ENGINEERING A WAY FORWARD

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2023 :: RMTnews 19 RMT Norwich branch chair Ray Williams welcomed delegates to Great Yarmouth for the 2023 annual engineering grades organising conference. RMT senior assistant general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that RMT had gone through trying times, but the union had emerged from those crises more united and determined. He said that one of the ways to build that unity was to increase communications between the union and the membership. “We have strived to improve those communications in a number of ways using new technology available to us including social media and video,” he said. He said that the union had to continue to progress with these innovations in order to get the message out against a hostile media environment. “During strike action in the national dispute the media simply repeated messaging from an aggressive Tory government. “This government is seeking to criminalise workers whose only crime is to fight against poverty for their families. “Not only are they indemnifying employers and using agency workers during strike action, they are bringing in more anti-trade union laws including minimum service levels. “Therefore, the union faces a number of challenges for external communications to break through in the media as well as internal communications with members,” he said. Doug Hammersley, Transport for London congratulated the union for its media performances in the national dispute and reminded delegates that the union also had a big fight on London Underground regarding jobs, agreements and pensions. “The threat to the pension fund is very real and this will affect everyone including managers,” he said. Jack Rawcliffe, York and District said that Network Rail’s Modernising Maintenance agenda was still in place, and that this was making the workplace less safe. “We have to ask ourselves, going forward, what are we going to be fighting next?” he said. Charles Fisher, Deptford called for unity among RMT members and said it was the only way to make employers listen across the country. “We have to realise that there are big differences across the country, between north and south in particular, and we need to make honest assessments about what we can achieve together. “That means being realistic as well as being united because unless we do so we all lose,” he said. There were wide discussions regarding CCTV monitoring and other uses of technology designed to increase surveillance measures on workers. Conference delegates also expressed solidarity to suspended health and safety rep Dan Leong, Paddington No1 and reaffirmed that the union would defend reps with every resource available.   ENGINEERING A WAY FORWARD The engineering grades conference discussed the national dispute and dealing with a hostile media Eddie Dempsey