Workers' Liberty

In October, engineering workers employed by Tube contractor Metronet were told that they would be transferred back to London Underground Ltd by December. This seemed like a victory: effective nationalisation, bringing the workers and the work back in-house.

The devil, however, was in the details, which have now emerged.

On the 11 December Greater Manchester will vote on a package of government funding for transport that is dependent on the introduction of congestion charging over a wide area of 80 square miles around the centre of Manchester. To win, there needs to be a majority for the proposals in seven of the 10 GM boroughs. This may be helped by the fact that the referendum question does not mention the charge.

The new issue of Tubeworker outlines a set of demands that workers should fight for to defend ourselves from the economic crisis.

On 15 November the Labour Representation Committee meets for its annual conference. The rail union RMT has called a cross-union conference on working-class political representation for 10 January 2009.

The rail union RMT has called a workers' representation conference for 10 January 2009 at Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1.

With ballot papers about to be sent out in the election for RMT's London Transport Regional Organiser, Tubeworker urges its readers to vote for Steve Hedley.

The rail union RMT has called a cross-union conference on working-class political representation for 10 January 2009.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT: On 20 August and 24 September Scottish local government workers staged two successful 24-hour strikes demanding a 5% pay-rise or £1,000, whichever is the greater. The employers’ improved offer was 2.5% rise this year.

In the last issue of Solidarity, we reported how London Underground infrastructure contractor Metronet was attempting to victimise RMT rep Andy Littlechild. Following the threat of strikes, the union has won the dispute, with Andy keeping his job and his grade.

Although talks at ACAS are underway at the time of writing, 450 railway signallers in Scotland are due to stage two 24-hour strikes later this week, from noon on 7th October, and again from noon on 9t

The new issue of Tubeworker calls for a determined fight to defend victimised Metronet rep Andy Littlechild, in context of management attacks on all Underground staff.

Following a series of victimisations, Tube bosses are upping the stakes by suspending a leading trade union activist on the network.

The new Off The Rails is now available, covering issues from the economic crisis to Network Rail harmonisation, East Midlands Trains to improving union websites, plus the history of the OILC or

The fight over Network Rail harmonisation stumbles on.

As reported in the last edition of Off The Rails guards at EMT Connect went on strike over Sunday working on the 7th and 14th of June.

Extra Time

Off The Rails will be arguing for a rule change in the unions to give some formal status to strike committees.

As rank-and-file trade unionists, we think it is important to extend democracy wherever possible.

Workers on Southeastern Trains are striking about two separate issues - guards and drivers against the extension of dirver-only operation (DOO), and retail and engineering staff against a below-inflat

This year, the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILC) merged into RMT. It is twenty years since the tragedy that prompted the OILC to form.

500 hundred socialists, trade-unionists and residents rallied in Codnor, Derbyshire, on 16 August, to show opposition to the fascist British National Party's "summer festival" being held on a farm nea

The unions have gone quite over pensions. This is usually a bad sign. Like Network Rail harmonisation this one could run and run with members kept in the dark most of the time.

A comment often heard at the moment is “While I normally agree with strikes, it's not right when we're going into a recession”.

New communication technology opens massive opportunities for rail workers and our unions to get better organised.

New Labour privatised the Tube, refused to renationalise the railways, carved up public services and charged people to go to university.

Tube cleaners have won the ‘London living wage’.

The new issue of Tubeworker looks at how London Underground workers can defend ourselves from the effects of the coming recession - not by dropping demands for a decent pay rise, but by fighting as hard as possible for one!

Steve Hedley is a candidate in the election for RMT London Regional Organiser. As the RMT in London is facing a big political and industrial fight against Tory mayor Boris Johnson and a potential Tory government intent on breaking the union and imposing pay cuts, this an important election. Steve spoke to Tubeworker, the bulletin produced by AWL tubeworkers.