Notes from Regional Council Executive meeting 14 April 2009

Present: Janine Booth, Vaughan Thomas, Micky Hyde, Les Sime, Paul Rutland, Carol Foster, Becky Crocker, Peter Heyes, Josie Toussaint-Pinnock, Dean O'Hanlon, Dave Rayfield, Glenroy Watson, Pat O'Brien, John Reid In attendance: Steve Hedley (Regional Organiser), Jackson Jones Apologies: Brian Haughian, Chris Tugwell, Malcolm Taylor, Andy Izard, Peter Sheridan, Joanne Parry, Gwyn Pugh, Yvonne Duncan, Mick Crossey, Unjum Mirza

1. Recruitment and organisation

- report/discussion on: meeting with GS; taxi drivers, catering grades, cleaners, bus workers, need for branches to audit membership, R&R day on Jubilee South & East London line's patch, better use of surgery days

Agreed to: - set up an Organising Team: Dave Rayfield to convene, Derek Bishop and Les Sime to be members, to seek further volunteers, ensuring at least one from each branch - endorse expenditure on cleaners' organiser for 3 days / 3 weeks ie. 9 days total (£630) - assess the results of this, with a view to putting the case to the national union to fund its continuation - submit a resolution to the Regional Council that branch secretaries should attend head office at least bi-monthly with an up-to-date membership list - ask national union to fund one rep per bus garage to attend training - refund Mick Fraser for three days' unpaid leave representing bus members (£300) post-meeting note: request withdrawn pending referral to branch

2. Regional Organiser's report on dispute

- report / discussion on: managers spreading lie that RMT was refusing to talk; expectation of further legal challenge; training managers etc to work on strike days; NUT vote to demand 10% pay rise; need to keep membership lists up-to-date; briefings on industrial action / picketing; Executive taking decision before mass meeting; £500 bonus; head office mistakes

Agreed: - everyone to work as hard as possible for Yes vote in re-ballot - Secretary to take soundings as to support for potential cross-industry, cross-union campaign/conference about management bullying, sickness policies, discipline etc

3. LTRC decisions

- Cleaners - covered above, also need urgent RMT response to ISS penalising RMT members; noted GS agreement to regular immigration rights surgery

- Training and Strategy re Employment Act 2008 - noted letter from head office, but believed it should be sent to all reps, not just to branches and regional councils. - agreed that Regional Organiser should write to companies asking for release for a 2-day course training reps in the new regulations

- E-mail newsletter - noted the successful establishment of an e-mail newsletter for members (rmtlondoncalling@unionlists.org.uk) at a cost of £50 per year - agreed to set up a further e-mail newsletter for reps and activists (rmt-lt-repsactivists@unionlists.org.uk) at a cost of £20 per year

- Monthly training workshops - noted the success of the first one, in April, on 'organising effective industrial action' - agreed that May's workshop should be on 'understanding the anti-union laws'

- 'Know Your Rights' guide on refusing to work on safety grounds - agreed that we would like to produce one, and to ask our level 2 health & safety reps to draft it

4. Next Regional Council meeting

- resolutions from Stratford no.1 branch on post office privatisaton and death at G20 protest - agreed to include on agenda - noted resolution from LU Fleet and TfL no.1 branches on 'blame the bosses' had already been agreed to include on the agenda - resolution from JSEL branch on proposal for caseworker - agreed to include only if section naming RMT staff member was withdrawn - Secretary to email all branch secretaries the resolutions that will be discussed at next Regional Council meeting - agreed proposal from President and Secretary to improve time management at Regional Council meetings (start on time, use timed agenda, circulated printed diary of events)

5. Future of monthly LTRC mailing

Agreed that mailing should only go to LTRC Executive members (which includes all branch chairs and secretaries) plus members who specifically ask to be included on the mailing list. April's mailing to be sent to current list, with notice that if people want to carry on receiving it, they must notify the Secretary. Agreed to hold a discussion at next Executive meeting about improving distribution of publicity materials

6. Correspondence

Agreed to place May Day adverts in Socialist Worker (£50), Solidarity (£40), Morning Star (Secretary to ascertain price)

Other correspondence circulated.

7. Other business

Glenroy reported on Black and Ethnic Minority Members' Conference

Agreed to promote May Day march and ask members and banner to assemble at Clerkenwell Green at 12pm