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RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2021 :: RMTnews
8
T
he People’s Assembly
marched through central
London last month to
demand an end to the Tories’
ongoing attacks on working
people. Tens of thousands of
trade union activists and
political campaigners made
their voices heard outside
parliament, where speakers
addressed the crowd.
Workers were urged to
reject the Tory agenda of
privatisation, defend the NHS
from underfunding and unite
in the common interests of
worker solidarity, including an
end to ’fire an rehire’, a
guarantee of safe, secure
jobs, a welfare system that
protects vulnerable people
and affordable housing for
all.
In addition to those
demands, the People’s
Assembly insists that key
industries are renationalised
so that they be run for public
benefit instead of private
profit. RMT believes strongly
in the benefits of a
renationalised rail network,
and several RMT branches
were represented at the
demonstration, including
South West Midlands branch
(pictured).
M
embers working for
Caterers Offshore
Trade Association (COTA)
member companies in
catering, accommodation
and ancillary services on
offshore installations are
being balloted with a
recommendation to reject
a base pay offer of just one
per cent.
RMT negotiators tried to
convince employers that
members’ worth was far
greater than the abysmal
pay offer following a pay
freeze last year and the
significant pressures placed
on them during the
pandemic where workers
kept installations
operating.
Not only did employers
refuse to move on the pay
offer but set conditions
which would see several
significant changes
including the removal of
enhanced redundance
entitlement and weather
delay payments. A new
training rate would also be
applied cutting the current
eight-hour entitlement to
four hours in return of an
additional 1.21 per cent on
base rates.
The union did secure
agreement on an
improvement to sick pay
entitlement and an
improvement to
bereavement leave, but
the employers refused to
consider a night shift
allowance.
RMT general secretary
Mick Lynch said that the
union did not believe the
pay offer reflected the true
worth to the industry over
the last year and into the
future and called on
members to reject it.
“We also believe the
offer to buy out significant
and long-established
entitlements is well below
their true value,” he said.
PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY
ON THE MARCH
ASSEMBLY: Noel Doyle, Piccadilly & District Line West branch member (L) and Daniel
Kennedy, South West Midlands branch member (R).
Picture credit: Daniel Randall
COTA OFFSHORE
BALLOT