Your green and bio-degradable 2008 diary free inside this ... · Essential reading for today’s...

Essential reading for today’s transport worker

www.rmt.org.uk

ISSUE NUMBER 8, VOLUME 8 OCTOBER 2007

Your green and bio-degradable2008 diary free inside this issue

REVIVING ROLLINGSTOCKPAGE 13

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

NO TO ROAD TRAINSPAGE 22

RFA RESERVISTSPAGE 16

www.rmt.org.uk :: october 2007 :: RMTnews

3

The media went berserk when2,300 RMT members at failed

privateer Metronet went on strikeand successfully protected their jobsand pensions.

I am proud of every one of thosetrade unionists who held the lineand gave their negotiating team thestrength to firm up the guaranteeswe had been seeking including afull pension scheme rescue.

Our members demonstrated thattheir jobs and pensions would notbe the price paid for privateerswalking away after robbing millionsfrom the Tube network.

It is a scandal that taxpayers willbe liable for up to half of the £2billion cost of Metronet’s collapsebefore the contracts are handedback to the same bunch of crooks.

RMT has made clear that it willresist any attempt to transfer Tubemaintenance to another private-sector bidder. This work should bebrought back in-house in the publicsector, a position fully backed byTUC delegates.

The alternative would be to allowthe dangerous fragmentation of theTube network to continue. We havealready seen the long-term damagethat can be done by privatisation onthe rail network.

During the Metronet strike therewere the usual right-wing voicescalling for strikes to be banned inpublic services.

Yet we already have to jumpthrough hoops to take strike actionat all, and our brothers and sistersin the Prison Officers’ Associationface the prospect of court action forstriking at all.

POA members have done theentire movement a favour by takingaction anyway and thumbing itsnose at laws that belong in thehistory books.

That is why Congress delegatesbacked an RMT call to step up thecampaign for trade-union rights andfor an end to Britain’s shamefulposition outside internationalconventions on labour rights.

In the same spirit of solidarity,RMT extends total support to postalworkers in struggle and to civilservants in PCS campaigningagainst huge job cuts.

Now that election hysteria hasabated, it is also time that GordonBrown did what TUC delegates

demanded and called a referendumon the EU constitution.

Labour promised us a referendumtwo years ago on the constitutionand supporters and opponents alikeadmit that the new rehashed versionis basically the same document.

This constitution will handfundamental powers to EUinstitutions, including the power toprivatise services, and abolishnational vetoes in 52 areasincluding transport.

That means transport policy willbe decided in Brussels in future notWestminster.

If it is good enough for Irishvoters to have a say in areferendum on this crucial issue, it’sgood enough here.

The government should also stophiding behind EU regulations that,for example, forced the tendering ofCaledonian MacBrayne’s lifelineferry services, and start challengingthem instead.

The CalMac tendering costtaxpayers a staggering £17 million– money that should have beenspent on improving services.

I recently had the pleasure ofvisiting Cally Mac members at workto discuss the tendering debacle andother problems they face.

Congratulations to RMT membersat UPS who have finally won theirbattle for trade union recognition.Workers need representation morethan ever as storm clouds gatherover the economy.

It’s amazing that the governmentcan find billions to deal with thecrisis at Northern Rock yet can’tfind enough money to fund decentpensions.

Northern Rock had assets of £24billion yet lent £100 billion.

When it all went wrong JoePublic had to cough up. That iswhat you call socialism for bankers,if you ask me.

In uncertain times it is good toknow the union is there to protectworkers. That is why RMT has itsown Credit Union to help membersand their families get access toloans at cheap rates. So join today.

Best wishes

contents EDITORIAL

RMT News is compiled and originated by National Union of Rail, Maritime &Transport Workers, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD. Tel:020 7387 4771. Fax: 020 7529 8808. e-mail [email protected] Theinformation contained in this publication is believed to be correct but cannot beguaranteed. All rights reserved. RMT News is designed by Bighand Creativeand printed by Leycol Printers. General editor: Bob Crow. Managing editor:Brian Denny. No part of this document may be reproduced without priorwritten approval of RMT. No liability is accepted for any errors or omissions.Copyright RMT 2007

Page 4ALL CHANGE FOR ANNUAL LEAVEENTITLEMENTPage 5SETTLEMENT AT ONEPage 6TUC CALL TO BRING TUBEMAINTENANCE BACK IN-HOUSEPage 7LEARNING AT STAGECOACHPage 8COMPANY WATCHPage 9REPORT FROM SCOTLANDPage 10VICTORY AT METRONETPage 12REVIVING ROLLING STOCKPage 14ONE-PORT SECTOR WORK PERMITSPage 15SEAFARERS WORKING WHILST ONLEAVEPages 16RFA SPONSORED RESERVISTSPage 17SUCCESS IN INVERNESSPage 18REVERSE THE ‘CONTRACT CULTURE’Page 19NETWORK RAIL BREACHES DRUG ANDALCOHOL POLICYPage 20CARING FROM PHUKET TO BRIGHTONPage 21REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENTAUDITORSPage 22NO TO ROAD TRAINSPage 24CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF SAFE,LEGAL ABORTION IN BRITAINPage 26MEMORIES OF JOCK NICOLSONPage 28PRISON OFFICERS DEMAND THE RIGHTTO STRIKEPage 29PRESIDENT’S COLUMN0RIDING AND WRITINGPage 32TAKING PRIDE FROM LONDON TOBRIGHTONPage 33REMEMBERING THE LONGEST STRIKE INHISTORYPage 36LETTERSPage 37CROSSWORD/CLASSIFIEDPage 38CREDIT UNION

METRONET VICTORY

RMTnews :: october 2007 :: www.rmt.org.uk

4

DIVING DEAL: RMT general secretary Bob Crow and regional organiser StanHerschel (centre) signs deal with Diving company representatives following thesettlement of the 44.7 per cent pay deal.

For a long time unscrupulousemployers have exploited a

loophole in the law whichallows them to include publicand bank holidays as part of thestatutory four week paid annualleave entitlement.

This is now set to change.From October 1 2007 statutoryannual leave entitlement willincrease to 4.8 weeks (24 daysfor a five day week) and to 5.6weeks (28 days for a five dayweek) from April 1 2009.

As the annual leave yearstarts at different times fordifferent groups of workers, thenew entitlements have beenworked out on a proportionatebasis.

This means that the benefitof the additional leave is appliedon a pro-rata basis from October2007 depending on theproportion of your currentannual leave year that followsthis date.

This change only applies tothose employees that currentlyhave bank holidays as part oftheir leave entitlement. You willsee from the ‘ready reckoner’chart, that further increases arethen made incrementally up toApril 2009.

To work out precisely howmany days you are entitled to,multiply the number of weeksby the number of days youusually work a week.

EExxaammppllee 11:: In 2007/08 yourannual leave year starts onFebruary 1 and you work fourdays a week. The calculation is4.27 weeks x 4 days = 17.08days EExxaammppllee 22:: In 2007/08 yourannual leave year starts onApril 1 and you work five daysa week. The calculation is 4.4weeks x 5 days = 22 days.EExxaammppllee 33:: In 2008/09 yourannual leave year starts on June1 and you work five days aweek. The calculation is 4.93

RMT and OILC activistscontinue to reach out to

offshore workers by distributingjoint union materials to thehundreds of workers flyingoffshore from heliports inAberdeen.

Organising unit co-ordinatorAlan Pottage said that activistsalways got a positive responsefrom the workers.

“They are encouraged to see

the OILC and RMT workingtogether and feel that, at longlast, their voices will be heard,”he said.

RMT's membership amongstoffshore workers has grown at asteady rate and OILC'smembership will decide at theirannual conference this monthwhether to proceed with theTransfer of Engagements withRMT.

Appendix A Leave year

starts 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

1 November 4.07 weeks 4.8 weeks 5.27 weeks 5.6 weeks 1 December 4.13 weeks 4.8 weeks 5.33 weeks 5.6 weeks

2007 2008 2009 2010 1 January 4.2 weeks 4.8 weeks 5.4 weeks 5.6 weeks

2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010 1 February 4.27 weeks 4.8 weeks 5.47 weeks 5.6 weeks

1 March 4.33 weeks 4.8 weeks 5.53 weeks 5.6 weeks 1 April 4.4 weeks 4.8 weeks 5.6 weeks 5.6 weeks 1 May 4.47 weeks 4.87 weeks 5.6 weeks 5.6 weeks 1 June 4.53 weeks 4.93 weeks 5.6 weeks 5.6 weeks 1 July 4.6 weeks 5 weeks 5.6 weeks 5.6 weeks

1 August 4.67 weeks 5.07 weeks 5.6 weeks 5.6 weeks 1 September 4.73 weeks 5.13 weeks 5.6 weeks 5.6 weeks

1 October 4.8 weeks 5.2 weeks 5.6 weeks 5.6 weeks

ALL CHANGE FOR ANNUALLEAVE ENTITLEMENT

ORGANISINGAT HELIPORTS DDiivviinngg

DDeeaall


5

Following the threat offurther strike action at the

‘one’ rail franchise, managementhas offered a confidentialsettlement satisfactory to sackedguard Paul Yarwood, therebyrecognising that they werewrong to dismiss him.

‘One’ management has alsoagreed to re-instate the AssaultsWorking Group and set up aSecurity Council to deal withall aspects of staff safety andsecurity and to ensure that this

is a priority.Paul Yarwood was sacked in

June following an incident witha drunken and aggressive fare-dodger.

His dismissal led to anoutpouring of anger amongstaff, two days of local strikeaction and overwhelminglysupport for a company-widestrike which has now beencalled off following an offerfrom the company.

Paul said that he did not

want to pursue re-instatementas he did not want staff to losemoney or disrupt the lives ofpassengers who had been verysupportive.

“I want the best for you alland hope things are learnt fromthis and that nobody else goesthrough what I am goingthrough,” he said in a letter tostaff and passengers.

RMT general secretary BobCrow said that it had been avictory for common sense and

an object lesson indemonstrating what solidaritycould achieve.

“It is only by the action ofPaul’s colleagues that thisoutcome has been madepossible.

“It will also be difficult formanagement to neglect thesafety of staff in the future andtake the side of fare dodgers andhooligans that attack ourmembers,” he said.

Name: Nadra Craig

Job: Resource Co-ordinator

Company: NEOS networks(Scottish & Southern Energy)

My husband works offshore inthe offshore oil industry and hehas been heavily involved withthe offshore workers union –OILC. He convinced me long agonever to go to work without aunion card.

When the merger betweenOILC/RMT was proposed, I wasdelighted to learn that they hopeto form an ‘offshore/energy’branch of RMT.

I work in the energy industry,

my husband works in theoffshore oil industry, so theproposed marriage of these greatunions suits my own marriage.

Like OILC, RMT protect theirmembers’ interests at work. Ialso admire the strongleadership displayed bothgeneral secretaries Jake Molloyand Bob Crow.

I am also very impressed withthe great work which is beingdone by RMT in support ofwomen and ethnic minorities inthe workplace. I fall into both ofthese categories, so I hope to getmore involved in these areaswith the union in the future.

SETTLEMENT AT ONE

WHY I JOINED RMT


6

Delegates representing sixmillion working people at

the Trades Union Congressbacked calls by TSSA and RMTfor Tube maintenance to betaken back in-house followingthe collapse of Tube privateerMetronet.

Congress agreed to urge thegovernment to support LondonMayor Ken Livingstone’s desirefor infrastructure work to betaken under direct LondonUnderground control.

RMT president John Leachseconded TSSA call for allLondon Undergroundmaintenance work to be takenback in-house.

He made a successful call foran early conference to campaignfor the re-nationalisation ofTube maintenance.

“We must demand full publiccontrol of the Tube and railnetwork to put an end to thecarnage of privatisation,” hesaid.

TSSA general secretary GerryDoherty praised the strikesorganised by RMT over job andpension insecurity after the

collapse of Metronet and vowedto stand “shoulder to shoulder”with RMT.

“The nonsense of public-private partnership, which weall knew wasn’t going to work,has seen the dearest fares inEurope and diminishedservices,” he said.

Delegates also backed RMTdelegate Janine Booth’s call tooppose planned Tube ticketoffice closures.

Janine warned that 39 outletswere facing closure, witharound 270 job cuts and hugecuts in the opening hours of therest.

“The Oyster card system iscomplex to use, there arealready long queues at stationsand, without ticket offices, theyare more hostile places,especially at night,” she said.

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OFSEAFARERS

RMT delegate Mark Cardenaddressed Congress on theprivatisation of CaledonianMacBrayne ferry services asdemanded by EU rules.

He won support fromdelegates to urge thegovernment to challenge suchEU regulations.

“RMT and others lobbied theScottish Executive againstputting CalMac out to tenderand received guarantees thatjobs, wages and routes would beprotected.

“As a result companies pulledout of the £17 million poundtendering process because theycould not slash jobs, attackterms and conditions and cherrypick the best routes,” said Mark.

Delegates also backed theRMT call for a TUC conferenceto be organise a campaignagainst such EU directives thatprivatise public services.

FOR TRADE UNION RIGHTS

Delegates backed an RMT callfor the repeal of Tory anti-unionlaws and in support of the TradeUnion Freedom Bill.

RMT general secretary BobCrow said it is unacceptablethat, after ten years of a Labourgovernment, such viciouslegislation is still part of UK

law.“Action must be taken now

to restore the rights of everyworker,” he said.

Delegates supported theestablishment of a trade unionweek in Parliament along thelines of an STUC event last year.

Bob also seconded asuccessful motion from thePrison Officers Associationdemanding trade union rightsfor prison staff (see page 28).

CONGRESS DEMANDS EUCONSTITUTION POLL

RMT joined other delegations tooverwhelmingly back a GMBmotion calling for a referendumon the EU constitution.

The motion described theconstitution as “a Trojan horseto provide unfetteredprivatisation throughout theEU”.

GMB general secretary PaulKenny said that the governmentshould honour an electionpledge to hold a referendum,warning that “ducking anddiving” on the issue may costLabour the election.

TUC DEMANDS TUBEMAINTENANCE BACKIN-HOUSE

Bob Crow

John Leach

JanineBooth

Mark Carden


7

UPS Ltd, Lynx Express and RMTare pleased to announce thatthey have amicably settledlitigation brought by the union.The litigation resulted from UPS’acquisition of Lynx inSeptember 2005 and concernedthe recognition of RMT.

The T&GWU union andURTU co-operated in finding asolution. An agreement for therecognition of RMT, in addition

to the T&GWU and URTU, hasbeen reached as part of thissettlement.

Compensation will also bepaid to RMT members. Thesettlement enables all parties toavoid spending further time andmoney on litigation and tomove forward on a firmer andclearer basis together to providethe best service in the industry.

Following successful strikeaction at Stagecoach

Yorkshire at the Chesterfielddepot, management tabled animproved offer which has beenaccepted by members.

Bus workers votedoverwhelmingly for 24-hourstrike action, which memberstook in early September, andfurther industrial was called offfollowing the improved offer.The deal includes.• A 3.3 per cent rise in rates

with effect from the 29 April2007, meaning that thestarter rate of pay wouldmove to £6.99 per hour andthe main rate to £7.75 perhour. This means that back

pay will be due on all hoursworked from the 29 April todate.

• A further two per cent rise inrates with effect fromNovember 2007 meaning thatthe starter rate of pay wouldmove to £7.13 per hour andthe main rate to £7.90 perhour. This is an overallincrease of 5.3 per cent.

The company has been informedof the union’s acceptance of theimproved offer and the increaseshould be in the members’ nextpay packet.The next pay review would thenbe due on April 27 2008.

A new fully-equipped centrewas opened recently atStagecoach Morecambe withthe help of Unionlearn, theTUC’s learning and skillsorganisation, to helpStagecoach staff gain moreworkplace skills andqualifications.

Following representationsfrom RMT rep Ken Gillespie,the union made an applicationfor funding to run aprogramme to engage "hard toreach" employees, within aculturally diverse organisation.

The result was £7,000funding, with Ken Gillespiebeing nominated as unionlearning rep to run the project.

Of the eight Stagecoachdepots in the North West,Morecambe is the only onewith RMT recognition.

Ken, who is also branchsecretary and health and safetyrep, has played a huge part inensuring that RMT sets theeducation agenda withinStagecoach North West.

Unionlearn’s regionalmanager Dave Eva said thatthe learning centre offered arange of learning opportunitiesto staff.

“Shifts and other workingarrangements for transportstaff often make it verydifficult for them to gainaccess to learning.

“This learning centre is theperfect solution to thatproblem, as it puts learning ontheir doorstep,’’ he said.

The centre is based in a 50-foot long portable cabin at thedepot on Whitegate inMorecambe’s White LundIndustrial Estate.

He also pointed out that bigbusiness interests and the CBIsupported the treaty andopposed a referendum.

An RMT motion calling for ano vote was narrowly defeateddue to a late decision by theUnite union – made up ofT&GWU and Amicus – tooppose.

RMT general secretary BobCrow argued that TUC policywas already against theConstitution and it was clearly

the same document which theFrench and Dutch rejected in2005.

He said that the ‘new’ treaty“would mark a further transferof power to unelectedmandarins in Brussels andundermine democratic advancesfought for over centuries”.

PCS general secretary MarkSewortka pointed out that it wasnot somehow ‘right wing’ oranti-union to oppose the neo-liberal constitution.

Bob Oram of Unison warnedthat the treaty was “an attemptat creating a federal Europewith one currency, onegovernment, one foreign policy,one military machine, oneindustrial policy and thecomplete freedom of labour,capital, goods and services anda free market which will includehealth and education”.

Bakers’ union delegate TonyRichardson stormed that theconstitution was “undemocratic,

it’s centralising, it’s a privateers’paradise and it’s certainly not afriend of workers”.

Fire Brigade’s Union delegateMick Shaw warned that thetreaty would privatise services,drive down wages and handpower to unaccountable EUinstitutions.

Aslef delegate Brian Corbettwarned that if the constitutionwas imposed it would signal theend of the welfare state anddemocracy as we know it.

LEARNING: Opening the learning centre is Chris Bowles, Stagecoach managingdirector, Tony Saunders from Unionlearn, RMT regional organiser John Tilley andRMT rep and project co-ordinator Ken Gillespie.

Learning is now on the timetable at Stagecoach’sMorecambe depot with a new on-site education centre

LEARNING ATSTAGECOACH

RECOGNITION DEALAT LYNX/UPS

IMPROVED OFFER ATSTAGECOACH YORKSHIRE

AA jjooiinntt ssttaatteemmeenntt aaggrreeeedd bbyy RRMMTT wwiitthh UUPPSS//LLyynnxx EExxpprreessss::


8

Tube maintenance consortiumMetronet may have collapsed

in July after running up £2billion of debts, but it has notstopped some of the companiesinvolved chalking up hugeprofits.

Metronet was made up ofAtkins, Balfour Beatty,Bombardier Transportation, EDFEnergy and Thames Water.

Balfour Beatty reported pre-tax profits up 36 per cent to£76 million for the six monthsto 30 June 2007.

EDF Energy enjoyed pre-taxprofits of £402 million for lastyear. Thames Water’s financialstatement for the year to 31March 2007 showed profits of£256 million. Also out the ashesof the PPP disaster, EDF hasbeen named as an officialsponsor of the 2012 LondonOlympics.

Moreover, the hugelycomplicated PPP contracts-thebrainchild of our new PMGordon Brown-ensure that if thelenders request re-payment from

Metronet then Transport forLondon/LUL is responsible for95 per cent of the debt – somuch for taking risks.

By July 2006 Metronet andTube Lines had been paid £3.3billion in performance-adjustedInfrastructure Service Charges.Given this huge taxpayers'subsidy, it is not surprising thatthe Infracos have generatedsuch huge profits for theirshareholders.

Between 2003/04 and2005/06 Metronet BCV,Metronet SSL and Tube Linesmade pre-tax profits of £286million. Predictably,performance did not matchprofit margins.

No fewer than eight reportscast serious doubts on the PPP'sability to deliver the upgrade ofthe London Underground in aneconomic and efficient manner.

In June 2004 the NationalAudit Office published tworeports into the PPP. The LondonUnderground PPP: Were theygood deals? detailed the PPP's

huge start-up costs including£109 million spent by LondonUnderground on externaladvisors and £275 million paidby LU to reimburse private-sector bidder costs.

The report warned that finalPPP costs remained uncertain.

Not known for its radicallanguage, the NAO stated: “thereis only limited assurance thatthe price that would be paid tothe private sector is reasonable".

At least we now have theanswer and it looks like thetaypayer will foot the bill.

Shortly after the demise ofMetronet, the Office of NationalStatistics decided to reclassifyMetronet and Tubelines fromthe private sector to the publicsector for ‘National Accounts’purposes, highlighting that thegrowing cost of the PPP is beingborne by the public purse.

London Mayor KenLivingstone wants to takecontrol of the company andsplit up the remains of its £17billion contract.

However, Metronetadministrator Ernst & Young istrying to value the companywith a view to selling it to thehighest bidder to pay offcreditors.

Worse still, a preliminaryruling from Tube arbiter ChrisBolt claimed that Metronetcould recover between £140million and £470 million for theBakerloo, Central and Victorialines and £230 million to £600million for the sub-surfaceroutes such as the Metropolitan,District, Circle, Hammersmith &City and East London lines,leaving TfL facing a bill of over£1 billion.

Mr Bolt said his findingswould "narrow the range ofuncertainty over what thesecontracts are worth", therebyhelping Ernst & Young to find abuyer for the business.

Some would say thatcorporate welfare is theoverriding issue here, but wecouldn’t possibly comment.

COMPANY WATCHMetronet special…


9

The new Scottish Parliamentsession began in early

September, with the FirstMinister Alex Salmondunveiling the legislativeprogramme for the coming year.

The Scottish National Partyhas formed a minorityadministration, with somesupport from the two Greenparty MSPs. The proposals fornew legislation are fairlycautious, as agreement will beneeded from other parties to foranything to go forward.

Some announcements werewelcomed, such as the proposalfor new legislation on Rape andSexual Offences, taking forwardrecommendations from theScottish Law Commission, withthe intent of tackling the verylow conviction rates.

Over the summer, the newadministration has sought tohonour election promises and toreassure local communities ofcontinuing service provision,reviewing hospital and schoolclosures.

However, the Scottish budgetfor the forthcoming financialyear cannot be fully considereduntil December 2007, when theWestminster government makethe Comprehensive spendingReview announcement whichincludes the allocation forScotland (delayed from summer2006), so decisions on policy

priorities will not be clear untillater in the year.

Following a vote in theScottish Parliament in June,where a majority view wasexpressed against thereplacement of the Tridentnuclear weapons in Scotland,the government has convened aforum later in the autumn todiscuss this further withcampaigning groups and widercivic society.

On transport policy, there hasbeen no significant change yetfrom the framework agreedunder the previous government,to which RMT and the STUChad strong input.

New rail projects arecontinuing, with work startingon the Airdrie to Bathgate line,and on the Glasgow Airportlink. The proposals for heavyrail link to Edinburgh airportwill however be subject tofurther financial scrutiny, withcosts are already predicted to bewell over £600million, and maynot go ahead.

Despite strong pre-electionstatements opposing thetendering process for theHebrides and Western Isles ferryservices (Cal Mac), the new SNPgovernment have taken the viewthat there is no alternative butto continue with it.

The new Transport MinisterStewart Stevenson MSP has

made absolutely clear that thetendering process for theHebrides and Western Islesferries will be completed byOctober 1, arguing that this isthe best option for the runningof these lifeline services. RMTwill continue to be putting thecase for an exemption of suchservices, highlighting the cost ofthe process at over £17 million,public money that could havebeen far better spent elsewhere.An early meeting with theMinister is being sought by thetransport affiliates to the STUC.

Another SNP pledge was theabolition of road tolls on theForth and Tay Bridges, andconsultation on that is now atthe Transport committee stage.

In giving evidence, the STUChas raised concerns about thejob losses amongst the tollbooth staff, but also took theopportunity to argue for anynew replacement crossing forthe Forth to be multi-modal,encouraging furtherinfrastructure commitment topublic transport rather thanpromoting private car use.

Following on from the guiltyverdict in the case against ICLPlastics and ICL Tech Limited,relating to the explosion in2004 at Stockline plasticsfactory in Glasgow in whichnine workers lost their lives andmany were seriously injured,

Karen Gillon MSP has called fortighter legislation on corporatekilling.

Her Member’s Bill wassupported by the STUC lastsession, and is likely to beresubmitted. Although Healthand Safety legislation isprimarily reserved to theWetminster government, there isa strong feeling that the newlaws do not go far enough, andthe trade union movement inScotland, including RMT, isworking with the Karen GillonMSP to hold bosses andbusinesses accountable, usingwhatever powers exist underdevolved government.

RMT is seeking to re-establish a Parliamentary Groupat Holyrood to allow us tocontinue to work closely withMSPs, bringing policy concernsof RMT members into the widerpolitical arena.

There are considerablechanges in Holyrood, withnearly a third of the MSPs beingelected for the first time, andmany others not returned.

The union will be writing outto MSPs, and will also continueto work with the STUC in itsdiscussions with the newScottish government.

AAnnnn HHeennddeerrssoonn RMT Scottish Parliamentary Officer

Parliamentary column

REPORT FROM SCOTLAND


10

VICTORY ATMETRONET

After taking effective strikeaction, RMT members atMetronet secured guaranteesover jobs, conditions andpensions from the bankruptcompany’s administrator

PROTEST: Delivering the message to theDepartment of Transport


11

Over two thousand Tubemaintenance staff walked offthe job on Monday September 3and, after marathon talks, wentback to work with a fullpension-scheme rescue in placeand the threat of job losseslifted.

Outstanding issues remain tobe resolved surrounding thetrain-fleet contract withBombardier and further talks areto be held with Metronet andthe administrator.

Three further days of strikeaction were suspended followingdetailed consultation withworkplace union reps.

RMT general secretary BobCrow said that Transport forLondon had done themselves nofavours by insisting thatnothing had changed as a resultof the lengthy negotiations thatwent on through the night.

“It did not help either thatwe had to deal with crudeattempts to victimise some ofour members, despite the writtenundertaking not to do so.

“Our members delivered arock-solid and 100 per centeffective strike in defence oftheir jobs and pensions, and theclear message is that any furtherattacks will be met with more ofthe same,” Bob said.

METRONET – THE DEAD PARROT

TSSA and RMT announced thatboth unions would resist anyattempt to transfer the contractsof failed PPP privateer Metronetto another private-sector bidder.

The unions renewed their callfor the collapsed consortium’scontracts to be taken back in-house after the PPP arbiterpublished a draft ruling that

taxpayers, through Transport forLondon, were liable for up tohalf of the £2 billion cost ofMetronet’s collapse.

The call also follows thedecision by the Office ofNational Statistics to reclassifyMetronet and Tubelines aspublic corporations, highlightingthat the growing cost of thepart-privatisation of the Tube isbeing borne by the public purse.

“Enough public money hasalready been wasted on the PPPfiasco, and our members and thetravelling public deserve betterthan this,” said TSSA generalsecretary Gerry Doherty.

“We remain committed to thecontracts going back to TfL andwe will oppose any potentialtransfer to the private sector ofthese contracts,” he said.

Bob Crow Said that anyattempts to dress up the corpseof Metronet as if it has still gotsome life in it are pointless, andno-one will be fooled by anycrude attempt to divert evenmore public money to lurepotential private-sector bidders.

“Metronet is not resting,stunned or pining for the fjords,it is stone dead, and the onlysolution is to bring itsmaintenance contracts back intothe public sector, where three-quarters of Londoners wantthem,” Bob said.

Bob said that from the startthat RMT members had not beenprepared to pay for the collapseof Metronet with their jobs andpensions.

“What our members want isto be transferred to a public-sector organisation, and that isthe only way in which their jobsand pensions can be protected,”

he said.

OLYMPICS 2012

Bob said that Tube workers arethe people who get out thereand keep the system runningseven days a week, and it isthey who would deliver theimprovement the network musthave if it is to be up to thestandard required by the 2012Olympics.

“The PPP stands in the wayof those improvements, and thetime has come to return thework to the public sector whereit belongs.

“Maintenance on the nationalrailways has improvedmassively since it was broughtback in-house, and that is theonly sensible solution for theTube as well,” Bob said.

More than three-quarters ofLondoners want future Tubemaintenance to be carried outin-house by LondonUnderground, a pollcommissioned by the union.

The poll was released asstriking Metronet workers andsupporters lobbied theDepartment of Transport to callfor an end to the disastrousprivatisation and for the returnof maintenance work in-house.

The ICM omnibus poll asked1,028 Londoners who shouldcarry out the future LondonUnderground maintenance oftrack, signals, stations andtrains.

76 per cent believed it shouldbe carried out by LondonUnderground, while just 13 per

cent believed it should be doneby a private company, while sixper cent said it didn’t matterand six per cent said they didnot know.

“This poll result shows that thevast majority of Londonersagree with the people who dothe work that Tube maintenancebelongs in-house,” RMT generalsecretary Bob Crow said.

“The collapse of Metronet givesus the opportunity to bring themajority of infrastructure workback home into LondonUnderground.

“This is what Tube workers andRMT want, it is what Londonersand their Mayor want, and itremains the only sensiblesolution,” he said.

EDM 2002 METRONET AND LONDONUNDERGROUNDThat this House notes withconcern the collapse of Metronet,which was responsible for twothirds of London Undergroundmaintenance and renewals;further notes with concern thatthe collapse may leave a debt ofbillions of pounds which mighthave to be paid for by the tax andfare payer; further notes thesuccess of Network Rail on themainline railway of bringingmaintenance back in-house whichhas resulted in reduced delays andgreater control over costs; believesthat bringing London Undergroundmaintenance back in-house wouldresult in a more economic andefficient Tube; and thereforewelcomes the Mayor of London'sindications that some ofMetronet's contracts should bebrought back in-house and urgesthe Government to support thisposition.

JJoohhnn MMccDDoonnnneellll MMPP

LONDONERS WANT TUBEMAINTENANCE BACK IN-HOUSE


12

REVIVINGROLLINGSTOCK

RMT News looksat how trainmanufacturingcan be revivedin Britain

York works in its heyday


13

The railway workshop sector hasseen thousands of job lossesover the past few decades.

Under British Rail, inpreparation for full-scaleprivatisation, plants were closedand jobs were decimated at sitesincluding Shildon, Derby, Crewe,Horwich, York and Swindon.

Since privatisation the sectorhas, along with the rest of theindustry, been fragmented andthe ‘feast and famine’ nature ofrolling stock orders hascontributed to job losses andclosures at various locationsincluding Washwood Heath andEastleigh.

The sole remaining trainmanufacturing plant isBombardier’s Litchurch Laneworks at Derby.

The scale of the problemfacing the railway workshops isillustrated by the fact thatHitachi is building the new‘bullet-train’ Javelin stock forthe CTRL Domestic Serviceroutes at Kobe in Japan.

After a six week, 10,760kilometre journey by sea, thefirst of the new units arrived inSouthampton during August.

Clearly, it would have mademuch more sense in terms ofcarbon emissions andenvironmental protection for theunits to be built in Britain andthen transferred by rail to thesouth-east of England.

NEW STOCK

Two recent governmentannouncements present aserious opportunity toregenerate the sector.Significantly, the governmentwill be ordering the new stockand look likely to marginalisethe rolling stock companies(ROSCOs). Relations betweengovernment and the ROSCOshave been poor since the DfT

referred the operation of therolling stock market to theOffice for Rail Regulation in2006.

The July 2007 White Paper:Delivering a SustainableRailway promises 1,300 newcarriages to ease overcrowding.In addition, the DfT announcedthe shortlist for the Inter CityExpress Programme in Augustthat will see the ordering ofbetween 500 and 2,000 newvehicles to replace the currentHST stock (See box for IEPtimetable). The shortlistedbidders for the 30 year PPPcontract are:

• Alstom-Barclays Rail Group

• Express Rail Alliance(Bombardier, Siemens, AngelTrains, Babcock & Brown)

• Hitachi Europe Ltd

RMT’s position is clear; boththe IEP trains and the new1,300 carriages should be builtand maintained in the UK.

It would be an outrage ifRMT members in the high-skilled work-shop sector were tobe the losers in a replacementprogramme that will benefitboth the travelling public andeven TOC shareholders.

RMT has met with the DfTand pressed the case for the newstock to be built in the UK andfor the train specification todefend the operational role ofthe guard.

PLANNING

In the defence industry the MoDcoordinates arms procurementneeds with the capabilities ofUK manufacturers so productioncycles can be planned and the‘feast and famine’ nature oforders that has blighted therailways can be avoided.

RMT believes that as a firststep, similar arrangementsshould apply in relation to themanufacture of rolling stock.

An Early Day Motion to thateffect will be tabled by the RMTParliamentary Group whenParliament returns in October.

EU MISRULE

The fragmented, privatisednature of the trainmanufacturing sector is not theonly obstacle to regeneratingthe railway workshops.

EU procurement rules do notallow the British government tosimply award contracts to UKbased manufacturers. Theserules have often been ignoredby the French and Germangovernments who routinelyaward contracts to their owndomestic producers, Alstom inFrance and Siemens inGermany.

Due to the strength of thesetwo EU states, Brussels doesvery little about this routinedisregard for rules that areimposed harshly on othermember states.

However, the neo-liberal EUagenda, with its emphasis onever increasing competition, ismaking it more difficult tosustain the French and Germanposition. RMT believes that theEU rules are an obstacle to theregeneration of the rolling stock

sector in this country and hascalled for them to be scrapped.

WHAT YOU DON’T OWN, YOUCAN’T CONTROL

The problems facing the railwayworkshop are furthercompounded by the fact thateven where multi-nationalrolling stock manufacturershave plants in the UK, and areawarded contracts, there is noguarantee that new trains willactually be built in Britain.

The experience at WashwoodHeath is a case in point. Alstom,were awarded the contract forthe new carriages on the JubileeLine. Instead of building themin Birmingham, the firm choseto do the work in their plants inSpain. Alstom’s decision wascentral to the closure ofWashwood Heath in 2005.

Clearly, then what is requiredis a publicly owned,democratically accountablerailway network which re-unitesall of the old sections of BR –not just track and train but alsothe railway workshops.

Not to bring trainmanufacturing into publicownership would leave RMTmembers in the sector open tothe vagaries of the market andthe undemocratic rules anddirectives imposed by theEuropean Union.

Deadline for Expressions of Interest 18 June 2007

Selection of qualified candidates 16 August 2007

Issuing of Invitations to Tender Autumn 2007

Receipt of Proposals Spring 2008

Best and Final Offers Summer 2008

Award of contract Winter 2008/09

Start of pre-series train running 2012 (on ECML)

Start of fleet introduction 2014/15

Inter City Express Programme tendering timetable

York works in its heyday


14

The government plans toimplement a work permit regime

for the one-port sector of the UKshipping industry which services theoffshore industry.

This follows numerousrepresentations from RMT regardingthe need to restrict the number oflow-paid foreign national seafarersbeing engaged to work on shipstrading from UK ports.

The scheme originally applied todomestic passenger services and in2000 the Government extended thisto domestic freight voyages. It onlyapplies to vessels trading betweentwo UK ports.

The work permit regime requiresthat shipping companies who runservices trading between two UKports must engage seafarers from theEuropean Union or EEA.

If they wish to employ seafarersfrom outside these areas they mustapply for work permits which willonly be issued by the Home Office ifit can be demonstrated that EU

seafarers are not available toundertake this work.

The implementation of thismeasure will affect vessels engagedin operations in the offshore sectorwhich use a UK port as a basis fortheir operations.

The proposals are beingintroduced in accordance with thenew tier two of the revised pointsbased system of the Home Office andare to be introduced as from April2009.

RMT has made representations tothe new Shipping Minister for anearlier implementation date, and DoTofficials have been asked to followthis up through contact with HomeOffice representatives.

This measure is, of course, limitedin so far as Eastern Europeannationals can still be employed onexploitative rates of pay and it onlyapplies to UK services. However, it isstill welcome given that shipownershave made representations againstthe extension of the scheme.

ONE-PORT SECTOR WORK PERMITS


15

RMT is calling on shippingmembers to provide any

information possible to supportany RMT representations toindustry or government onproblems related to seafarersworking whilst on leave.

Problems related to seafarersworking whilst on leave on atemporary basis whilst on restperiods or annual leave fromtheir primary employer havebeen discussed many times atthe RMT Annual GeneralMeeting.

It is an issue RMT wish totackle as this problem could befar more prevalent thanpreviously imagined.

It is self-evident that this isnot good for the individualconcerned, but also it couldendanger the safety of vessels,crew and passengers.

The union has discussed theproblems involved with NautilusUK, TGWU and the Chamber ofShipping.

For example, in onecompany in Scotland an officernormally employed in theoffshore sector was discoveredworking as a rating on apassenger ferry to gain

additional income. There areconcerns that this practice isbecoming more widespread dueto the shortage of skilled andqualified seafarers.

FATIGUE

RMT is opposed to such‘moonlighting’ on both moraland safety grounds. The seafarershould have the necessary restand by working during theirleave they place themselves andtheir colleagues in potentialjeopardy.

Fatigue will be the inevitableresult and we know frommaritime statistics thatapproximately one in threeaccidents around the UKCoastline have fatigue as acontributing factor.

The ‘moonlighting’ seafareralso denies another seafarer ajob, and allows shipowners todefer training additional staff tomeet the demand that exists insome sectors.

There is also a responsibilityon companies to discharge theirobligations fully. This can bedone by reminding seafarers oftheir responsibilities to ensurethey are properly rested but also

with appropriate health andsafety guidance.

In response to RMT’sprevious representations in2006, the Department ofTransport declared that it washopeful that existinginternational crewing guidelinesmight be revised to reduce thestress of long working hoursand fatigue.

However, the pace ofinternational action through theIMO is very slow and thisproblem still needs to beaddressed.

DISCHARGE BOOKS

Another avenue for dealing withthe problem is the issue ofdischarge books and whether ornot ‘moonlighting’ could betackled with the assistance ofthe Maritime and Coastguardagency, who issue the books.

Unfortunately, theDepartment for Transportadvised us that the MCA did notconsider that this would beeffective as secondary work maybe ashore where no dischargebook was issued and, where itwas at sea, work could be onlocal passenger ferries that

operate in harbour areas orinland waterways for which adischarge book was notrequired.

EVIDENCE

The Chamber of Shipping alsoadvised the maritime tradeunions that whilst they weresupportive of efforts to tacklethis problem, evidence wouldfirst of all need to be providedthat indicated ‘moonlighting’was causing a problem.

RMT needs to build a strongcase, alongside other maritimeunions, if it is to influencegovernment officials and therest of the industry to work onthis issue.

Your evidence can then beused to support efforts to tacklethis problem. Confidentiality isguaranteed and the informationprovided might enable RMT toidentify particular problemcompanies.

Please send in any information toSteve Yandell 020 759 8819 or e-mail [email protected] orUnity House 39 Chalton StreetLondonNW1 1JD

RMT is taking legal advice after theDover-based ferry company

SpeedFerries withheld post to its 60 stafffrom the union.

The firm, which operates ferries toBoulogne in France, claims that it iswithin its rights to withhold post, whichoutlined the benefits of RMT membership,and claims that “it controls its own mail”.

However, the union has pointed outthat SpeedFerries clearly do not own themail as it is addressed to individuals andis deemed their property from the point ofsource.

In a letter to the company, RMTgeneral secretary Bob Crow pointed outthat it had breached section 84 of the

Postal Services Act 2000, which makes itillegal to “intentionally delay or open aletter or package during the course of itstransmission”.

SpeedFerries entered into a singleunion agreement with the officers unionNautilus without the knowledge of ratingson board.

Following a local recruitmentcampaign by RMT shipping rep MalcolmDunning and activists like Mike Sargent,a third of the ratings on board havealready joined RMT.

RMT has received messages of supportfrom the French shipping unions and ameeting is planned with them in the nearfuture.

SEAFARERS WORKINGWHILST ON LEAVE

RECOGNITION BATTLE AT SPEEDFERRIES


16

Issues surrounding the status ofSponsored Reservists affect allseafarers employed by the RoyalFleet Auxiliary (RFA)irrespective of rank.

Throughout the process ofdeveloping an RFA SponsoredReservists Agreement,discussions and consultation onthe document have taken placewith both maritime tradeunions.

A list of frequently askedquestions was sent to all RFApersonnel in December last year.It outlined all the reasons whyRFA was adopting SponsoredReservist (SR) status.

“The adoption of SR status isto provide a higher level oflegal protection for RFApersonnel when carrying outspecific operational tasking insupport of the royal Navy. It isnot the intention to use anyRFA SR on any non-related RFAtasks,” it said.

In other words, you will notbe asked to serve on Royal Navyships.

LEGAL STATUS

Throughout the process ofdiscussion and consultation,many members have askedmany questions. Perhaps themost difficult to one to answerhas been that of your legal

status when in support ofmilitary operations, or more tothe point what does taking a“direct part in hostilities” mean.

As RFA units are increasinglyundertaking more direct roles insupport of military operations,the legal status of its civilianpersonnel during armed conflictneeds to be extremely clear.Legally RFA members, like anyother individual, military orcivilian, are entitled to use forceto defend themselves. However,international law on armedconflicts states that onlymembers of the armed forces areprovided protection underinternational law and thus takepart in hostilities.

Current RFA legal opinion isthat during armed conflict, thestatus of the RFA remains thatof civilian. As such, they couldbe regarded as unlawfulcombatants.

This may leave the UKgovernment open to bechallenged and deemed to be inbreach of international law onArmed Conflict (The RomeStatute). More importantly, itleaves the legal status ofmembers, at best, unclear.

RFA ships are increasinglyundertaking more direct roles inmilitary operations. Forexample, RFA vessels can

operate as command platformsfor mine clearance and forassault landings. As a result theambiguity over the status ofRFA personnel grows.

The union would be failingin its responsibility to membersif it did not seek to ensure youhave the fullest legal protectionin such circumstances.

The difficulty is that we willnot know whether membershave deemed to have taken a“direct part in hostilities” andadjudged to be illegalcombatants by the internationallaw community until the UKgovernment has been broughtbefore the InternationalCriminal Court.

The problem is that todesignate you as members ofthe armed forces would, ineffect, be ‘conscription’. Clearlythis is not acceptable.

The alternative is for the RFAto ask you to volunteer tobecome a Sponsored Reservist.SR status is not an increase inmilitarisation and requires noadditional requirement from thatexpected from RFA personneltoday.

As your representatives, theunion’s role has been to ensurethat you main employmentterms in BR875 are maintained

and any changes brought aboutby the Sponsored ReserveAgreement are statutorilynecessary for those who sign up.

YOUR SAFETY

RMT campaigns and lobbies atnational and international levelto improve your safety at work.It engages in discussion with theIMO, ILO and MCA and manyother industry-related bodies toensure your safety and that ofthe ship.

The union’s role in theSponsored Reservists issue is nodifferent. It is an extension ofour commitment to your safety.

The uncertain challenges youface in a constantly changingworld and the ambiguity ofyour status in certain situationscould leave you exposed. Thedecision to volunteer for SRstatus removes this ambiguity.There is not doubt that as anactivated Sponsored Reservistyou are a voluntary member ofthe armed forces and as suchyour legal status is not in doubt.

YOUR DECISION

The decision to become aSponsored Reservist is yoursalone and some individuals willnever volunteer. However,following legal advice, wecannot see any reason not tovolunteer.

I know members are worriedif they do not sign up theirpromotion prospects may beaffected.

However, RMT has madequite clear that any individualwho finds themselvesdisadvantaged in any way bysigning or not signing up to SRstatus will receive one hundredper cent support from the union.

RFA SPONSORED RESERVISTSRMT national secretary SteveTodd outlines the status ofSponsored Reservists in the RoyalFleet Auxiliary and what it meansfor members


17

Once again another successful conference,The Branch and Regional SecretariesConference was held in The Beaufort Hotelin Inverness.

General secretary Bob Crow was inattendance with some 30 delegates from allover the country.

On Saturday night a civic reception washeld in the Town House Inverness with civicdignitaries in attendance, we were welcomedto the City of Inverness by Cllr Jim Gray theleader of the Labour Group of the HighlandCouncil.

The general secretary thanked Cllr Grayfor the reception given to conferencedelegates in such elegant surroundings.

He also remarked that the CouncilChambers of Inverness are one of a fewplaces the British Cabinet have met outside

of Westminster.Bob gave out 10 year badges to Inverness

branch secretary Bob Bowie and branchchair George McIvor Chair and thanked bothmembers for the excellent work they do intheir area.

Conference proceeded with presidentPeter Daniels welcoming all to Invernessand the Civic authorities for the reception inthe Town House.

Guest speakers included Alan Pottage ofthe Organising Unit, Nicky Hoarau of theRMT Credit Union, Ian McIntyre, ScottishRegional Organiser and, of course, ourlawyers, Angus McPherson of DrummondMiller and Malcolm Cherry of EdwardsDuthie.

Next year’s conference will be in Chester– Look forward to seeing you there.

Nearly two hundred delegates representingover 30 unions gathered at Congress Housefor the annual TUC disability conferencerecently.

Delegates held a protest outsideconference to protest against governmentplans to shut 43 Remploy factoriesproviding skilled work for over 2,300disabled workers.

The TUC congress in Brighton alsosupported the campaign and called on thegovernment to place a moratorium on theclosures.

Remploy was set up in 1946 to providework for disabled ex-servicemen. Today, itreceives an annual grant from thegovernment to fund training, developmentand the finding of employment for disabled

people.However, Remploy shop stewards were

called to a meeting on May 22 to be toldthat the factories would be closed. At thesame time the workers were shown a videotelling them that they would be sacked,sparking protests from the GMB unionwhich represents them.

GMB representative Les Woodward toldthe disability conference that directorswhich had been appointed by thegovernment had over 200 company cars andbetter pension schemes than employees.

He compared the dispute to the greatminer’s strike of 1984.

“They come for the big ones first and, ifthat goes, all the others go the same way,”he said.

TUC deputy general secretary FrancisO’Grady told the disability conference thatthe TUC gave full support to the campaign.

She said that some thought that unionswere not interested in the disabled but thiswas not true.

SUCCESS IN INVERNESSJim Philps reports onthe annual RMTbranch secretariesconference, this yearin Inverness

TUC DISABILITY CONFERENCEPROTESTS AGAINST REMPLOY CUTSPaul Southwood reports from the TUC disabilityconference which condemned plans to shut 43Remploy factories

The industry report into theGrayrigg crash highlights theneed to tackle systematicmanagement failings, eradicatethe ‘contract culture’ stillprevalent in Network Rail andto reverse spending cuts.

RMT also condemned the“shabby” attempt by Networkrail to divert attention tosystematic failings by pointingthe finger of blame at one of itsown supervisors.

Renewing its call forrenewals work to follow thebulk of maintenance back in-house, RMT also called for there-creation of a single commandstructure and to end thefragmentation that has blightedthe industry since privatisation.

The union also demanded ajoint public inquiry into bothGrayrigg and the 2002 Potter’sBar derailment – whose causeswere still unknown – with aremit that would include thestructure and continuedfragmentation of the industry.

WHY?RMT general secretary Bob Crowsaid that the report revealedhow the Grayigg accident mayhave happened, but revealedlittle about why it happened.

He said that it did notexplain how a set of points inplace for 20 years coulddeteriorate to such a disastrouscondition in less than afortnight.

“Network Rail’s report pointsto systematic failings, but it alsopoints to a lack of resources,and we know that NR has faceda 30 per cent cut in its spendingtargets over the last five years.

“On the ground that has ledto serious concerns about the

workload placed on individuals,which we have raised with thecompany on a number ofoccasions.

“Network Rail is well awarethat maintenance patrolling wastruncated into a restrictedSunday morning timescale, asroutine inspection andmaintenance functions becomesecondary to extendedtimetables and faster linespeeds.

“It is therefore very shabbyindeed for Network rail toattempt to divert attention fromits systematic failings by usingthe media to scapegoat one ofits own supervisors,” he said.

SAFETY CULTUREBob said that the ethos shouldbe about getting things doneproperly and safely, but therewas still too much emphasis ongetting things done quickly andcheaply, and the challengefacing now Network rail is tochange that culture.

“Many of the workingarrangements still in place onBritain’s railways wereintroduced by the private sectorcontractors, and the use ofpoints maintenance teams wasintroduced by Carillion, despiteRMT opposition, and systemwas in place on the WCML atLambrigg.

“Some private operatorshave suggested that they shouldbe given responsibility formaintaining infrastructure, butthat would be recipe for more ofthe disastrous fragmentationthat the industry should beleaving firmly behind,” BobCrow said.


18

REVERSE THE ‘CONTRACTCULTURE’ IN THE RAIL INDUSTRY RMT condemns ‘shabby’ attemptto divert attention frommanagement failings in the reportinto the Grayrigg rail crash


19

Network Rail was in breachof its own policy when it

sent an RMT member for a urinetest for blood alcohol levels,even though he had already apassed a breathalyser test.

Keith Nichols was sackedwhen the urine test indicatedthat he had above permissiblelevels of alcohol in his blood. Acolleague had told managementthat he thought he could smellalcohol on Mr Nichol’s breath.

Mr Nichols was first sent fora breathalyser test, which hepassed, and then for a urinetest, which he failed. Heappealed against his dismissal,but this was rejected.

But an Employment Tribunalfound that Mr Nichols, who wasemployed by Network Rail forover 30 years, had been unfairlydismissed.

It said Network Rail hadbreached its own rules byrequiring him to undergo aurine test after he had passedthe breathalyser, and had reliedupon the urine test resultsdespite the disparity betweenthe figures.

The tribunal found thatNetwork Rail had not carriedout a reasonable investigationand that, given Mr Nichols’ longservice history and cleandisciplinary record, it wasunreasonable of the employernot to consider a lessersanction.

Mr Nichols had beentransferred from Jarvis toNetwork Rail by way of TUPEtransfer a few years before theincident. Therefore hisemployment was still governedby the Jarvis terms andconditions of employment.

In accordance with the JarvisDrugs and Alcohol Policy, oncean employee suspected of beingunder the influence of alcoholpasses a breathalyser test thenno further action will be taken.

Emily Greenshields ofThompsons Solicitors, who wasinstructed by the union torepresent Mr Nichols, said thatthe case should send a clearmessage to employers in the railindustry and elsewhere of theimportance of adhering to drugsand alcohol policies.

“Such policies are designedto protect the public but alsoemployees by clearly settingdown the rules and proceduresaround drugs and alcohol in theworkplace.

“It is unacceptable to breacha policy in order to get a

‘different result’ and to sack aworker on the basis of thatresult,” Emily says.

The case is listed for ahearing in November which willdecide whether Mr Nichols isawarded compensation or is re-instated in his job.

NETWORK RAIL BREACHESDRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY

Legal update

Summary of fatal and non-fatal accidents and assaults to membersfor the period April 1 to June 30 2007

Fatal Accidents Non-Fatal Accidents AssaultsRail Operating Grades 0 [0] 87 [93] 7 [6]Rail Engineering Grades 2 [0] 31 [23] 0 [2]Workshops 0 [0] 1 [1] 0 [0]Road Transport 0 [0] 0 [7] 0 [0]Buses 0 [0] 9 [17] 0 [0]LUL and Metros 0 [0] 15 [14] 3 [5]Shipping 1 [0] 11 [5] 0 [0]RMT Head Office Staff 0 [0] 0 [0] 0 [1]Taxi Driver 0 [0] 1 [0] 0 [0]

Claims for damages at common law for the period April 1 toJune 30 2007Number of claims settled 100 Total amount recovered £647,001.28p including CICA Claims

Legal assistance granted in respect of charges brought bythe police for the period April 1 to June 30 2007Road Traffic Act 2 Other police charges 7


20

2008 London orphanfund calendars!Calendars featuring either steam trains, modern trains or vintage buses are available for £5 each. 2008 London orphan fund diaries also available for £2.

Please send your order to:

Mark HardingUnity House39 Chalton Street London NW1 1JD

This summer bungalow numberone, bearing the RMT logo, wasopened in the Sunshine OrphanVillage in Phuket, Thailandwhich will care for eightchildren and a ‘mother’ to carefor them.

RMT’s London Widows andOrphans Fund fund secretaryJim Stevenson said that the ideato open such a shelter for thesevulnerable children came afterthe devastating Tsunami that hitthe region on Boxing Day 2004.

Today Jim, who is also anRMT regional organiser, and thefund committee are looking formembers to sponsor the childrenso they can grow and developin a safe environment.

“Following investigations wefound out that the cost ofhousing, schooling and food isabout £400 per child per year or£3,200 for all the children in theRMT-sponsored bungalow,” saidJim.

The fund committee is askingindividuals to donate £10 ormore on an annual basis to

sponsor the children. “We are also inviting people

to act as pen pal ‘mums anddads’ to the eight children tomaintain contact with thechildren and keep each otherinformed of events,” he said.

For more information on theproject visitwww.phuketsunshinevillage.organd for a standing order

mandate to sponsor an orphancontact Jim Stevenson in theRMT South East region office atUnity House in London.

LONDON OUTING

The London Widows andOrphans Fund recently tookover a hundred orphans andwidows of members on a day-out to Brighton recently.

The fund committeenegotiated for Southern trainsto donate the tickets to andfrom Brighton and GatwickExpress provided picnics for theorphans.

After a full day out,including a visit to the Brightonmarina, the day trippers enjoyedan evening event at theBrighton railway club jointlyorganised with the BrightonWidows and Orphans Fund(below).

The committee raises most ofits funds from selling diariesand calendars advertised belowand through donations.

Anyone wishing to join thecommittee should contact JimStevenson in the RMT SouthEast region office at UnityHouse in London.

RMT’s London Widows andOrphans Fund is raising funds tohelp orphans here and in Thailand

CARING FROM PHUKETTO BRIGHTON


21

We have audited the accounts of theNational Union of Rail, Maritimeand Transport Workers for the yearended 31 December 2006.

This report is made solely to theUnion’s members, as a body. Ouraudit work has been undertaken sothat we might state to the Union’smembers those matters we arerequired to state to them in anauditor’s report and for no otherpurpose. To the fullest extentpermitted by law, we do not acceptor assume responsibility to anyoneother than the Union and theUnion’s members as a body, for ouraudit work, for this report, or for theopinions we have formed.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OFTHE COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES ANDAUDITORS

As described on page 13, theUnion’s Council of Executives isresponsible for the preparation ofthe accounts in accordance withapplicable law and United KingdomAccounting Standards (UnitedKingdom Generally AcceptedAccounting Practice). Ourresponsibility is to audit theaccounts in accordance withrelevant legal and regulatoryrequirements and InternationalStandards on Auditing (UK andIreland).

We report to you our opinion asto whether the accounts give a trueand fair view. We also report to youif, in our opinion, the Union has notkept proper accounting records, or ifwe have not received all theinformation and explanations werequire for our audit.

We read other informationcontained in the Annual Report andconsider whether it is consistentwith the audited accounts. Thisother information comprises onlythe Report of the General Secretary.We consider the implications for our

report if we become aware of anyapparent misstatements or materialinconsistencies with the accounts.Our responsibilities do not extend toany other information.

BASIS OF AUDIT OPINION

We conducted our audit inaccordance with InternationalStandards on Auditing (UK andIreland) issued by the AuditingPractices Board. An audit includesexamination, on a test basis, ofevidence relevant to the amountsand disclosures in the accounts. Italso includes an assessment of thesignificant estimates and judgementsmade in the preparation of theaccounts, and of whether theaccounting policies are appropriateto the Union’s circumstances,consistently applied and adequatelydisclosed.

We planned and performed ouraudit so as to obtain all theinformation and explanations whichwe considered necessary in order toprovide us with sufficient evidenceto give reasonable assurance that theaccounts are free from materialmisstatement, whether caused byfraud or other irregularity or error.In forming our opinion, we alsoevaluated the overall adequacy ofthe presentation of the informationin the accounts.

OPINION

In our opinion the accounts give atrue and fair view, in accordancewith United Kingdom GenerallyAccepted Accounting Practice, of thestate of the Union as at 31 December2006 and of its transactions for theyear then ended.

H W FISHER & COMPANYChartered Accountants, RegisteredAuditor Acre House, 11 – 15 William Road,London NW1 3ER, United KingdomDated: 24 May 2007

REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORSSet out below is the report of the independent auditors to the members ascontained in the accounts of the Union for the year ended 31 December 2006:

SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATIONEXTRACTED FROM THE FULL ACCOUNTS

Summary income and expenditure accounts for theyear ended 31 December 2006:

General Fund and Orphan Fund2006 2005£'000 £'000

Subscription income 9,724 8,755Operating expenditure (10,659) (9,279)Operating deficit before investment operations (935) (524)Income from investment operations and donations 1,864 2,019Operating surplus after investment operations 929 1,495Other non-operating income/(expenditure) 364 334Surplus for the year 1,293 1,829

Political Fund2006 2005£'000 £'000

Subscription income 204 196 Investment income 20 - Other income - -Total income 224 196 Total expenditure (237) (375)(Deficit) for the year (13) (179)

SUMMARY OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS PROVIDED

Name Position Details AmountR Crow General Secretary Salary and expenses £87,288

Pension Contribution £23,950

The members of the Council of Executives do not receive any benefits but doreceive attendance and lodging allowances which are set out below. The GeneralSecretary, the President and the members of the Council of Executives arereimbursed for any expenditure incurred by them in the performance of theirduties on behalf of the Union.

Summary of Attendance and Lodging Allowances paid to the Council ofExecutives

General Grades

Name Amount Name AmountD Collinson* £ 40,603 J Jones* £ 39,579P Burton £ 34,109 J Leach (President Elect) £ 33,199M Facey* £ 40,838 A Lister £ 41,404F Cochrane (deceased) £ 13,592 P Pinkney* £ 42,758P Rowland* £ 37,286 P Trend* £ 38,782D Marr £ 34,036 D Shannon* £ 19,159T Donaghey (President) £ 34,053

Shipping Grades

Name Amount Name AmountM Carden* £ 9,530 A Gordon* £ 12,265M Dunning £ 11,968 D Nelson* £ 7,359

* In addition, the Union provides accommodation while on Union business

We are required by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (amended) to include the following declaration in this statement to allmembers. The wording is as prescribed by the Act. "A member who is concerned that some irregularity may be occurring, or have occurred, in the conduct of the financial affairs of the union may take stepswith a view to investigating further, obtaining clarification and, if necessary, securing regularisation of that conduct.The member may raise any such concerns with such one or more of the following as it seems appropriate to raise it with: the officials of the union, thetrustees of the property of the union, the auditor or auditors of the union, the Certification Officer (who is an independent officer appointed by theSecretary of State) and the police.Where a member believes that the financial affairs of the union have been or are being conducted in breach of the law or in breach of rules of the unionand contemplates bringing civil proceedings against the union or responsible officials or trustees, he should consider obtaining independent legal advice.”


22

NO TOROADTRAINS

RMT is calling onmembers to write to

their MPs to urgethem to oppose trials

of 84 tonne road-train lorries

The Department forTransport is continuing toevaluate longer heavierlorries (LHVs), ranging fromfrom 25.5 metres to 30metres in length, 60 to 84tonnes weight.

Final reports to ministersare expected shortly so thecampaign group Freight onRail and RMT are askingyou to write to the

Secretary of State forTransport, the Rt. Hon RuthKelly [ ], ideally copied toyour local MP, to urge hernot to allow trials of longerheavier lorries. You mayalso like to sign the Number10 online petition started bya Freightliner employeeAlan Edwards onhttp://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Ban60tonlorries/

“B-double” - articulated vehicle towing a semi-trailor with the second semi trailor resting on the first - Up to 25.5 metres long and 60 tonnes

GROWING OPPOSITION

Thanks to your previoussupport over one hundredMPs have signed EarlyDay Motion 730 opposingLHVs. Since the article inRMT News February 2007,the rail freight industryhas carried out furtherdetailed analysis of theimplications of longer andheavier lorries withfindings which strengthenour case.

LHVs will mean morelorry-miles not fewerbecause demand will bestimulated if transportbecomes cheaper at pointof use as modal choice isdominated by price.

Trainloads of freightwill be forced back ontothe congested roadnetwork and rail freight

will be severelyundermined. The latestFreightliner analysisshows that up to 66 percent of the deep-seacontainer rail marketcould be lost to road withthe introduction of the25.5 metre lorries, which,as the favoured size andmodel, would be fifty percent longer and over athird heavier than existing44 tonne lorries.

ENVIRONMENTAL COST

Analysis by Oxera forEWS in May found that40 per cent of railaggregates flows and 20per cent of metals flowscould be transferred toroad if LHVs werepermitted.

At a time when the

government is committed toreducing carbon emissions, itseems perverse to allow trials ofvehicles which will decimate railfreight when rail freight has amuch better environmentalrecord than road haulage.

The claimed environmentalbenefits rely on very high levelsof load utilisation – in excess ofthat routinely achieved withinthe haulage sector. At lowerlevels of utilisation theenvironmental performance isworse because of the deadweight of the additional trailer.

These vehicles will haveminimal impact on roadcongestion whereas an averagefreight train which is designedfor heavy and bulky cargoes,can remove 50 HGVs from ourroads.

SPEED KILLS

The question must be asked whyis the government consideringtrails of longer and heavierlorries when there is poorcompliance with existing roadregulations on speed limits,drivers hours and weight, all ofwhich put the public at extrarisk?

The latest DfT research showsthat HGVs do not followexisting speed restrictions. In2005, for example, on majorsingle carriage roads astaggering 76 per cent ofarticulated HGVs exceeded their40 mph limit by 6mph onaverage, with 28 per centexceeding the limit by morethan 10 mph in 2005.

Rates of speeding increasewith vehicle size with vehiclesof five or more axles 33 tonnesand over the worst offenders 29per cent of 5 axles HGVsexceeded the limit by more than10mph.

Speed cameras are calibratedto enforce the speed-limit thatapplies to cars, not lorries. Thisallows lorries to exceed theirown speed-limits with impunitywhen these are lower than thosefor cars. This is indicative of thegeneral behaviour of HGVs andof the difficulty in enforcement.

LHVs also have safetydangers due to their size andlack of manoeuvrability.

DfT research found thatHGVs were twice as likely to beinvolved in fatal accidents ascars. Bendy buses, which are 18metres long, also cause morethan twice as many injuries asany other bus, according toofficial figures.

Other questions remainconcerning LHVs brakingdistance, ability to overtake,drivers’ blind spots, jack knifing,and ability to reverse the LHVwith its trailer. In emergencysituations when reversal may beabsolutely essential, such aswhen vehicles are on fire, andor in a tunnel, on a bridge or ina motorway underpass, it isunclear that LHVs can performthis manoeuvre. There is aparticular danger in roadtunnels such as those at rivercrossings where an accident canresult in a serious and lethalfire.

Opinion polls haveconsistency shown that thepublic is opposed to largerlorries, find existing HGVsintimidating and would prefer tosee freight shifted to therailways by bringing in longerand heavier trains.

The cost to communitiesincluding difficulty in crossingroads, visual intrusion, damageto buildings, noise and vibrationare not being properly assessed.The location of some lorrydepots takes heavy vehiclesthrough communities as well asthe problem of lorries usingunsuitable roads as shortcuts/rat runs.

Restricting LHVs to dual-carriageways and motorwayssimply will not work as there isno mechanism to keep them tothis.

The reality is that thesevehicles will need local access todistribution hubs which areusually off the motorwaynetwork.

Unlike other Europeancountries, the UK allows allvehicles to operate on any roadand at any time unlessspecifically prohibited fromdoing so and even then itnormally allows access.

As a result, we will get thesevery large vehicles travelling

down local roads that arewholly unsuitable for thepurpose, with consequentintrusion, noise and roaddamage and safety implicationswhen rail provides a low carbonalternative at a time when thereis uncertainty about energysources and road reliability isworsening.

UK rail freight is thriving andrail’s market share has increasedby 68 per cent in the past 12years with forecasted tonnekilometres growth of 50 per centover the next ten years if LHVsare not introduced.

Freight on Rail promotes theeconomic, environmental andsocial benefits of rail freight. Inparticular it works with central,regional and local governmentto set the framework for railfreight.

Contact Philippa Edmunds – Freighton Rail campaigner if you wantmore details: 020 82419982:[email protected]:www.freightonrail.org.uk

Secretary of State for TransportRt. Hon Ruth KellyGreat Minister House76 Marsham StreetLondon SW1P 4DR


23

75 PER CENT OPPOSED TOINTRODUCTION OF ‘ROAD TRAINS’A National Opinion Poll (NOP) survey shows that 75 per cent ofthe general public is opposed to the introduction of ‘road trains’ -known as LHVs - onto UK roads.

The survey further revealed that 80 per cent of the general publicfavoured the government encouraging more freight to go by railinstead of by road.

Freight on Rail campaigner Philippa Edmunds argues that morerail freight is much more positive than ‘road trains’ as it reducescarbon emissions and alleviates road congestion.

However, she warns “rail freight could be halved over the nextfew years if the government allows these monstrosities onto ourroads.

“If the government is genuinely committed to the environmentand travel safety it will reject these trials,” she says.

Tony Berkeley, Chairman of the Rail Freight Group, said it is nosurprise that 75 per cent of the public are opposed to longer andheavier lorries.

“In part this is because the public doesn’t believe the governmentis serious about enforcing standards on UK roads, whilst at thesame time it puts strong regulatory and safety rules on rail, wherethe safety record is already immeasurably better”.

SAY NO: Freight on Raillobbied Labour PartyConference against larger andheavier vehicles.

Freight on Rail produced ajoint leaflet arguing that there isno need for ‘roadtrains’ andpointing to a recent nationalopinion poll which revealed that

75% of the public supports aban on these monster trucks.Transport minister Ruth Kellylater told Conference delegatesthat she would need a “heck ofa lot of persuasion” to agree toallowing longer and heavierlorries on to UK roads.

Left to right -James Croy ( Political Officer RMT) Keith Norman (GeneralSecretary ASLEF), Lord Berkeley (Rail Freight Group Chairman), Gerry Doherty(General Secretary TSSA) and Frank Ward (TSSA)


24

This year marks the 40thanniversary of the 1967

Abortion Act – a piece oflegislation which has saved thelives and health of hundreds ofthousands of women and to thisday remains fundamental towomen’s autonomy, equalityand freedom.

However, as we celebrate 40years of safe, legal abortion inBritain the issue continues to besurrounded by a veil of secrecyand misinformation and mythson abortion abound.

Abortion, we are told, isavailable on request. This is notso - women need the agreementof two doctors before they canaccess the procedure and manyface delays of up to six weeks.

But it is the 24-week timelimit that continues to dominatethe debate on abortion. Thepublication three years ago of 4D-scan pictures of fetuses in thewomb sparked off a heatedmedia debate about the laterabortion driven by the anti-choice lobby in the hope ofgaining support for a reductionof the time limit.

In reality, almost 90 per centof abortions are carried out atunder-13 weeks gestation whilstonly a tiny proportion – lessthat one per cent – take placeafter 22 weeks. The women whoneed to access later abortion doso for compelling, exceptionaland complex reasons.

Gradually mediamisinformation and hysteria hasfound its way to Westminster.Over the last few months wehave witnessed several attemptsby anti-choice MPs to raise toprofile of the issue inparliament.

October 2006 saw the defeat(187 – 108 votes) of ‘Abortiontime limit and delay’ Bill, whichaimed to reduce the abortiontime limit from 24 to 21 weeksand introduce a 10-day ‘coolingoff period’.

The ‘Parental notification’Bill introduced in March 2007which sought to endconfidentiality for youngwomen seeking abortion andother sexual health care wasalso sunk (159 – 87 votes), aswas the ‘Compulsory

counselling and delay’ Bill (182– 107 votes).

But the assault goes on. InMay, the anti-choice lobbysignalled its plans to launch thestrongest attack on women’slegal rights since 1990 byproposing amendments to thegovernment’s Human Tissue andEmbryos (HTE) Bill. These mustface strong opposition.

CAMPAIGNAbortion Rights has launched its‘pro-choice majority’ campaigncalling for:

• Women, not doctors, to makethe abortion decision

• An end to waiting times oflonger than three weeks

• An end to attacks on currentrights, including the uppertime limit

40 years since abortion waslegalised, it is time for a lawthat trusts women to make theirown decision about whether ornot to continue a pregnancy.

Or in the words of LordDavid Steel, architect of the1967 Act: ‘‘With the expectation

that legislation on abortion willagain be raised in the nextsession of parliament, it isessential that we use theopportunity not only to resistregressive amendments but tomake it easier for women whoneed to obtain terminations todo so as early as possible intheir pregnancies’.

The time has come to moveforward on women’s rights –not back.

Take action to protectwomen’s crucial abortion rights!

• Affiliate your branch orregion to Abortion Rights –together we are stronger!

• Join as an individual member

• Sign up to Abortion Rights’Action Alerts:www.abortionrights.org.uk

• Add your voice to the pro-choice majority:www.prochoicemajority.org.uk

• Get involved in the Pro-Choice Week of Action 20 -27 October

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF SAFE,LEGAL ABORTION IN BRITAIN


25

Plymouth No1 branchsupports

NICK QUIRKfor Council of Executives,

south west region

Penzance No 1 Branch nominates

NICK QUIRK for C of E seat for , South West Region

Exeter Rail BranchSupports

NICK QUIRKFor The Council of

Executives. South West Region

Birmingham Engineeringbranch Region 6

nominates

PAT COLLINSfor Council of Executives

Region 6

Wolverhampton Branchnominates

PAT COLLINSfor Council of Executives

Region 6

South West Midlandbranch supports

PAT COLLINSCouncil of Executive Election

Region 6

Bristol Rail branchis proud to nominate

BRENDAN KELLYFor Regional Organiser South

Wales & West RegionA winning combination of experience

and commitment to members

Dorset Rail branchNominates

MICK TOSHFor Regional Organiser,

Wessex Region

And seeks supports

Portsmouth BranchNominates and Supports


Wessex RegionProven track record, 25 years

representing members

Lymington No1Nominates


Wessex RegionThe candidate with genuine experience

and integrity

Waterloo branch Nominates

MICK TOSHFor regional organizer,

Wessex regionAble candidate for a multi-grade region

Surrey and Hants branch Nominates

MICK TOSH For regional organiser

Wessex regionSupport for this able and experienced

candidate

Wimbledon branchnominates

PETE GALEFor regional organiser

A proven candidate

The East Kent Branch Nominates Branch Secretary

KEN SLADE For South East Regional

Organiser"An honourable candidate"

Orpington BranchNominates

KEN SLADEFor South East Regional

Organiser." the membership’s choice"

Gillingham Strood BranchNominates

PAUL COXFor Regional Organiser S. EastAnd asks members to support this

experienced candidate

East Sussex Coastwaybranch

Nominates

PAUL COXFor Regional Organiser,

South EastAlways putting members first

South London Rail Branch Nominates our secretary

PAUL COXFor Regional OrganiserSouth East Region

A Strong Voice For Members

Cinque Ports BranchNominates

PAUL COXFor Regional Organiser South

East RegionFor a member-led agenda.

Three Bridges BranchNominates


EastFor a member-led agenda

Chiltern Line BranchNominates


East And Asks Members to Vote for The Experienced

Candidate.

Ramsgate WorkshopsBranch

Nominates

PAUL COXFor Regional Organiser S. East

Always Putting Members First

Deptford BranchNominates

PAUL COXFor South East

RegionalOrganiserAnd Asks Members to Support Him

Poole and district branchSays vote

PETE GALEFor regional organiser,

Wessex region.Support this able and worthy candidate

ELECTION ADS


26

Life-long socialist and tradeunion activist Jock Nicolson

died recently at the age of 87. Jock was born in Hamilton,

Lanarkshire in 1921 into a poorfamily of five siblings. The onlyholiday Jock remembered was aday trip with his Mum to thefalls of Leni, near Callender inAyrshire.

On leaving school at fourteenJock got a job as a laundry vanboy for a short time beforegetting the sack and, by thetime he followed his father andbrother into the railways, hewas already a political activist.

Such was the impact of hisexperiences of poverty whereporridge and whatever he couldcatch as a poacher would be thestaple diet, he became acutelyclass-conscious.

His first job on the railwaywas as a ‘Caller Up’ at HamiltonWest Depot, a night shift whichinvolved riding a bicyclewaking up drivers and guardsfor early morning shifts.

He joined the National Unionof Railwaymen as it was thenand became and remained anactivist both at work and inretirement.

The pay was not good but itwas looked upon as a “job forlife” which was consideredimportant during the depressionof the thirties.

Jock was promoted to aFireman shortly after theoutbreak of the Second WorldWar as railwayworkers wereclassed as vital and wereexempt from call-up to theforces.

He said there was littleromance in being a Fireman asit was dirty, hard, manual work.During a shift he would shovelseveral tons of coal into thefirebox of a steam engine whiledoubled up, twisting roundevery few seconds and standingon a moving floor andstaggering like a drunk manwhen he stepped off the engine.

By the time Jock was

seventeen years old he was anardent socialist, reading KierHardy, and Karl Marx, as well aspoaching in High Parks whichwas the Duke of Hamilton’sestate.

He attended Labour Collegeclasses and other politicalmeetings. Hamilton at that timewas a hot-bed of politicalgroups such as the Labour Party,the Independent Labour Party,Socialist Party of Great Britain,as well as the Communist Party.

Around that period theSpanish Civil War and theactions of Nazi Germany stirredpolitical passion in Britain.

After going to a meeting toan “Aid Spain” in Glasgow, Jockmade his first political donationto the Spanish cause and joinedthe Communist Party. He later tobecame a CP organiser inLanarkshire.

At the end of World WarTwo, the political parties weregetting ready of the famous1945 Labour election victoryand Jock was active in his NURHamilton branch gettingmembers to sign up for thepolitical fund..

In 1947 Jock moved to Fifeto campaign to get the well-known Communist MP WillieGallacher re-elected when theCold War raised its head.

Around this time, Jock wasat a Communist Party school inSussex; where he met Bridgetand began a life-longrelationship. Jock moved toLondon to be with Bridget andhe joined the Chalk Farmbranch of the union, andcontinued as an activist as aGoods and Cartage clerk inChalk Farm depot.

He also stood as a localCommunist Party candidate inCamden, and the Holborn andSt.Pancras ParliamentaryConstituency twice. Jock was awell known orator on his soapbox outside Kentish TownStation for many years, and washeavily involved in the famous

Camden rent strikes in thesixties.

Jock served two terms on theNUR National Executive duringthe 1970’s and was secretary ofthe influential North LondonDistrict Council prior to the re-organisation of District Councilsin the 80’s. Many activists feltthat the leadership of the unionat that time carried out this re-organisation to defuse thepower of these Councils and theNorth London one in particular.

Jock Nicolson was also adedicated Father to Mark, Josie,Laura, and later grandfather and

great grandfather to many ofthe Nicolson clan.

Jock sometimes gave theimpression of being a ‘hard lineCommunist’ and was a thorn inthe flesh of any trade unionleader, including the NUR, ifthey didn’t lead and defendworkers.

He was a great Socialist,Communist and humanist whobelieved and defended workingpeople. Jock’s Memoirs “ATurbulent Life” is to bepublished soon.

TONY DONAGHEY

MEMORIES OF JOCK NICOLSON


27

Ifirst met Jock when I was an unofficialstrike leader in 1968 and he was a great

influence in the huge 50,000 strong NURNorth London District Council. Later weserved together on the national executive ofthe then NUR.

I remember as well a kindly, witty,interesting man whose company we sought.Jock would hold social evenings at homewhere we ate well, drunk wine and hadheavy political discussions into the night.But there were always lighter conversationslater on and we loved his tales.

I recall the story he told about when hewas wooing Bridget, who became hislifelong partner. Jock had a rival – hedescribed him as an “Errol Flynn type” –who would regale Bridgette with stories ofderring-do, fighting fascism, piloting planesetc.

Jock was a member of the CommunistParty. On May Day 1949 the party inScotland organised an open air event in afield outside of Glasgow.

Unfortunately, two days before thefamous ‘Yangtze incident’ took place. TheChinese had attacked and seriously damagedthe British warship HMS Amethust on theYangtze river killing thirty sailors. A hugewave of anti-communism was whipped upby the British press and some CP officeswere attacked.

Jock and Bridgette were at the CP event,along with “Errol”. Four coaches of OrangeOrder members pulled up on the other sideof the field.

They spotted the CP flags, poured off thecoaches, tore a nearby fence down to makeweapons and charged down on thegathering. Jock was small in stature butstood his ground and took a bloody beating.Later, Bridgette told him that ‘Errol’ had fledthe scene and there was no serious rivalafter that.

At the end of the evening when you leftJock’s home, you found Bridgette standingbehind a table that had been placed near thefront door. On the table were books andpublications that you felt obliged topurchase on the way out. A free meal atJocks always proved to be very expensive.

The younger generation of my day hadthe arrogance of youth, like all generations.But we chose to listen attentively to thefighters of Jock’s generation. Why wouldn’twe? These were the people, socialists all,who organised during the great depression.

They witnessed the rise of fascism in

Europe and fought it. They risked there livesand watched their comrades die in a worldwar. They came home and created the NHS,nationalised the coal and steel industriesand the railways. They would not be refusedthe welfare state and successfully arguedthat housing and education were a basicright.

They made trade unionism stronger thanit had ever been by tireless organisation. Itwas an NUM leader who formed the NHS,the Atlee government had cabinet membersand ministers from the trade unions.

We were deeply respectful of them allincluding Jock and, whilst not alwaysagreeing, learned from them. We learnedhow to debate, how to put the case for our

cause at the workplace and the importanceof class history. Women and men like Jocktaught us that corruption cannot becontained, that it’s corrosive and spreads.

I consider myself fortunate to haveknown Jock Nicolson. He fought theexcesses of the boss class all his life. In hisfinal years on the leadership of his union,he courageously fought the threatenedcorruption of our own democratic forumsand re-established the principles we werefounded on.

When the last of his generation goes ittrue to say we will never see their likeagain.

GEOFF REVELL

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MEMORIES OF JOCK NICOLSON


28

Over 20,000 prison officers tookgovernment and Prison Serviceofficials by complete surprise onAugust 29 by staging a nationalstrike over pay despite the factthat prison staff were robbed ofthe right to take industrialaction by the Tories in 1994.

The unofficial action showedthe level of anger atgovernment threats of courtaction and imprisoningmembers in order to impose atwo per cent pay rise whichamounts to a real-term pay cut.

POA officials, generalsecretary Brian Caton andpresident Colin Moses, visited

Unity House and addressed theRMT executive shortly after thewalk-out to outline their longstruggle for trade union rightsand decent pay.

Brian recounted how the POAhas been the recognised tradeunion for the professional menand women of the PrisonService since 1939.

Yet the union has been thesubject of anti-trade unionlegislation since 1994 when heright to strike was withdrawn.

The Criminal Justice andPublic Order Act was introducedby a Conservative governmentdetermined to destroy what

Margaret Thatcher described asthe “last bastion of trade unionmilitancy”.

“Today, prisons are stillovercrowded, short of front-linestaff and regrettably have amanagement that conductsindustrial relations through theCourts, rather than throughnegotiation,” Brian said.

He said that the union hadwelcomed the introduction ofthe Prison Service Pay ReviewBody in 2001, a mechanism thatwas supposed to provide anindependent system todetermine pay.

However, the system had

been tarnished with interferencefrom the Prison Service andgovernment.

“We have been subjected tostaged pay awards, belowinflation pay awards andstarved of our fundamentalrights to collective bargaining,”he said.

RMT general secretary BobCrow promised the full RMTbacking for the POA’s strugglefor union rights and decent pay.

Shortly after the meetingRMT seconded a motion at TUCCongress, overwhelminglybacked by delegates.

“It is a disgrace that, after 10years of a Labour government,they still do not have the samerights as other public-sectorworkers,” he told Congress toapplause.

POA officials Brian Caton and Colin Moses enjoy support from officers and the executive committee at Unity House

PRISON OFFICERS DEMANDTHE RIGHT TO STRIKERMT has given its full support to the PrisonOfficers’ Association in its campaign to winthe right to strike

Recently I visited members in theirworkplaces, on trains, in depots and onstations in Cardiff and in around southWales. This was followed by attendingthe Bridgend and Llantrisant branchmeeting.

The whole day was highly informative,constructive and the branch was veryfriendly and positive.

I also went back to my own workplace,which is Knightsbridge LondonUnderground station.

It was good to see all my old workmateson duty. As always, there was a bit offun, but we were also able to spendsome time talking about the latestexploits of the local managers and thebig issues such as LUL plans to cutback on booking office positions.

It’s my view that it is vital that theleadership of our union remains in touchwith members in this way. And, aspresident, I make it one of my priorities.

It was a complete contrast to lead theRMT delegation to the TUC Congress inBrighton. Grey suits, self-congratulatingspeeches from government Ministersand very little real debate seemed to bethe order of the day, which left usasking sometimes, is this the realworld?

Importantly, our union did push RMTpolicies for the whole week.

Our delegation won widespread supportagainst the EU constitution and for areferendum which the government

promised us two years ago.

We also successfully backed the calledfor the repeal of the anti union laws, thescrapping of the PPP on LondonUnderground and for renationalisation ofour industries.

Our campaign to keep CalidonianMacBrayne ferries in the public sectorregardless of EU diktats, which demandthe so-called ‘liberalisation’ of theselifeline services, also found supportamong delegates.

I seconded a motion calling for the railindustry to be brought back into thepublic sector, making particularreference to the collapse of theMetronet consortium on the Tube.

I was proud to salute those RMTmembers that went on strike atMetronet.

It is amazing that this gang of privateerscan walk away from these contractsafter pulling in over £1 million a weekand the government is already trying tohand it back to the private sector.

It is vital that all unions strive for realsolidarity through good organisation andcooperation. We as a union play ourpart and represent this belief at the TUCand at the workplace.

However, in all honesty, I was glad toget back to Unity House and myresponsibilities as your nationalpresident of the union.

John Leach

Meeting the membersPresident’s column


29

OOnn AAuugguusstt 2299 22000077 tthheePPOOAA ttooookk nnaattiioonnaall ssttrriikkeeaaccttiioonn ffoorr tthhee ffiisstt ttiimmee iinn6688 yyeeaarrss,, tthhiiss iiss wwhhyy::

• Because the Governmentrefused to follow therecommendations of thePay Review Body for anaward of 2.5 per cent,even though that wasbelow the rate ofinflation and 1.3 per centbelow the RPI;

• Because the Governmentundertook to the ILO thatthey would follow thePay Review Bodiesrecommendations andthey didn’t downgradingthe pay award to 1.9 percent

• Because the PrisonService owes PrisonOfficers 422,071 hours ofTOIL (unpaid overtime)worth £6,000,000

• Because between 1993and 2006 the prisonpopulation in Englandand Wales has gone upby 28,400 and officernumbers by 440

• Because of plannedbudget cuts of £60million a year for 3 years

• Because over the lastseven years assaults onfemale Prison Officershave increased by 121 percent and on male officesby 50 per cent


30

RIDINGAND

WRITING

London Underground signaller,RMT rep and train enthusiastRobert Gillman has turned hishand to writing, RMT Newstells his story

The author with Romulus


31

Union rep Robert Gillman hashad a passion for trains for aslong as he can remember.

And it is that passion thatled the London Undergroundsignal operator to write Tales ofUpchurch Station, a collectionof short stories for children.

Robert originally wrote thestories about the fictionalrailway for his grandson,passing on his enthusiasm toanother generation, just as ithad been passed on to him.Robert’s father – WilliamGillman – was at one time aboiler fitter’s mate at the GreatEastern Railway works atStratford in East London.

It seems it wasn’t only a loveof the railways that WilliamGillman passed on. He was astaunch union man andNational Union of Railwaymen(NUR) branch secretary ofStratford Works No 3 Branchwhere he worked between 1924and 1930. He received anilluminated address for hisunion work.

Robert recalls that afterleaving the railways his dadbecame heavily involved withlocal politics, becoming aLabour councillor and mayor ofWest Ham. “I grew up withpeople knocking on the door foradvice” he recalls.

“My father went on to workfor the Transport and GeneralWorkers Union (TGWU) atLondon Airport and I remembervisiting it in the 1950s andseeing just a collection of huts,nothing like the huge place atHeathrow that you see today”,says Robert.

William Gillman remained alifelong trade unionist and afterleaving the airport became anorganiser for the TGWU on theEast India Dock.

Bob’s own career is equallyinteresting. He started out hisworking life in the print in FleetStreet, as a plate engraver andthen lithographer. He was fatherof the chapel – equivalent ofshop steward – for his union theNational Graphical Association(NGA).

Having experienced a coupleof redundancies and a spellwhere he ran his own printbusiness, Bob decided that he

wanted a career change. He tooka gamble and left his job afterhearing that LondonUnderground was looking forstaff.

After a nervous spell ofwaiting to see whether he hadqualified, in 1999, at the age of53, Bob started work as a signaloperator on the District Line inEssex. He says he wished thathe had worked on the railsearlier but then perhaps withouthis background in print hewouldn’t have thought ofbringing out a book.

Long before Bob worked onthe Underground, he kept anactive interest in trains as avolunteer on The West Somerset

Railway, which runs fromMinehead to Taunton. The lineis Britain’s longest heritagerailway, celebrating the goldenage of steam trains with tenrestored stations along its 20mile route.

Just like the old days, Bobhad to start at the bottom, as acleaner, before becomingqualified as a steam fireman.

Bob likes to relax by beingcreative. He writes short stories,poetry or songs, often incollaboration with Alexandra,his wife. He also likes to playcountry and folk music,recalling that his firstinstrument was a five-stringbanjo.

But even at home, even whenrelaxing, trains aren’t far fromhis mind. He recently built aminiature railway in his gardento run his train Romulus. Thetrain was built by a retiredengineer back in 1987, and Robpurchased it from him to givechildren rides at local juniorschool summer fairs for manyyears to raise money for theschools.

Nowadays Romulus is insemi-retirement and happilychuffing around the garden ontrack laid by Rob. “It required alot more work than I thought itwould” he says modestly with asmile.

The book carries five shortstories that, while written

for children between 4-8years of age, can be enjoyedby anyone.

Set in a fictional placesomewhere betweenUpminster and Hornchurch,the stories carry simplemessages about helping one’sfellow man and otherpositive values.

Sir Harry Hurry’s Doze,the tale of a passenger whofalls asleep on the last trainand finds himself on acarriage that’s been shuntedinto the depot, is looselybased on an incident thathappened while RobertGillman was at work.

Other stories stemmedfrom ideas that came to theauthor while working as avolunteer steam fireman onthe West Somerset Railway.

There are charmingcharacters in the book, suchas Sid the Shunter, Stanleythe Stationmaster and Derekthe Engine Driver.

The characters have beenbrought to life by wellknown professional railwayartist Alan Ward who is also

a keen supporter of theheritage railways. There areover fifty pen and ink lineillustrations in the book.

The collaboration of artistand writer makes for a reallyenjoyable book not only forkids, but for the kid in all ofus.

As Alan Ward says in theintroduction to the book,"Many seemingly oldfashioned messages andvalues are evidentthroughout. Perhapsthey also echo ahope for the future".

SStteevvee SSiillvveerr

Tales of Upchurch Station(£5.99) is available, post free,from the publishers: Railway CatCreations, PO Box 299,Rainham, Essex, RM13 8XT(enclose your address and acheque made payable to RailwayCat Creations). Or can be orderedfrom your local bookshop. ISBN:978-0-9537406-3-5

Book review

Tales of Upchurch StationWritten by Robert Gillman, illustrated and designed by Alan Ward


32

Ricky Tomlinson was a special guest at the annual Durham miners’ galathis year and shared a joke with RMT general secretary Bob Crow.

LONDON: RMT team at the stall in Trafalgar Square Pride London. Left to right is Andy Melvin,Joanne Parry, unknown, Jitendra Patel.

BRIGHTON: Left to right Joanne Parry carrying banner, Colin Wright in hi-visand unknown tube worker in black costume.

Rain certainly didn’t stop theLondon Pride parade thanks to

RMT umbrellas.There were a number of

enquiries from prospective membersat our recruitment stall in Trafalgarsquare from individuals who weregoing through interview processwith TfL and One. Even a fewASLEF members asked aboutbecoming joint members.

Activists managed tocommunicate to the public theunion’s opposition to proposed LUstation closures and the plans forprivatising the East London Line,gaining well over 200 signatures onpetitions including a signature fromLord Dutton who asked if he couldhave an RMT baseball cap. Peopleasked if they could buy EastLondon Line Campaign T-shirts.

DELIGHTS OFDURHAM

TAKING PRIDE FROMLONDON TO BRIGHTON

EC member Dave Gottpresented Bob Butler with

his 40-year membership badgerecently.

Bob is a S&T tech at Retfordand has served as secretary forboth Retford and Bassetlawbranches and has held manyother positions within the union.

Keith branch held a farewellpresentation recently for

branch secretary Barry Hoperwho is leaving the railway toconcentrate on his ‘TransportTreasury’. All members wish himall the best for the future.

KEITH SAYSADIEU TOBARRY

Left to Right - John Shinie, Steven Murray,Kenny Gray, Dougie McKay, Barry Hoper, DerekHope, Linda Malcolm and Martin Jamieson.

40 YEARSFROM BUTLER


33

The annual rally in Burstonvillage on the Norfolk/Suffolkborder not only commemoratesthe longest strike in history butincludes the only march in theworld where you can pickblackberries along the wholepicturesque route.

Thousands come each year toretrace the footsteps ofschoolchildren nearly a hundredyears ago that went on strike insupport of their sacked teachersKitty and Tom Higdon.

The teachers were dismissedfrom the village's Church ofEngland school after theycomplained of the appallingconditions the local childrenwere forced to endure.

Looking for a pretext to sackthe teachers, the vindictiveschool managers led byReverend Charles Tucker Elandaccused Kitty of lighting a firewithout their permission - todry the clothes of children whohad walked three miles toschool in the rain.

For this and other ludicroustrumped-up charges, theHigdons were sacked on 1 April1914. However, as theauthorities were taking over, thesound of children marching and

singing could be heard and theybegan their fateful march whichis re-enacted to this day.

STRIKE SCHOOL

The children never returned tothe school, but instead hadlessons on the village green andmaintained a full timetable andobserved registrations with thefull support of parents.

This act of defiance led to 18parents being summonsed tocourt and fined for failing toensure their children'sattendance at school. Collectionsoutside the court paid the finesand the authorities were soonforced to back down.

With the onset of winter, theschool moved into emptyworkshops. But the authoritieskept up their intimidation andfarmers sacked and evicted farmlabourers. Striking families whorented land from the Rector forgrowing food were also evictedand their crops and propertydestroyed.

Yet the local children andtheir families stood firm and,following donations fromminers' and the National Unionof Railwaymen and TradesCouncils, a new school was

opened in 1917, with the leaderof the 1914 demonstrationViolet Potter declaring, "Withjoy and thankfulness I declarethis school open to be forever aSchool of Freedom".

The Burston Strike Schoolcontinued until 1939 when TomHigdon died and Kitty, in herseventies, was unable to carryon alone. Both are buried inBurston churchyard.

However, in 1949 The StrikeSchool was registered as aneducational charity and today itis a museum, visitor centre,educational archive and villageamenity.

Each year the annual rallycelebrates the people whocontinue to fight for trade unionrights, working class education,democracy and internationalsolidarity.

RMT general secretary toldthe crowd that the Higdons andthe school children had shownthat another world was possiblewhere the rich did not dictatehow the poor should live.

“They showed us that if youwant decent education, pay andhealthcare you must fight for itand you can win,” he said.

REMEMBERING THELONGEST STRIKE IN HISTORYBob Crow addressed this year’s annual rally to commemorate thechildren’s school strike at Burston which ran from 1914 to1939

Bob Crow

Tony Benn and Billy Bragg

Children lead the march


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35


36

LETTERS

ELECTION ADS

Dear editor,

On the way to work, around 15 months ago, I wasinvolved in a car accident through no fault of my ownthat wrote off my car and I sustained neck, leg andwrist injuries. I was off work for two weeks.

I contacted RMT and I was put in touch withThompsons solicitors. I must say they have been veryprofessional, keeping me updated and fully informedthroughout my claim for compensation, which I havejust received.

I would like to thank the union for which I have been amember for over 10 years for the help and professionalservice I received. I would like to thank Thompsons forthe way they pushed for my injury compensation. It ishighly appreciated, many thanks again and keep up thehard work.

Best wishes

Mike Turner

Dear editor,

I refer to the letter from Mr Northcott in the last edition of the RMTnews in which he claimed that the branch had agreed with his view thatLabour has no pretensions of supporting the people and organisationsthat set it up and gave him overwhelming support.

This statement is not correct.

The minutes of the branch meeting on April 5 2007 said: After a longand heated discussion the following was passed, the branch was willingto sponsor bro northcott but would like it to be shown that we aresupporting our member and not the local liberal party or its policies.

This was passed at a majority of 9 to 1 with 1 abstention. At themeeting of the Exeter Rail Branch on September 6 2007 members of thebranch were very aggrieved at the comments made by Mr Northcott inhis letter and they request that the correct minute is published.

They would also like it to be known that the branch has always beenand will always be democratic in its decisions in line with union policy.

Ken Battishill

Branch Secretary

Basingstoke no. 2 branchSays vote

PETE GALEFor regional organiser

Wessex region.We ask all members to support this

able and worthy candidate

Winchester 2 branchSays vote


Wessex region.And urges support for this most able

candidate

Solent Salaried branchSays vote


Wessex region.For all members in all grades

Basingstoke no. 1 branch Says vote


Wessex region.The man for the job

Feltham branchSay vote


Wessex regionAnd asks that members support this

candidate

Bournemouth 5 branchSays vote

PETE GALE For regional organiser,

Wessex region.Vote for the best

Weymouth Bus branchSays vote


Wessex region.Always putting members first

Eastleigh workshopsSays vote


Wessex region.Urges a vote for this committed and

able candidate

Fareham 2 branchSays vote


Wessex regionThe best candidate for the job

Newport i.o.w. 2 branchSays vote


Wessex regionHe deserves your support

Salisbury 3 branchSays vote


Wessex regionAnd asks members in the region to

support him

Andover and Salisbury RailbranchSays vote


Wessex regionAnd urges members to give their

support

Southampton 5 branchSays vote


Wessex regionPete has integrity, resolve and

principles and deserves your support

ShippingSouthampton branch

Nominates

MICK TOSH For regional organiser

Hastings & Tonbridgebranch

Nominates

PAUL COXFor Regional Organiser,

South EastThe Experienced Candidate

Brighton & Hove Citybranch

Nominates

PAUL COXFor Regional Organiser ,

South EastThe Experienced Choice

COSTA DEL SOL, SPAIN25% discount for RMT members.Stunning new luxury 1st floorapartment on the exclusiveSotogrande Marina. Sleeps 4+2 fullyequipped, 2 bed/2 bathrooms, 4terraces, lift. Many golfcourses/beaches nearby. Peacefullocation. Info www.sturtonvillas.comEmail [email protected] forbrochure/details. Gary 01202 242664/ 07956 028827

AIRPORT CAR PARKING. 5% additional discount for RMTmemberswww.flypark.co.uk/discount. Get a quote and see savings

INDIAN WELLS KISSIMMEE Villas 10% discount on rates for RMTmembers.Beautiful 3 bedroom 2 bathroom villain Florida5 minutes drive from Disney.Exceptionally central location. Ownpool with screen porch andoverlooking a lake. Will sleep 8 andcot facilities are available Tel. 01202 427854www.indianwellskissimmeevillas.co.uk

VICTORIAN FARMHOUSE B&Bplus s/c lodge, sleeps 4, also B&B.Set in farmland overlooking forest.Direct access to trailway. Smallheated pool. Pets welcome. Ideal forwalking, riding and cycling. Close toNew Forest. For brochure call 01425 472115


37

Last month’ssolution...

The winner of prizecrossword no. 37 isNorman King of Eastleigh.

Send entries to Prize Crossword,RMT, Unity House, 39 ChaltonStreet, London NWI IJD by November 1 with your name andaddress.

Winner and solution in next issue.

RMT £25PRIZECROSSWORDNo. 38. Set by Elk

ACROSS1 Small, orange-yellow fruit (7)5 Sugar contained in milk (7)9, 12, 20 Rally for this on October 18 (5, 5, 7)10 Preparation that delays fire taking hold (9)11 Footwear for very wintry weather (9)12 See 913 Hit these with a hammer - but make sure

they’re the right ones! (5)15 Type of society envisaged in our 12 rules (9)18 Boxers (9)19 Type of small boat (5)21 Three-dimensional (measure) (5)23 Large tropical amphibious reptile (9)25 Turn from liquid to vapour (9)26 Played, on stage or screen (5)27 They enjoy giving pain (7)28 Those who have 26 might achieve it (7)

DOWN1 Skilled craft worker (7)2 Logical thought or steps behind proposition

(9)3 22 game representing warfare (5)4 Reptiles - much slower than 23s! (9)5 Asian or north African water lily with large

pink or white flowers (5)6 Messages from head office (doing the

rounds?) (9)7 African ruminant mammal, with giraffe-like

head and zebra-like body (5)8 Died out; no longer alive or burning (7)14 Those who choose (the team?) (9)16 We call them passengers! (9)17 Introduced or inducted (by ceremony?) (9)18 They’re posted to stop people working who

shouldn’t be (7)20 See 9 (7)22 Thinly cut timber; card; goes with lodging

(5)23 disorder and confusion (5)24 Largest city in Nebraska; code-name for D-

Day landing beach (5)

CLASSIFIED ADS

Liverpool nationalseamen’s reunion£5Music, buffet, beer promotions, late barFriday November 9 2007 at 7.30pmCasa, Hope Street

Correction Last month sharp-eyed readersmay have noticed atypographical error in theeditorial that appeared tosuggest RMT supported slavery.This, of course, is not the caseand the union opposes slaveryin all its forms. Another editionwas printed which correctedthis error and is available fromhead office. Sorry for anydistress this may have caused.

The Financial Services Authority requires us to comply fully withmoney laundering regulations. It’s a bore but we have to do it. Itmeans that before we can open your account we have to verifyyour identity and your address.

You need to complete the application form opposite along with theDirect Debit. You’ll also need to get your ID verified and send itwith the application to us. If you’re near a regional office or UnityHouse you can bring it in and we’ll process it there.

RMT Credit UnionOur Own Savings and Loans Co-operativeOur RMT Credit Union is a great new benefit for members. It exists,not to make a profit, but to provide help and support to all ourmembers for their savings and credit needs. By saving together, andlending to each other, we take the profit motive out of savings andloans. All the surpluses created by the Credit Union are recycled asbenefits to members through cheap loans, and the ability to paydividends on savings.

We strike a balance between low interest rates on loans and payinga dividend on savings. We enable members to have ready access tocheap loans while building up a substantial and useful savingsaccount. We can do this because our Credit Union is run on thesame principles of mutual support and members’ democratic controlas our trade union, so you can be sure that it’s run in the interestsof us all.

Joining Our Credit Union

CHEAP LOANSDecisions on interest rates are made by our members. This year ourAGM decided to offer very cheap loans to members. This means wecan now offer loans at 1100..99 ppeerr cceenntt AAPPRR, equivalent to 00..990088 ppeerrcceenntt ppeerr mmoonntthh on the declining balance. See our great rates below.

SPOUSEThe Credit Union Board has made the decision that spouse are alsoable to join.

DIVIDEND ON SAVINGSWe don’t exist to make profits. With the surplus we make frominterest on loans we can collectively decide to pay a dividend. Werecently paid a dividend of tthhrreeee ppeerr cceenntt on savings – a veryhealthy dividend rate compared to banks’ interest rates

Because we’re a members’ organisation with a democraticstructure, we’re able to make the decisions that provide a virtuouscircle of saving together, providing credit at low interest rates andsharing the benefits by paying a dividend on savings.

Loan term (months) 10.9% APR (0.908% per month)Amount 12 24 36 48 60

500 44.17 23.28 16.35 12.90 10.851000 88.34 45.46 32.69 25.80 21.611500 132.50 69.84 49.04 38.70 32.542000 176.67 93.12 65.38 51.59 43.393000 265.01 139.68 98.07 77.39 65.084000 353.34 186.25 130.77 103.19 86.775000 441.68 232.81 163.46 128.98 108.467500 662.51 349.21 245.19 193.48 162.69

ID REQUIREMENTSGetting your ID verified is quite straight forward. You need two separate forms of ID such as the following:

PROOF OF IDENTITY• Personal Cheque used for your first month’s savings if drawn

on an account that includes your name• Current valid full UK Passport; EU member state ID card• Current valid full foreign passport• Current UK full Photo Card Driving Licence• Current UK provisional, Photo Card Driving Licence (Old styles

not accepted)• ID pass from Network Rail, Trans Pennine Express, Central

Trains, Eurostar• Discharge book (shippers)• Inland Revenue Tax Notification (current year)

PROOF OF ADDRESS• Current UK full, signed driving licence (if not used for Proof of

Identity)• Current UK provisional, driving licence Photo Card (if not used

for Proof of Identity)• A current [within last three months] Utility Bill (not mobile

phone bill)• Recent Bank, Building Society or Mortgage statement• Current Council Tax bill• Pension or benefits book• Tenancy or rent book/agreement• Recent Inland Revenue notice of coding or tax demand

The list above is not exhaustive and other documents will be considered.

You can get your branch secretary or regional office to verify and sign photocopies of the documents. As an alternative, you can also getanother person of authority such as your employer, doctor, Solicitor etc to verify the forms of ID. The copies of the documents must have anofficial stamp and signature on them and a contact name and address. Or, you can send originals to us at the address below Send completed verified copies of documents or originals to: RMT Credit Union, Unity House, FREEPOST NW3706, London NW1 3YD. If sending valuable documents by post you should send them recorded delivery. For assistance: Tel: 020 7529 8835

Authorised and Regulated By The Financial Services Authority FRN: 228612

38

The Right Balance

MEMBERSHIP NUMBER

Moi

sten

alo

ng e

dges

and

fold

to

seal

Finance Department, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JDRMT CREDIT UNION APPLICATION FORM – please complete your

application along with the attached Direct Debit.

P l e a s e u s e B L O C K C A P I TA L S and black ink.

1 PERSONAL DETAILS.

Surname Address

Forename(s)

Home phone

Mobile phone Postcode

Email address

Date of Birth National Insurance Number

2 Your Employment.

Employer RMT Branch

Job Description

3 Mr Mrs Ms Miss

4 Membership Status

RMT TU Member Retired RMT TU Member

5 How much do you wish to save £ This is the amount you wish to save in ‘shareholdings’ monthly by

Direct Debit (you must complete form below)

6 Normally your payments are made once a month (28th) to RMT Credit Union Ltd.

7 Next of Kin .....................................................................................

Address .....................................................................................

.....................................................................................

.....................................................................................

8 I undertake to abide by the rules now in force or those that are adopted.

Your signature Date

Instruction to your Bank orBuilding Society to pay by Direct Debit

Please fill in the whole form including official use box using a ball point pen andSend to: RMT Credit Union Ltd., 39 Charlton Street, London NW1 1JD

Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society

Originator’s Identification Number

Reference Number

FOR RMT CREDIT UNION LTD OFFICIAL USE ONLYThis is not part of the the instruction to your Bank or Building Society.

To: The Manager Bank/Building Society

Address

Postcode

Signature(s)

Date

Name(s) of Account Holder(s)

Bank/Building Society account number

Branch Sort Code

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society.Please pay RMT Credit Union Ltd Direct Debits for the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguardsassured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with RMT Credit Union Ltd, ifso, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions from some types of account

This guarantee should be detached and retained by the Payer.

The Direct Debit Guarantee� This guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that take part in the Direct Debit Scheme.The efficiency and security of the scheme is monitored and protected by your own Bank or

Building Society.� If the amounts to be paid or the payment date changes, RMT Credit Union Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed� If an error is made by RMT Credit Union Ltd or your Bank or Building Society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid� You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by writing to your Bank or Building Society. Please also send a copy of your letter to us.

�

9 7 4 2 8 1

RMT CREDIT UNION LTD.

39

Open six days a week Mon to Fri - 8am until 6pm, Sat - 9.30am to 4pm

e-mail: [email protected]

Legal helpline: 0800 587 7516Seven days a week

or call the helpline on freephone0800 376 3706

Visit www.rmt.org.uk to join online

JOIN RMTBRITAIN’S SPECIALISTTRANSPORTUNION

Problems at work? Call the helpline(Now with two operators and the facilities to translateinto 170 languages)

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