LGBT RMT members are organising for mutual support, against homophobia and for equality. Your LGBT Officer is Paul. You can contact him here.
RMT are organising a group to attend Sunderland's first gay pride event. Sunderland pride takes place on the 25th of September and the RMT's North East Regional Council are keen for more people to get involved.
Sunderland Pride is expected to attract 3000 people, who will march from the Civic Centre through the town from noon.
RMT Council of Executives decision on how to implement decision no.2 here:
That the General Secretary is instructed to implement the decision by initially liaising on this at the next LGBT Advisory Committee.
Further the General Secretary is instructed to write to Brendan Barber inviting the TUC's policy officer for LGBT rights, Peter Purton, to attend the next LGBT Advisory Committee meeting.
We note that the LGBT History Month is in February each year.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We note the report on the equality strand of the review of London Underground’s OSP (job cuts). We endorse the detailed critique of the job cuts’ impact on equalities, which can be found on file. This critique highlights that London Underground:
At this years RMT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender conference, Executive member for London Transport Region Janine Booth brought to members attentions the realities of LGBT rights internationally and the equalities that British LGBT workers and people still lack.
Internationally full legal equality for homosexuals only exists in 8 countries in the world. That is that they have equal rights including an equal marriage something that still eludes us in the UK. In 80 countries homosexuality is still illegal. Of these seven countries still have the death penalty. Only recently Uganda was attempting to criminalize all homosexual acts - punishment being a death sentence.
The following resolutions were passed by the recent RMT lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender conference. The first two will go forward to the union's Annual General Meeting. The other two will be discussed by the union's Council of Executives:
The 2011 RMT LGBT Conference was held in Plymouth following a successful Young Member’s Conference a few months previously. There was a good turn out of delegates which made for an enjoyable social event the evening before the conference - and the local gay scene was very welcoming. One local gay pub held a quiz. The winning team consisted of four of our very own LGBT conference delegates who kindly donated the £20 prize to St Luke’s Hospice in Plymouth.
Report to RMT stations representatives from Janine Booth
Summary:
Dear Colleague,
1. National LGBT Members’ Conference - 13th May 2011 (EO/32)
Brief account produced by Jo Parry (newly elected LTRC LGBT officer).
Present LTRC advisory members
Adrian Rowe, Neasden
Alan Bell, Hammersmith & City
Joanne Parry, TfL No.1
Apologies from LTRC advisory members
Peter Heyes, Stratford 1
EC Members Present
Janine Booth and Micky Thompson
Agenda items.
4. Equal Rights Sub Committee Report
Discussion about seeking RMT and TUC to push employers to provide paid release and formal recognition of LGBT reps and TUC equality reps
Stonewall is conducting a survey on the health needs of gay and bisexual men.
"This will be the largest ever survey of gay men’s health. We know quite a lot about gay men’s sexual health, but very little is known about the wider health needs of gay and bisexual men." Say Stonewall.
If you'd like to take part in the survey, click this link to go to Stonewall's website.