Joanne Parry, National Young Members Chair tells us what 2009 has in store for RMT Young Members

So far you have read articles on what our young members got up to in 2008. So what’s in store for 2009? Well your union needs you!

You don’t have to be an established rep or an activist to take part in any of the activities below you just have to be a paying member who is willing to find out a bit more about the union and mix with folk your own age.

We’ve got a great mix of learning opportunities, trade union/political activities as well as plenty of the “just for fun” activities planned but without you all coming along well it’s always going to be the same ugly faces you get to stare at in forthcoming editions of this newsletter. Besides what’s the worst that can happen? You may even enjoy yourself!

So diaries at the ready... here are some of things we’ve already got planned for 2009

National Events

28th Feb-1st Mar National Young Members Conference, Comfort Inn Hotel, Birmingham

To register simply tell your branch secretary you want to come... Branches will cover the cost of accommodation and rail fare so what’s your excuse?

Conference is a great way to meet people from all over the UK as well as capturing a glance of our Union Board members; past conferences speakers have included Bob Crow, John Leach, Mick Cash and Pat Sikorski. This is the opportunity where we the younger members of this union get to suggest new directions for union policy, new demands for terms and conditions; not to mention the unforgettable shenanigans from the conference social!

Feb-Mar 2009 RMT John Cogger Young Member of the Year Award.

The circular requesting nominees will be hitting your branch correspondence in the not to distance future. To be in a with a chance of winning the award then you need to be under the age of 27. The form asks you to briefly summarise what you’ve done for the union in the past twelve months. Having been a past winner of the award I can say it’s worthwhile achievement. The winner is automatically guaranteed a place on the TUC young members conference, gets to attend the National RMT Annual General Meeting to receive their award which includes book tokens and then has the pleasure of attending TUC Congress a 5 day long affair which when I won saw speeches from Gordon Brown and other well know MPs.

June 29th - July 3rd RMT Young Members Course at RMT AGM in Douglas, Isle of Man.

Members wishing to attend should be under 30 years of age. The course will deal with:-

• How the Union works
• Young Members in the Union
• Representative Training
• The Union Learning Fund
• The Role of the AGM
• Becoming active in the union

Members will be paid for loss of earnings plus travel expenses, subject to agreement. Accommodation (full board) is available, on request. Further info is available from Alastair Gittins at Unity House 020 7387 4771. The closing date for applications is March 30, 2009. PLEASE NOTE: those who have previously attended a young members' course at an AGM will not be eligible.

Regional

We are kicking off 2009 with a paintballing event; like the go karting event costs will be kept to a minimum. To register an interest e-mail rmtyoungcomrade@gmail.com with “paintball” in the subject line. Leaving your name and contact number.

Cinema

Now Showing - Che part 1: Soderbergh’s epic anti-biopic of Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s depicts the triumph of man insprining a successful Cuban Revolution. Who’s Che? His face forms the iconic T-shirts worn by many across the world using the image created by Cuban Photograher Alberto Korda back in the 60’s.

Jan 23rd - Frost/Nixon: Ron Howard’s adaptation of the play by Peter Morgan shows the iconic armchair battle that reignited David Frost’s career as a presenter and buried the infamous Watergate scandal. Originally watched by 45 million people back in the summer of 1977. Frost finally manages to get Nixon to take the bait and essentially admit his guilt in front of the world.

Released 20th Feb Che Part 2: Soderbergh’s epic anti-biopic of Ernesto “Che” Guevara continued. Part 2 depicts the doomed spiral of Che lost in the fighting of a failed revolution in Bolivia which led to his death in 1967.

Exhibitions

This is War! Robert Capa at Work and Gerada Taro a Retrospective; at the Barbican Centre. Capa and Taro are photographers renowned the world over for their action shots of the guerrilla struggle against General Franco’s fascist army during the Spanish Civil war in 1936 – 39. The collection includes the most famous image of the war “the Fallen Soldier”; the photograph that made Robert Capa’s career.

Also in the collection you can see the photographs of Capa’s 1938 journey to China to cover the Chinese resistance of the brutal Japanese invasion. The Sino-Japanese War was widely regarded as the eastern front of the international anti-fascist struggle, of which Spain was the western front.

To find out more or to register your details. Email : rmtyoungcomrade@gmail.com with ‘info’ in the subject line