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RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september/october 2024 :: RMTnews
4
RMT’s young members
advisory committee (YMAC)
has developed a campaign to
organise apprentices in the
transport sector.
The campaign began
following a decision from the
union’s annual general
meeting to adopt YMAC’s
resolution on developing a
new approach to organising
trainees with the four clear
demands: better terms and
conditions, an end to fixed
term contracts, an end to the
outsourcing of apprentice
education and more skilled
apprenticeships in the
transport industry.
In recent years, the rail
industry, in particular, has seen
apprenticeships become a way
for employers to use trainees
to replace full-time employees
and with less hope of gaining
secure full-time employment
with the introduction of fixed
term contracts including within
major companies such as
Transport for London.
As a result, the young
members’ committee has
done a lot of work in
organising apprentices into
the RMT from day one to give
them security within their
employment through
representation and
understanding their rights at
work along with a social
aspect to being a part of a
union including organising
social events.
The outsourcing of
centralised education for
major apprenticeships such as
Network Rail and London
Underground has led to major
issues and concerns such as
the welfare of apprentices,
quality of training and
education, specifically with
giving apprentices the skills
they need to be prepared to
be in their depots/workplaces.
However, in an encouraging
development, Network Rail
has decided to bring the
education of apprentices back
in house and to develop local
network rail training centres
starting this year.
YMAC apprentice
organising committee
organiser Rhys Harmer said
that the campaign will aim to
organise all apprentices across
the transport industry and the
young members committee is
looking for people to help out
where possible.
“We have created material
for organising and apprentice
inductions and the more
people we can get involved
the better,” he said.
If you are an apprentice or
a young member interested in
the work of the young
members committee, please
email YMChair@rmt.org.uk
ORGANISING APPRENTICES
AND GRADUATES
New campaign seeks to protect those starting careers
in the rail, maritime and transport sectors