RMT's Charles Watkins Memorial Lecture

From General Secretary Bob Crow

RMT’S CHARLES WATKINS’ MEMORIAL LECTURE: NUT OFFICES, LONDON, TUES 27 NOVEMBER 2012, 6:00PM

RMT’s guest speaker to deliver this year’s Charles Watkins’ Memorial Lecture is labour movement academic Professor Roger Seifert, whose lecture will be entitled Strikers, communists, tramps, and detectives – lessons from the 1966 seafarers' dispute.

ISS, Initial And Carlisle Cleaning & Security Members To Take Industrial Action

Submitted by Admin on 23 November, 2012 - 14:29

Circular from General Secretary Bob Crow
IMPROVING PAY & CONDITIONS – CARLISLE CLEANING & SECURITY (DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAILWAY) (DLR/10/1)

I write to advise branches that following the recent yes vote in favour of industrial action, the company agreed to a seven day extension to our ballot and further talks took place. However no agreement has been reached, the General Grades Committee has now considered this matter and has taken the following decision: -

RMT Opens Extended Education Centre And Pledges To Train Hundreds Of New Militants Every Year

Submitted by rmtlondon on 23 November, 2012 - 14:15

TRANSPORT UNION RMT today opened an extension to its national education centre in Doncaster with a pledge from General Secretary Bob Crow that the organisation is embarking on a programme designed to educate and tool up hundreds of militant reps every year to take on the industrial and political battles ahead.

Test Train Drivers Industrial Action Begins On December 1st

Submitted by rmtlondon on 23 November, 2012 - 00:51

Following our test train members’ vote for industrial action, and having discussed this with our representative, we instruct our test train members to take industrial action by refusing to test trains being prepared for driverless operation. This action is to start at 00:01 on Saturday 1 December and continue until further notice.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

RMT Develops Strategy Against Homphobia

Submitted by Admin on 22 November, 2012 - 21:22

We note the full Council of Executives has asked us to prepare a 'strategy to eradicate homophobia'. We instruct the General Secretary to prepare this work based on a non exhaustive list of ideas, e.g.

  1. challenging homophobia within the RMT
  2. responding to homophobic instances in the workplace
  3. provide support to members who are coming out as LGBT
  4. ensuring employers have policies that practise full equality
  5. supporting anti homophobic campaigns
  6. RMT to provide new materials for our LGBT members that challenges homophobia in the workplace

Tube Lines Members Ready To Take Industrial Action Over Christmas If Necessary

Submitted by Admin on 22 November, 2012 - 21:20

We note the report on the members’ meeting that took place yesterday, and welcome our members’ determination to pursue this dispute by taking industrial action at targeted, strategic times, including over the Christmas and Easter periods.

We instruct the General Secretary to:

  • place this matter in front of us as soon as recommendations are received for proposed further action
  • arrange for the production and distribution of a newsletter for Tube Lines members
  • ensure that our previous decision to organise two mass meetings – so that members on all

RMT Protest At Russian Embassy Against Attacks On LGBT Rights

Submitted by rmtlondon on 22 November, 2012 - 20:17

The RMT held a protest outside the Russian Federation Embassy in Kensington to voice our disgust at the governments attacks on gay rights and to voice our support for LGBT people in the country.

RMT's activists organised leafleting and a demo at the embassy on Tuesday. As the building is in a private road we were ushered to a site prepared by the police who were ready for with barriers in place.

RMT Appalled To Learn That Uganda 'Kill The Gays' Bill Could Be Discussed By Parliament Again Soon

Submitted by rmtlondon on 22 November, 2012 - 19:19

RMT is appalled to hear that Uganda's proposed 'Kill the Gays' bill has been placed on the schedule of the country's Parliament and may be debated later today or sometime very soon.

We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Frank Mugisha, executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), and all people fighting the Ugandan Parliament to get rid of this draconian anti-gay legislation.

We join others in describing the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality bill as abhorrent and an offence to decency.