Rail unions

By Colin Foster The Labour Party has expelled the railworkers' union RMT. The Communication Workers' Union has condemned the expulsion and called on the Labour Party to discuss with the RMT. But many socialists have rejoiced, saying that the RMT's expulsion should and will be followed by many other unions deciding of their own accord to break links with Labour. In fact that is unlikely. The Fire Brigades Union conference in March will have motions before it for disaffiliation. It is the exception. Past CWU conferences have seen lively arguments about the political fund. However, last year's...

By a RMT delegate The RMT Special General Meeting held in Glasgow on the 6 February upheld the decision of its 2003 AGM to affiliate to organisations outside the Labour Party. The union has now been expelled from the Party. The outcome should be no surprise to the wider labour movement. The RMT has a proud tradition of standing by its principles and facing up to bullies. The threats and ultimatums from the Labour Party Executive, (where representatives of our sister unions sit and shake in fear at the thought of rocking the boat), only served to strengthen the resolve of the delegation. We...

The RMT have gained information indicating that there were no less than five contractors operating at the Scout Green access point on Sunday morning, the site of the accident which killed four railworkers. They were Carillon, MDA Rail, Macrail, McGinley's and Jarvis. They also say that the trolley which killed the men was on the main line and not on a sidings and was detached from a road-rail crane to enable the crane to unload it. Instead of proper brakes holding the trolley in place, two two-inch blocks of wood were placed beneath its wheels to stop it moving. Loading had just started when...

Voting is still going on on about industrial action to defend London Underground maintenance workers who were sacked after empty beer cans were found in their mess room. The workers were employed by Metronet, a private sector consortium. This week another worker was sacked, bringing the total to eight. Bobby Law, RMT London Regional Organiser, said: "There is not a shred of evidence to link any of those sacked with the cans. "We support the drug and alcohol policy as much as anyone, but these sackings are wrong. Feeling is running very high over this - particularly now that another worker has...

I attended, as a visitor, the RMT SGM on Feb 6th in Glasgow. As you will all be aware the Union rejected the bullying tactics of the LP and upheld the decision of last years AGM to allow the political fund to be used to support other organisations other than the LP. The main argument against the rule change was that support does not mean affiliation even though during the debate at the AGM the word affiliation was used on numerous occasions, this was rejected as nonsense as were other points against the rule change One pro LP delegate finshed his contribution by claiming that this Government...

This is a report of the debate over expelling the RMT at the Labour Party National Executive in January from Ann Black . No official report exists. Note that three members voted against the expulsion, not two as most media reported, and that seven voted for prior talks with the RMT. The member on the NEC from the CWU (which has condemned the expulsion) was absent, but all the trade union reps present, apart from the RMT's own Mick Cash, disgracefully voted for the expulsion. An issue to take up in those unions... In her report Ann Black cites Ian McCartney as claiming a "groundswell" in the...

This motion on the RMT's expulsion from the Labour Party was passed at the Communication Workers' Union National Executive on 29 January 2004. "This Executive deplores, condemns and regrets the backward step for the labour movement of the decision of the Labour Party to expel the RMT without giving them an opportunity to put their case against expulsion to the NEC of the Labour Party and notes that this will not become effective until after the RMT Conference on 6th February. We therefore call on the Labour Party to instigate urgent talks with the RMT, with a view to finding a mutually...

Yesterday, Labour's NEC decided that if RMT does not revoke its decision to allow Scottish branches to back the SSP, it will expel the union. Tubeworker argues that the labour movement should put Blair on trial, not the union which set the ball rolling to found the Labour Party. Also in this issue, Tubeworker kicks off its campaign for a better deal for reserve and pool staff, and urges Metronet workers to vote Yes to take strike action in defence of five sacked colleagues. View PDF and download it here .

A letter to Tubeworker subscribers. Dear Tubeworker subscriber JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN FOR A BETTER DEAL FOR RESERVE AND POOL TUBE WORKERS Across many grades, reserve/pool staff get a raw deal. Your working life can be chaos - not knowing your duties until a few days before, last-minute changes which mess up your family and social life, and a lack of proper facilities. Reserve and pool staff do not have enough rights. But, to make matters worse, LUL management does not even honour the rights we are supposed to have. For example, reserve station staff are supposed to get 28 days' notice of duties...

By Gerry Bates Railway privatisation has been a disaster, for passengers, for railworkers, for taxpayers. Public money spent on the railways now is three times what it was in the last year of the nationalised railways. Private Train Operating Companies are raking in profits. Fare rises this year will be above inflation, as Train Operating Companies pass the costs of the improvements they must make on to passengers. Delays are worse now than in 1997. One in five peak-time trains arrives late. Often the high fare passengers pay does not buy them a seat, just the chance to stand on a train that...