PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: october 2021 :: RMTnews 29 President’s column I need to start this month by saying thank you to all those that have supported me throughout my three years. I know I’ve not made everyone happy at times. However, the job is difficult and you make decisions with the facts that are presented and to be honest it's not a popularity contest you just do your best then sit within the hands of the AGM if you do mess up I had no crystal ball for what would have unfolded throughout my three years and a pandemic that shaped most of my tenure. However I did my best in an honest and open manner and made sure I defended the member-led principal of this union despite the mantra being peddled by some. That’s me’ that’s what I pledged when campaigning and I kept to that. I have enjoyed the new friends and comrades I have met and worked with and, more importantly, the equality advisory groups for being patient when I didn’t understand. But I will say I am richer for sharing your experience and knowledge and I hope I get to assist in making our union a bigger part of a kinder more tolerant trade union. So shine comrades and remember every small victory leads to big changes and in a movement that has been scared to look at how it operates I hope that continues to change. Remember we pride ourselves on our democracy don't let anyone attempt to sell tokenism as a worthwhile change. Lastly and most importantly thanks to the small group who worked tirelessly on my campaign from videos watched by millions to colours and designs that were bold and brave and for my campaign manager for sticking by me understanding it’s hard to know what’s right or wrong. The Bee (my campaign logo) is a symbolic sign of how and when workers work together the achievements are worth the struggles and to my now dearest friends who I hadn’t even met but got me through to the end and supported me when I felt downbeat and reminded me what it meant to thousands of members who believed and voted! Thank you! I also need to remind everyone we don’t always get it right, but we always fight together the cause and not the person. As big job losses loom from every sector those words will give us great victory as I was reminded in a meeting if we don’t fight, we will always lose. At times like this it makes what our team behind the scenes In office roles do so important and if I had to single any one of our staff out for what they do I just couldn't do it (sorry, Scott !). So, with only weeks left of office I hope that presidents to come will continue to defend the member-led principal because, and I'm sure the GS will join me, that's what makes RMT what it is. It's critical that those that come after us adopt that approach because it's not the GS , president or any other officer that runs this union it's you that do it! Solidarity Michelle Election of NEC General Grades Region 5 (Yorkshire & Lincolnshire) Wayne Barnett (Bassetlaw) Bassetlaw Andy Budds (Leeds City) East Midlands Bus; Leeds City; Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus; Sheffield & District Pete March (Hull Rail) Doncaster; Hull Rail; South Humberside Election of NEC General Grades Region 8 (South West) David Goard (Plymouth 1) Exeter Rail; North Devon Bus; Penzance 1; Plymouth 1; South Devon Bus Election of Regional Organiser – London & Anglia (Region 10) Derrick Marr East London Rail ; Peterborough ; South East Essex ; Waltham Cross & District Kathy Mazur Bletchley & Northampton ; Cambridge ; Colchester & District ; Euro Passenger Services ; Euston No 1 ; Great Northern Rail ; Ipswich ; Kings Cross ; London & Orient Engineering ; London Anglia & Midland Transport ; March & District ; North Thames LT & S ; Norwich ; St. Pancras ; Watford ; Wolverton THANK YOU