HOUSING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE!

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march/april 2026 :: RMTnews 20 Young members demanded that the union pursue guaranteed affordable housing in all future pay negotiations within London Underground, Network Rail and Great British Rail. Delegates backed a call for homes owned and rented out by these employers to be offered to their own workers first, with rents capped at no more than 30 per cent of income. The motion made clear that housing must be treated as a core industrial issue, central to pay, retention and fairness for young transport workers. Moving the motion, James Braithwaite, LU Fleet said that a survey of members who were apprentices and graduates revealed just how poor they were, particularly in London, and they were forced to live with their parents. On average TfL graduates and apprentices spend 45 per cent of their take home on rent and Mr Braithwaite added that he wanted to see rents capped at 30 per cent of income of the lowest paid workers within the respective employer. Shakeel Choudhury, TfL No.1 backed the motion but had concerns around the idea that affordable housing being tied to your job, would lock workers into employment without the freedom to move around. James McLelland, Leominster and Herford said that building housing had been done before, such as the building of railwayman's cottages in the 30s and British Rail staff housing, up until the 60s when affordable homes were built near depots. "Back then our union got London Transport to build quite a lot of housing, even as far back as the 50s and 60s. "In this day and age - rent is sky high...people are not going to be able to live and work in central London on the wages they are paid, unless they start paying mad money or instead give you a nice little flat courtesy of TfL," he said. Chengkai Lian, TfL No1 added that Transport for London was selling off commercial property instead of using it for the benefit of their own staff when the "housing crisis is already severe" in the capital. Another key topic included demands for stronger action to on staffing, safety and workplace protections, warning that young transport workers are increasingly exposed to violence and unsafe working practices. RMT policy has long opposed lone working, single staffing in safety-critical and customer-facing roles, and the replacement of staff with technological ‘mitigations’. Delegates argued that these principles must now be more firmly enforced as working conditions on the railway continue to deteriorate. Tom Jones, Reading outlined the need to defend and restore a visible, properly resourced British Transport Police presence across the rail network. “We need to actively engage and organise young HOUSING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE! RMT young members’ conference gathered in Newcastle to discuss priorities