GREEN AGENDA FOR TRAIN CREW

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2023 :: RMTnews 12 The national industrial organising conference of train crew and shunting grades met in Newcastle-upon-Tyne recently with the largest turnout for the event in recent memory. Conference president Billy Kimm opened the meeting at this important time for the grade, which was held in the midst of re-balloting members for industrial action. Mayor of North of Tyne Jamie Driscoll welcomed delegates to Newcastle, explaining that the rail industry was proudly born there with the early acclaimed steam train Stephenson’s Rocket being built in the city. He outlined plans to change the way that public transport was organised in the city, pledging to integrate the Metro, rail and buses locally. RMT assistant general secretary John Leach thanked the activists for the work that they had put in with the strike action over the last year. “This is the biggest dispute not only in living memory but in the union’s entire history,” he said. John explained that it was unprecedented to bring out over 50 per cent of the membership together through successful ballots. “What we did became contagious, and others followed us and went into disputes themselves,” he added. Giving a frank report of how general secretary Mick Lynch and himself had been involved in negotiating with the Rail Delivery Group, he outlined how the union refused to accept compulsory redundancies, changes of conditions and fought for a proper pay rise. He explained how the RDG wanted an upfront commitment for the union to agree that the role of the guard would end, 940 ticket offices would close and other long-standing terms and conditions would be up for discussion too. These were things that the union could not sanction and this was made GREEN AGENDA FOR TRAIN CREW Packed grades conference focusses on national dispute and the promotion of a green agenda RMT president Alex Gordon and Gordon Jones