RMT AGM: Young Members Resolutions

In February of this year, the National Young Members Conference submitted two resolutions to the AGM.

I'm pleased to announce that both resolutions were carried unanimously and that they are now union policy

They were:

WHEN I'M 64 "As the government continues to increase the age at which our members will be entitled to; or be able to afford to retire this union notes the importance of defending our members' occupational pensions from further erosion by the government and business fat cats.

This union notes that the majority of occupational pension funds do not allow our members to start contributing until their 18th birthday even though a number of our members join the workforce at the age of 16. Effectively denying them two years worth of pension entitlement!

This conference resolves that the terms and conditions of each member's occupational pension funds be reviewed and that this union shall formally campaign for a buy-back of lost years option to be added to all funds to ensure that RMT Members shall not suffer detriment in years to come.

Whilst this conference recognises that some funds have had higher joining ages in the past we should not let this fact deter us from the sentiment of this motion and our current fight."

TUC YOUTH COUNCIL "This conference welcomes the TUC rule change of 2008 that permits Trade Councils to send motions and delegates to congress. However, this conference finds the structure of the TUC youth conference does not give members the same chance to influence policy or the general council. at the moment, statements are agreed and then ratified by the general council. if the TUC wishes to encourage youth participation it must give youth a voice. This Conference urges the union to send, as one of its motions to the 2009 conference, a move to allow the TUC youth council to send motions to congress that can be fully debated"

The First resolution talked about pensions, it was encouraging to watch the debate, and the praise that the young members movement got from the AGM delegates and the top table.

The Second talks about the TUC, which run their conferences completely differently to ours, however the main point is, that if the resolution came from the women’s TUC or LGBT TUC, it would go straight to Congress [AGM], but the Young Members TUC resolutions had to be confirmed by the general council before going to congress... this is unacceptable to our union, and the TUC should promote equality.

Both resolutions were presented by Gwyn Williams of Holyhead Shipping Branch, Gwyn is a member of the National Young Members Committee and was nominated at the National Conference to present them to the AGM.

The resolutions originally came from Tfl No1 Branch and Central Line West, it PROVES that democracy in our union works, and that the members decide on which way union policy should be.

You can submit resolutions via your branch, to Regional Council, Any National Advisory Committee or Grades Conference, or Straight to the Council of Executives, ask your branch secretary for more information.

if you wish to know more information about or get active in the Young Members within the RMT, Please Email: rmtyoungcomrade@googlemail.com or speak to Becky Crocker - The Regional Youth Officer.

In Solidarity

Adrian Rowe (Neasden Branch) Chairman RMT - National Young Members Advisory Committee and Conference