YOUNG MEMBERS STUDY GROUP

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: jan/feb 2026 :: RMTnews 20 RMT young activists from across the country, including myself, gathered for this year’s Introduction to Trade Unionism course at the Marx Memorial Library (MML) in Clerkenwell. The course, led jointly by RMT Young Members Chair Sarah Cundy and Simon Renton of the MML, explored the history of the British trade union movement. It included sessions on political economy and workshops on the union’s development from the 1966 Seaman’s Strike to the privatisation of British Rail. These sessions were delivered by experts in their fields and were accessible to young members of all educational backgrounds. The MML’s rich resources helped us understand how and why our union developed into its current industrial structure. I would like to thank the staff at the MML for their knowledge and hospitality during the course, and to all participants for their contributions. Working class education that is accessible to all should be at the core of what our union is about, and it was great to see this in action in Clerkenwell. YOUNG MEMBERS STUDY GROUP Connor Slomski reports on a study group for RMT young members MML YOUTH PROGRAMME FOR 2026 Study group on 50th anniversary of political activist Paul Robeson’s death 20 Jan Onsite only Wapping strike at 40 24 Jan Hybrid Working class history series with GFTU – Mary Macarthur 29 Jan Online only Andy Friend ‘Comrades in Art’ book launch 12 Feb Hybrid Working class history series with GFTU – 1918 Equal Pay strike 26 Feb Online only Lecture on Wilhelm Liebknecht 12 March Online only Marx Oration 15 March Working class history series with GFTU – General Strike and its aftermath 26 March Online only Book Sale 28 March Onsite only Lenin Reds on the Green 20 April Onsite only AGM – run up to general strike (Mary D) 26 April Hybrid Working Class history series with GFTU – British Day Nurseries 30 April Online only May Day 1 May Onsite only General Strike symposium 9 May Hybrid Working class history series with GFTU – part time work in post war years 28 May Online only Radical Clerkenwell – a trio of talks in partnership with Amwell Society 27 June Onsite only For more information about these conferences contact YMChair@RMT.org.uk.