WOMEN ON SCOTTISH RAILWAYS

RMT Learning Scotland Lowlands and Uplands project teamed up with The Open University (OU) in Scotland for the Women and Scottish Railway project in January 2021 supported a group of women RMT members from various branches across Scotland to research and address the relative absence of the history of women in Scottish railway history. The project had a strong focus on the role of women in trade unions especially struggles faced by women working in Scotland’s railway. The course programme focused on the creation and completion of a history project to celebrate the achievements of women members of NUR and RMT working within the rail industry in Scotland. The programme encompassed and developed educational resources which now sit on the Open Learn website https://www.open.edu/openle arn/scotland-women-railways The programme introduced contemporary issues and approaches to understanding history and developing a historical educational resource that are now available online. With support from OU tutors the women developed study skills, research skills, interviewing skills, interdisciplinary approaches, ethics, preparing online and text-based materials. The goal was to produce a collection of materials that are now hosted on The Open University’s OpenLearn website that is now freely accessible for women in the rail industry and women planning a career in the railway. Some of the research included how did the employment of women during the First World War affect the railway industry to how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on employees working on the railways. The project includes interviews with Janet Cassidy one of the first women train divers in Scotland and Nan Zaimaitas who started work on the railway in 1977 and how she became an active union representative. Through learning the struggles faced by women rail workers in the past and present by reading and listening to the project outcomes it is hoping to encourage other women in the various branches in Scotland to engage with the next upcoming course. The Women and Scottish Railway History Project secured funding through the RMT Lowlands and Uplands learning project supported by Scottish Union Learning. RMT Learning Organiser for Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Dennis Fallen said that the original inspiration for the course grew out of a Webinar on the Glasgow 1915 women’s rent strikes which is part of the Open Learn Red Clyde Side collection and delivered during the pandemic by Jennifer McCarey of Glasgow Trades Council. The course logo was inspired by the 100-year anniversary badge commemorating women in both NUR and RMT, wording for this course badge was created by RMT member Mary Jane Herbison. The RMT Lowlands and Uplands project is currently planning a further course for women in Scotland working in the railway and offshore to begin this year. For more information contact your branch secretary, RMT Union Learning Representative or Dennis Fallen RMT Learning Organiser via email: D.Fallen@rmt.org.uk RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2023 :: RMTnews 20 WOMEN ON SCOTTISH RAILWAYS RMT members in Scotland took part in a project studying the history of women on the railways Janet cassidy