RMT press releases

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

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.

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

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.

RMT Suspends Tube Lines Strike Action As Lu Cancels Scheduled Engineering Works

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that industrial action involving Tube Lines staff, due to begin tomorrow, has been suspended after LU management took the unprecedented step of cancelling scheduled weekend engineering works in response to the success of previous rounds of RMT Tube Lines strike action.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

Parliamentary Debate On Thameslink Siemens Deal As Contract Descends Into Chaos 18 Months On

Derby MP and RMT Parliamentary Group Member Chis Williamson has secured a Commons debate on the Thameslink and Crossrail fleet procurement contracts this afternoon as rumours persist that Government officials are now looking at an alternative on the Thameslink deal which is no closer to sign-off and is clearly riddled with serious contamination 18 months on.

Tube Lines Staff New Wave Of Strike Action In Fight For Pension’s And Passes Justice

A NEW wave of tube strike action on London Underground will kick off on Friday in a long-running dispute over equality and a fair deal on pensions and passes for Tube Lines staff.

Previous strike action and an overtime ban led to the cancellation of tens of millions of pounds worth of essential engineering works on the Northern Line and raised new safety fears as the Emergency Response Unit joined with fellow Tube Lines staff in support of the fight for pensions and benefits justice.

The latest strike action will take place as follows:

Parliamentary Motion To Be Tabled As Trade Unions And MP’s Mark 25th Anniversary Of The King’s Cross Fire

Transport union RMT, along with fellow trade unionists and MP’s, will be demonstrating outside Kings Cross station on Sunday 18th November at 11.00 to Mark the 25th anniversary of the Kings Cross fire and to highlight the continued need for a fully staffed and safe tube network.

Local MP Frank Dobson will table the following Early Day Motion in Parliament on Monday:

Government Refuse To Rule Out Return To Third Class Rail

RAIL UNION RMT warned today that as fare’s continue to ratchet up above inflation, and hundreds of millions of pounds are bled out of the system in private profits, the Government have refused to rule out a return to third class travel.

Third class travel was abolished on Britain’s railways in June 1956.

The scandal was revealed in Lords questions late last week:

“Railways: Third Class Travel

Lord Myners asked the Government whether invitations to bid for new rail franchises permit the introduction of a third passenger class.

London Overground Safety Security Staff On Strike Today

TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed today that security and safety staff employed by STM Security Group on London Overground services will be taking both strike action and action short of a strike this Saturday in a dispute over bullying and an attempt to impose new terms and conditions. Spurs, Crystal Palace and West Ham all have home games on that day.

Following a unanimous vote for action in a ballot this month, management have been informed that RMT members will be ;

RMT Demands Action Against Blacklisting Website Targeting Union Learning Reps

TRANSPORT UNION RMT today demanded action against a trade union blacklisting website which is actively targeting activists at all levels – even including volunteer union learning reps whose “crime” is helping colleagues acquire skills, training and education.

The blacklisting site - http://www.hrblacklist.com/static/view/about/ - makes no bones about its intentions. HR Blacklist is run by Human Resources Consulting and purports to “tell the truth about employees” – in reality it is an on-line successor to the Consulting Association and its anti-union blacklisting activities.

London Taxi Driver's Branch Demands Assurances, Protections & Investigation Following Recall Of TX4 Models

As the London Cab Trade attempts to recover from the economic disaster of the Olympics caused by the scaremongering publicity from TfL - since admitted and regretted by the Mayor of London - and the decision by TfL to exclude us from the Games lane, we were again dismayed when TfL suspended the licences of over 300 new Taxi’s following a steering fault that could have endangered the lives of Driver and passenger alike.

The RMT therefore demand the following:

  • The IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF THE 15 YEAR RULE to ensure that those owners can continue to work so that the effect of the TX4 ‘interruption to the supply chain’ is mitigated and that the Cab fleet can cope with demand coming up to the Peak period.