Disabled people and members

TAXI UNION RMT today demanded that Olympics chiefs take a fresh look at their transport arrangements for the entire games period and that they factor in the crucial role that could be played by London’s existing fleet of licensed taxis

The “Get Ahead of the Games” site talks about the disabled accessing public transport but excludes the one vehicle that is fully "on demand" and disability ready, the London Taxi.

Having attended the 2012 TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference on 30th & 31st May 2012 on behalf of the Council of Executives, we are pleased to submit the following report to the June Statutory meeting, and request that this report be adopted by the Council of Executives and placed in the minutes.

The two-day event was held at Congress House in London, and was attended across the board from within the TU movement, including delegates with a wide range of disabilities which obviously created many organisational challenges. These challenges were well met by the TUC and the conference ran very smoothly.

From RMT London Transport Region Executive Janine Booth

INDUSTRIAL ACTION

• LU service control – decision today
• Cubic – ballot re pay (2.5%)/Olympics
• Cleaners – Initial/ISS
• Tube Lines – this week’s action – BW report
• Thales – ballot put on today
• Telent/Quinns – ballot decided, still being prepared
• TfL Olympics – ballot decided, still being prepared
• Time taken to prepare ballots – verbal report given

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the documentation on file regarding TfL’s proposal to divide its Equality and Inclusion team into two parts, one for staff issues and one for service delivery. We endorse the objections that staff side have raised to this proposal. We further believe that this division inaccurately implies a significant difference between equalities issues facing workers and those facing passengers, whereas workers and passengers share similar a interest in an accessible, non-discriminatory transport system.

RMT Council of Executives decision:

We appoint Sisters Maria Taylor (TfL no.1 branch) and Esme Bradbury (Stratford no.1 branch) as delegates to TUC Disability Conference 2012, and additionally appoint Brother Marr and Sister Booth to represent the Council of Executives.

We instruct the General Secretary to ensure that these delegates receive all relevant information and support to attend this conference.

EQUALITY DATES 2012

RMT Council of Executives decision:

That we note the meeting took place and realise that we need to build interest to ensure more delegates. We instruct the General Secretary to organise a further meeting in May 2012 following an article in RMT News advertising the event.

Report to RMT's Council of Executives of RMT's initial Disabled Members' Conference: A Conference took place on 8th November in accordance with your instruction. Whilst the number of delegates attending was far from high, a very positive discussion on the way forward took place. There was agreement that disabled members needed a voice in the Union and that a Rule change should be brought forward.

RMT has revealed a shocking instruction from London Underground management - that visually-impaired passengers should not travel to Victoria station during the evening peak. The BBC has covered this story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15303638

The union said last year that savage cuts to station staffing would leave disabled people without the help they need in getting around the Tube system. This appalling report shows that we were right. London Underground should reverse the job cuts!