RMT AT TUC

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: sep/oct 2025 :: RMTnews 6 RMT put its London Underground dispute, the campaign against assaults and for the insourcing of rail workers on the agenda at this year’s TUC Congress in Brighton. Addressing delegates, RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey brought into sharp focus the growing number of assaults and incidents of abuse on the network. Moving the RMT motion in a powerful speech he said: “Members of my union, reps and people I know have been stabbed or threatened with being stabbed. “Our members have reported a sharp rise in violent attacks of all kinds and an escalation of aggression in those assaults”. While paying tribute to Jorge Ortega who was killed at work in Iford station last year, he pointed out that there was a growing consensus for the need for action, adding: “We’re still waiting for the government to bring forward legislation to make it a specific offence to assault a transport worker. “So, we are saying to the government and industry, we’ve got to have a properly staffed railway, a guard on every train, we have got to have station staff and BTP in force to look after people. “And if we can’t get those things, our members have made it clear that they are prepared to take industrial action,” he said to applause. RMT delegate Rotimi Ajayi condemned the government’s sudden changes to immigration rules for skilled workers which would leave up to 50 of RMT members working on London Underground face losing their work. He said that the new rules were pushed through without notice or proper parliamentary scrutiny. The union’s campaign RMT AT TUC Union fights for insourcing, against assaults and justice for seafarers and tube workers