TRAVEL FOR RETIRED WORKERS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may/june 2026 :: RMTnews 29 RMT retired members conference meeting in Manchester welcomed the creation of Great British Railways and called for improved travel facilities for current and future retired members. Ray Knight, London and Anglia retired activist branch said that the template should be the current facilities enjoyed by safeguarded staff prior to the privatisation of the railways. Delegates also called on the government to deliver the lifesaving investment required for the National Health Service to end ‘corridor care’. Billy Laing, Northwest and North Wales said that older people were dying in hospitals or forced to wait for treatment in corridors, waiting rooms, ambulances or even in cupboards. “We call for government action to rebuild GP services, restore hospital capacity and end years of underinvestment which has left emergency services unable to deliver life- saving care,” he said. Tony Donaghey, London and Anglia that the union needed to ‘get political’ to expose this funding scandal that was endangering lives every day. Olly New, London Transport warned that the government was threatening to dismantle the Triple Lock, despite the state pension being one of the meanest in Europe. “We must oppose politicians who advocate military spending and war rather than decent pensions, a properly funded NHS and other vital public services,” he said. Arthur Richardson, Manchester and Northwest called for justice for the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign. “The Labour government has refused to compensate women adversely affected by the change to women’s state pension age and we need to reiterate our support for a just resolution,” he said. Delegates agreed to send a letter of solidarity to the WASPI women. Delegates backed a call for the abolition of the personal tax allowance freeze at £12,750 since April 2021 and its extension for a further three years to 2028. Jimmy Allen, Northwest and North Wales warned that the full new state pension was set to rise above the income tax allowance from next April. “That means pensioner whose only income is the full new state pension will be paying tax on their state pension. “And pensioners with savings and small occupational pension will be paying tax for the first time. “It is a scandal that the extension to the freeze will wipe out most benefits of the triple lock increase. “We have been cash cows for years and it needs to be exposed,” he said. Arthur Richardson called for a vigorous campaign through the union’s parliamentary group of MPs for a policy of increasing tax thresholds as part of a transformative programme of wealth redistribution. Olly New called on retired members to promote trade union history including the 1926 General Strike. “Retired members can play an important role to highlight histories of working people including the Luddites, early trade unions, chartists, suffragettes, anti-colonial and anti-slavery struggles and many more in communities everywhere. “A knowledge of these struggles will help encourage the battles of today,” he said. RMT young members committee chair Sarah Cundy welcomed the chance to address conference to thank retired members for the contribution they had made to the trade union movement. “Trade unions like RMT have given young people protections at work which they would not otherwise enjoy. “It is important that we organise and work together to ensure that these protections not only continue but are improved,” she said to applause. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey reiterated the message that unity was required not only in the transport sector but across the labour and trade union movement. “We must argue for the rebuilding of the industrial base this country and the creation of Great British Railways can be the start of that process. “We must replace division with a different vision for the future of this country,” he said. TRAVEL FOR RETIRED WORKERS RMT retired members call for action on pensions, care and travel