The environment

Protecting our environment from profit-driven destruction

Blog: RMT branches exposes frackers' abuses of workers' rights

By Daniel Randall, LTRC Green Officer

RMT branches across the country are already discussing, and passing, policy on environmental issues. Some months ago, Brighton and Hove City RMT submitted a motion to their local Trades Council about "fracking" (hydraulic fracturing, a means of extracting gas by drilling into the earth) taking place in their area.

It shows how environmentally unsustainable processes are often accompanied by abuses of workers' rights, and a cavalier attitude to health and safety.

RMT Regional Council August 2013: Motions

Justice For The 33
"This region calls on the national executive to enact the request for a ballot for industrial action regarding the issue of casualisation of labour on LUL and the re -instatement of the workers known as the J33 into permanent positions". Finsbury Park

Driverless Trains
We are dismayed to learn that on July 4th London Mayor Boris Johnson again called for driverless trains to be introduced on the Underground. He informed the media that LUL will never again order trains with driver’s cabs.

Sign this e-Petition - Scrappage Scheme for London Taxis

Please click here to add your name to RMT's petition to the government to introduce a scrappage scheme for London taxis.

The Mayor has recently imposed a 15-year age limit on London taxis, but without a scrappage scheme (similar to that introduced by the last government for private cars), many drivers will not be able to afford to replace aged vehicles with newer, less polluting ones. A scrappage scheme will benefit London's air quality and London's taxi drivers, many of whom are RMT members.

Taxi Emissions

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from the London Taxi Branch regarding the 15 year vehicle age limit to be imposed on the London Taxi trade as part of proposals to reduce vehicle. We note that there is a conversion kit available for buses that allow them to become compliant with EURO 4 emissions regulations and have been made aware that such a conversion kit could be made available for the older black cabs.

Climate Week

RMT TfL No.1 Branch will be highlighting Climate Week by holding a competition for both ‘New’ members joining in this week and ‘Existing’ members who are already signed up.

If ‘Existing’ members go online to
https://membership.rmt.org.uk/services/p_wwv_rmt_logon and correct, or update their contact and work details they will be entered into a Prize Draw to win a Solar MP3/Phone Charger.

Any staff members who sign up to RMT will also be entered into a separate Prize Draw to win another Solar MP3/Phone Charger.

15-Year Age Limits for Taxis

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the resolution received from our London Taxis branch.

That we believe that measures should be taken to reduce pollution and improve air quality in London and elsewhere, but that these should if possible avoid penalising working people. We share the concerns of our branch about the Mayor of London’s proposed 15-year age limit on taxis; we believe that there may be better ways of reducing pollution from taxis eg. the scrappage scheme suggested by our branch; and we are appalled at the lack of consultation with our members.

Conference For A Million Climate Jobs

Speakers include Alex Gordon (RMT), Tony Kearns (CWU), Manuel Cortes (TSSA), Chris Baugh (PCS), Prof. Barbara Harriss-White, Phil Thornhill (CaCC), Jonathan Neale (Million Green Jobs Commission), John Stewart (HACAN), Graham Petersen (UCU), Larry Lohman (Cornerhouse), Ian Terry (former Vestas worker)

Admission £10 (£5 concessions) South Camden Community School, Charrington St, London NW1 1RG Phone: 079 585 35231 Email: climatetradeunion@googlemail.com campaign against climate change trade union group Third Trade Union Conference www.campaigncc.org cacctu.wordpress.com