What is a National Executive Committee decision?

This article is an 'executive decision' which has been written by the RMT National Executive Committee. The National Executive is the union's governing body in between AGMs. Its decisions set out what the union will do on a particular issue.

These decisions can often be brief, and may be one of several passed over a period of time. To get a better understanding or find out more information about what the RMT is doing, speak to your rep or attend your branch or Regional Council meeting.

RMT Vows to Fight Bombardier Job Cuts

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We condemn Bombardier’s plan to cut hundreds of jobs at its Derby plant, with 446 job cuts already notified with the total probably to rise to 1400. These job cuts follow the decision by the Government not to award the Thameslink contract to Bombardier, will cause further job losses in Bombardier’s supply chain, and will be a devastating blow to Derby and its surrounding area.

Bombardier’s Derby plant should be brought into public ownership (as should the whole railway industry), to protect jobs, services and train manufacturing.

Train travel is increasing, there is an obvious need for new rolling stock on many services, both existing and planned. There is also a clear benefit to the environment in the manufacture of new trains. There should be enough train manufacturing work to ensure jobs in train manufacturing in this country and in others, preventing job cuts in Bombardier, Siemens or any other company.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to continue our political campaign using our parliamentary group. Also the General Secretary is instructed to continue to seek legal advice over this disgraceful situation, especially issues highlighted in correspondence by Brother David Faircloth of Derby.

We note the planned Mass Rally for Derby on Saturday 23rd July 2011 organised in conjunction with our sister unions TSSA, Unite & GMB. The General Secretary is instructed to keep e-mailing and texting out details of the rally up to the last minute to encourage as many members to attend as possible.

We call on the whole trade union movement to get behind this fight to save jobs, and instruct the General Secretary to submit an amendment or emergency resolution (as appropriate) to TUC Congress on this matter.

We also resolve to campaign to recruit non-union members at Bombardier’s Derby plant into this union.

We note that UKIP and the BNP are trying to get involved with this campaign, hoping to portray it as a nationalist, British vs. German issue, rather than a class issue of workers vs bosses. We reject this, and will not offer a platform to UKIP speakers in this campaign or tolerate any BNP involvement.

Any updates to be placed back before the General Grades Committee.

All branches and Regional Councils to be kept up to date with our campaign to save the last train-building plant in the UK.

What is a National Executive Committee decision?

This article is an 'executive decision' which has been written by the RMT National Executive Committee. The National Executive is the union's governing body in between AGMs. Its decisions set out what the union will do on a particular issue.

These decisions can often be brief, and may be one of several passed over a period of time. To get a better understanding or find out more information about what the RMT is doing, speak to your rep or attend your branch or Regional Council meeting.