and jobs. Its Pride month and I want to thank Georgie Duane and the LGBT+ conference for their support. Stay proud and I hope I get to share some time with you all soon. You do an amazing job educating our union and helping to change our policies to make us a kinder world. I have enjoyed and learnt a lot from our equality members and long may that last THANK YOU. Finally, we have a series of meetings in the regions to defend station roles as part of our ‘Staff our stations’ campaign, please join in online and lets build a strong network of defence to protect all our station grades jobs. Solidarity Michelle Rodgers HARD WON RIGHTS My name is Gwen McNeil and I am a Conductor with Scotrail. I was diagnosed at the age of twelve with acetabular dysplasia (shallow hip sockets), which had been present since birth but was missed. In adulthood, this has developed into osteoarthritis. Various conditions at work present problems to me, including walking on ballast and the one-and-a-quarter- mile walk required in emergency situations. So, although I have recently been passed as fit for work, I can’t carry out my safety-critical duties. I have been referred to orthopaedics to look at hip replacement number two (the first was ten years ago and frustratingly I managed to work right up until my operation day with that one). I’m currently stuck in limbo, as waiting lists for most if not all NHS procedures have increased due to Covid-19, and I don’t think there are any alternative longer-term jobs suitable at my depot. So far, management have given me a temporary support role as a rep making sure colleagues understand the recent return to revenue briefing and risk assessment. I guess they are waiting for my referral appointment to begin forward planning. I am a local RMT rep and assistant branch secretary, and am keen to work with the company to ensure that it works with any worker with a condition or impairment to give them the assistance and adjustments they personally require. I also joined RMT’s Disabled Members’ Advisory Committee, and have had some involvement in setting up a Scottish sub-committee. I would like, through the union, to put forward changes to how the job runs to make it more accessible and suitable to disabled workers. Thanks to completing the RMT Disability course, I now know that there is a legal requirement for employers to make reasonable adjustments, including changes to hours and workload. If you are in a situation like mine, then please don’t be defeated or accept there’s nothing your employer can do. Legally, you have that wee bit of protection and your reps can help you with this. Also, managers are not doctors, so never forget that it is *your* condition so you are best placed to advise what will help you in your workplace. DISABLED MEMBERS SPEAK OUT ‘MANAGERS ARE NOT DOCTORS’ Gwen McNeil urges other disabled workers to stand up for their rights