PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: sept/oct 2025 :: RMTnews 27 RMT submitted two vital motions on social justice and safety at work to the annual Trade Union Congress meeting in Brighton. Decisions taken at Congress matter: they set the tone for how organised labour will respond to the challenges facing working people, their families, and their communities. Trade unions need to be rooted in those communities to reflect our commitment to defending workers, challenging inequality and building a fairer society. One motion calls for a fundamental restructuring of the economy to shift wealth and power back in favour of working people. For too long, governments of all shades have accepted self-imposed fiscal rules that prioritise the interests of financial markets over the needs of ordinary people. This has predictably resulted in cuts to public services, stagnating wages, weak investment and decades of privatisation and austerity. While some of the government’s recent proposals -such as the Employment Rights Bill and an industrial strategy—are welcome steps forward, they do not go far enough. Britain’s economy still suffers from chronic underinvestment, offshoring, outsourcing, and the hollowing-out of good, secure jobs. Without real change, the vacuum left by mainstream politics risks being filled by division from the right. We are calling on the government and the wider trade union movement to back policies that will shift the balance of wealth and power. This must include: Extending sectoral collective bargaining across the economy, ensuring that every worker, regardless of industry, benefits from fair pay, job security, and the cohesion that trade union values bring. Delivering and reminding the government of its pledge to have the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation, bringing services back in- house where they belong, improving quality for the public, and creating decent unionised jobs. This means building a new generation of publicly owned and supported industries to drive productivity, green transition, and community wealth. It also means introducing wealth taxes so that those with the broadest shoulders contribute fairly, instead of squeezing working families. This would strengthen communities, revitalise public services, and ensure that the economy works for working people, not the other way around. The second RMT motion addresses the safety of transport workers. Far too many of our members face abuse and assaults simply for doing their jobs. Across the transport sector, workers deserve respect and protection—but instead, they are too often on the frontline of public frustration. Part of the problem lies in the way workers are demonised. Sections of the media, backed by politicians and employers, routinely portray transport staff taking lawful strike action in derogatory terms. By undermining the legitimacy of workers standing up for their rights, they foster a culture where abuse and attacks are normalised. That means holding employers accountable for protecting staff, demanding stronger enforcement against assaults, and challenging the narrative that vilifies transport workers. We cannot allow lawful trade union action to be used as a pretext for hostility, and we must insist that every worker has the right to dignity and safety at work. These motions reflect RMT’s vision to defend our members and stand with the wider trade union movement in reshaping society for the benefit of all working people. The fight for economic justice and workplace safety is not ours alone—it is one we share with millions of trade unionists across the country. To succeed we must grow, encourage every worker who is not yet a member to join a union. There is a union for everyone, whatever your job or sector. We need an economy that works for working people. And we need respect and safety for every worker. With unity, solidarity, and determination, the trade union movement can deliver it. George Welch President’s Column FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND SAFETY alleged that the company had breached its legal duty to ensure the staircase was kept reasonably safe. Liability for the accident was admitted, and a settlement was agreed upon without the need for court proceedings. The member’s wife received the full compensation amount with no deductions. Following settlement of her claim, the member’s wife described her experience as “superb” and she could not recommend the team who supported her more. ON-BOARD CHEF RMT represented a member who worked as an on-board chef. Due to a disability, they were unable to continue working on-board in this role. The member requested an office-based role instead. Occupational Health agreed that the member was fit for such a role. However, the employer had told the member that they could not work in an office position unless he was deemed fit to work at on-board at sea. The union supported the member in claims of disability discrimination, and the matter was resolved through negotiation between the parties and the member received compensation.