Reports and information from RMT's 2009 AGM, held in Douglas, Isle of Man.
Refusal to work on the grounds of safety - rights for pregnant women and new mothers
At RMT's AGM, the General Secretary presents a written report, and delegates can question and comment on it. These are the two points that I raised:
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There are two issues that are not in the Report, which I think should have been.
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Firstly, refusal to work on the grounds of safety.
This is the section of the General Secretary's report to the 2009 AGM concerning London Overground ...
Members Workplace Conditions, Welfare & Pay - London Overground Rail Operations Ltd
As a result of LOROL's persistent refusal to negotiate restructuring proposals with the Lead Officer and Company Council Representatives, their failure to improve facilities and progress on welfare issues and a complete breakdown in industrial relations, we balloted all LOROL members for industrial action.
This is the section of the General Secretary's report to RMT's 2009 AGM concerning the the union's work on women workers' issues ...
Pregnant Women and Nursing Mothers - Rest Facilities
The lack of suitable rest facilities for pregnant women and nursing mothers was fully aired during the debate at last year's AGM. As a result of the resolution carried, I wrote to all lead officers instructing them to raise the points of the resolution to ensure all companies are complying with their legal obligations under health and safety laws.
This is the section of the General Secretary's report to RMT's 2009 AGM concerning the the union's work on black and ethnic minority workers' issues ...
BLACK & ETHNIC SURVEY
This are extracts from the section of the General Secretary's report to the 2009 AGM concerning the union's legal services ...
This is the excerpt from the General Secretary's report to the 2009 AGM concerning the obs, pay and justice dispute on London Underground ...
At the time of writing these notes RMT again found itself having to withdraw from a ballot for industrial action on legal grounds. The tragedy here is that we had a massive vote in favour of both strike action (3,165 for and only 619 against) and action short of a strike (3,495 to 266) delivered by our members.
Stratford no.1 branch has submitted the following resolution to RMT's AGM.
This AGM condemns Israel’s military assault on Gaza in December and January.
We reaffirm our existing policy demanding Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and an end to Israel’s siege of Gaza.
We ask the Executive to step up its campaigning on this issue in line with current policy, and in particular wish to see RMT run an appeal in support of an appropriate trade union project in the area.
Stratford no.1 branch has submitted the following resolution to RMT's AGM.
This AGM believes that across our industries, employers are using MFA/attendance policies to bully workers when we are sick, to force us either to attend work when we are not fit to, or out of work altogether.
We support our members who have been prepared to take industrial action over this, for example at Glasgow Central Virgin Trains depot, and at East Ham and Willesden Green station groups on London Underground.
We resolve that RMT should:
This year, I will be attending RMT's AGM as a delegate, nominated by my branch, Stratford no.1.
Yesterday, the branch discussed resolutions to the AGM, and amongst others, passed this one. I wrote it following reflection on the recent oil refinery walkouts, but it is as much about the lessons we can all learn from those strikes as about the strikes themselves.
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DEFENDING OURSELVES FROM THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
Circular sent on 11th December 2008 to all Branch Secretaries, Regional Councils & Regional Organisers
Dear Colleagues
Young Members Course to be held at the AGM in Isle of Man Sunday 29nd June to Friday 3rd July 2009
I am pleased to advise you that the Union will be holding a one week Young Representatives Course at this years’ AGM.
Members wishing to attend should be under 30 years of age. The course will deal with: -