PASSENGERS ON privatised UK trains are having to fork out £4.6 billion a year more than equivalent travellers in France, where railways remain publicly owned, a study undertaken for RMT, Britain's biggest rail union, has found.
THE AGM of rail union RMT, meeting in Fort William this week, has endorsed plans for a massive national campaign, including a cross-industry strike ballot if necessary, to resist any attempts by the Government to roll out its McNulty Rail Review assault on Britain’s railways.
The RMT's Annual General Meeting can be watched live by signing in to the RMT website.
RMT’s AGM, the annual parliament of the union, is being webcast LIVE on the Internet TODAY, tomorrow and Wednesday from 9.30am to 5.30pm. You can also watch the previous days events. The video has been indexed so if you are interested in a specific motion or discussion it is easy to find.
How to watch the webcast:
RMT's London Taxis branch passed the following resolutions at its June meeting:
Download poster for union noticeboards.RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We welcome London Underground’s agreement to return Arwyn Thomas to work.
We thank and congratulate Arwyn, his workmates, our representatives, officers, branches and Regional Council for their resolve and commitment to achieving the return of our unfairly-sacked activist to work.
We also thank those members of other trade unions, and of the wider public, who have supported our campaign for a just settlement to this dispute.
This outcome shows that RMT is a trade union that is prepared to, and able to, defend its representatives.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
That we note that the Employment Tribunal has ruled that London Underground dismissed Arwyn Thomas unfairly. This proves beyond any doubt what this union has asserted all along – that Arwyn’s sacking was a great injustice.
We further note the Tribunal's finding that “no reasonable employer would have taken this action in these circumstances...”
This injustice can only be put right by Arwyn's return to work for London Underground, not by a pay-off. Our reps are not for sale.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We note the correspondence from our Bakerloo branch. We are appalled at London Underground’s decision to downgrade our member Jayesh Patel from Train Operator to Customer Service Assistant, causing him a considerable loss of income. This is clearly a very harsh punishment considering the circumstances. This incident shows once again that London Underground treats its staff very differently from its managers, that the company is systematically persecuting RMT reps and activists, and that London Underground managers, emboldened by senior management’s anti-union stance, are out of control.
RMT on tribunal finding that Arwyn Thomas was unfairly dismissed
“London Underground have asked us to wait for the outcome of Arwyn Thomas’s Employment Tribunal and that body has now found that he was unfairly dismissed.
“Throughout this process LU have said that they would abide by the Tribunal ruling so all that we are now asking them to do is stick to their word and get Arwyn back to work. I am seeking an urgent meeting with the Managing Director to make the necessary arrangements.”
Bob Crow – RMT General Secretary
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We note the report from our Regional Organiser on the ‘Restructuring and Staff Reductions Policy’.