Category: Political

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RMT on transport cuts announcement expected today

“This is just more of the same from this Government – ring-fencing the profits of the private companies while hitting jobs, services and safety and RMT will continue to fight the cuts assault in every corner of the transport sector.

 

“With soaring passenger demand it is ludicrous to be hammering down on transport budgets while services are already struggling to cope and ‎are running right on the knife edge of public safety.

 

“If this rotten Government was serious about efficiency it would kick out the profiteering private operators and‎ bring our transport services back under public ownership and control.”

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KILL THE BILL: PROTECT THE RIGHT TO STRIKE

 

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

KILL THE BILL: PROTECT THE RIGHT TO STRIKE – TUC MASS RALLY and LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT – 2nd NOVEMBER 2015

 

BRING FLAGS, BANNERS AND PEOPLE FOR A HUGE RMT TURN OUT.

 

All south of England Branches are urged to do everything within their capability to ensure a maximum turn out for the mass rally and lobby of Parliament that will take place on MONDAY 2nd November 2015 from 11.30

 

Branches can legitimately use their Branch Political funds to ensure this so please start acting now.

 

The rally will take place in Westminster Central Hall prior to the lobby. Members are encouraged to join the TUC and other union members from all over the country by coming together to lobby and rally against the Trade Union Bill.

 

The Trade Union Bill is a massive attack on trade unionists across Britain, but particularly in sectors such as transport.

 

To register for more information prior to the event please visit: https://secure.goingtowork.org.uk/page/s/lobby-your-mp

 

It is vitally important that members make every effort to attend this lobby, and to encourage family, friends and colleagues to attend. We need to show the Government how strongly we value our trade union rights and that we are prepared to fight their proposals.

 

We will see your there. Best wishes until then.

 

Yours sincerely

John Leach, Paul Cox and Steve Smart

REGIONAL ORGANISERS

 

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National TUC Demonstration Manchester October 4th

Wednesday 20 July 2015

 

 

National Policy Circular NP/BO/129/15

 

To the Secretary all Branches, Regional Councils,

Council of Executive Members, Regional Offices.

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

National TUC Demonstration Manchester October 4th

 

After the last few days I am sure you all agree that this is a Government hell bent on delivering austerity to all those who can least afford it whilst privatising everything that is left of our public services.

The TUC has agreed to organise a national demonstration in Manchester on Sunday 4 October beginning with a march through the centre, culminating in a rally close to the Conservative Party Conference.

Trade unions, workers and community organisations from across the country will descend on Manchester to demonstrate against more privatisation, more destructive cuts, more anti- trade union laws and more attacks on our communities.

Further details on the route, speakers and timings will be circulated in the coming weeks.

The People’s Assembly are also planning 5 days of events, actions, gigs, comedy shows, meetings, workshops and rallies from 3 – 7 October for the whole duration of the conference

We have heard and know exactly what to expect from this Tory government. Now is the time for us to mobilise, to spread the word and to show the full force of anti-austerity opinion in Britain. I urge you all to claim the date, let members know and mobilise now to ensure we are a large organised RMT bloc on the day and that this demonstration is the biggest protest seen in Great Britain for many years.

Please do everything you can to support and organise attendance on the day.

Yours sincerely,

 

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

 

 

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Direct Action Against Legal Aid Cuts

 

Circular No: NP/128/15

LA/07/15

22nd July 2015

TO ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL COUNCILS & REGIONAL OFFICES

 

                                 Re:  Direct Action Against Legal Aid Cuts

Dear Colleague,

A dispute has started between Legal Aid Lawyers and the Ministry of Justice.  This follows the decision of Mr Gove to implement a further 8.75% cut in Legal Aid rates. The cut was the second tranche of a 17.5% reduction which in itself followed on from 24% cut in the period 2010-2014. Taking inflation into account as well, Legal Aid has effectively suffered cuts of 50% in recent years. The further cuts are to fees for police station attendances, Magistrates Court and Crown Court cases.

The cuts will devastate the Criminal Justice System, increase miscarriages of justice and deny justice to those who cannot afford a private defence lawyer.

At meetings held across the country, criminal legal aid lawyers, including our lawyers Powell Spencer and Thompsons voted in favour of direct action against the government decision to impose a further 8.75% cut in Legal Aid payments from the 1st July 2015. Our lawyers claim that the levels of funding forced on the profession without consultation are untenable and, together with the two tier contract scheme, the MOJ risk damage to the Criminal Justice system.

Our members will get caught up in this dispute, as from the 1st July 2015 it is proposed that although lawyers will continue to undertake duty scheme work they will withdraw from all new legal aid funded cases. This will affect especially those members who use Powell Spencer direct through the criminal help line number and instruct Powell Spencer privately for non-work related matters. From the above date those lawyers signed up to the campaign will not attend at the police station to represent suspects being interviewed. If they are under arrest they will be offered the service of the local duty solicitor however we anticipate this will involve a significant delay as there will only be a limited number of duty solicitors dealing with all suspects in custody at each police station.

The options for individuals at the police station therefore are to ask for the duty solicitor, to pay privately, to represent themselves or to ask for the matter to be adjourned so that they can arrange representation.

If the matter relates to work related criminal cases then the system remains the same in so far as members seeking assistance from the Union to pay for their Defences must still use the criminal helpline number in the first instance and seek preliminary advice as usual. Thereafter, if assistance is sought from the Union then the Branch Secretary must make a request to the General Secretary for such help ; giving brief details as to the charge and dates of court/ appearances and why the Branch consider the member should be supported.

If the Union decides not too financially support or in the case of non-work related criminal charges but the member chooses Powell Spencer to represent them they will charge the member the same as the Legal Aid fee.

Our lawyers will not apply for Legal Aid in any new cases before the Magistrates Court, while the dispute is ongoing. This is unlikely to affect the majority of our members as they are ineligible in any event because they earn in excess of the £12,000 (which is the current means test limit imposed by the last Government).

Our Legal Department will work closely with Powell Spencer and in some instances it may require our legal team to take some cases in-house.

The 24 hour help line will continue to operate except that members will be informed of funding as outlined above i.e. use the duty solicitor, fund themselves, represent themselves or apply for an adjournment . Branch Secretaries should expect an increase in Requests.

This is an extremely important dispute.  The combined effects of the action of solicitors and barristers will be to cause a considerable degree of chaos in police stations, Magistrates Courts and especially Crown Courts.

I will keep you advised of developments. I would be grateful if you could bring the contents of this Circular to the attention of your Branch members.

 

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Trade Union Bill

 

To the Secretary all Branches,

Council of Executive members,

Regional Councils and Regional Offices

 

Thursday 16th July 2015

 

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

Trade Union Bill

 

On 15th July the Government introduced the new Trade Union Bill to Parliament. The Bill is an unprecedented, draconian assault on democracy and trade union rights, and even more so for workers in listed sectors which include transport.

 

The Bill includes:

 

  • a 50% voting threshold for union ballot turnouts, plus a requirement of 40% of those entitled to vote in favour of industrial action in certain “essential” public services (health, education, fire and transport)
  • changing “unlawful” or “intimidatory” picketing from a civil offence to a criminal one
  • an opt-in process for the political fund trade union subscriptions
  • a limit on the proportion of working time a public sector worker can spend on trade union duties
  • further proscriptive detail to be included on ballot papers and notice to employers. The current level of detail is often used by employers to challenge industrial action and this will further compound the situation.
  • an increase in the notice period given to employers prior to industrial action
  • time limits on a mandate (4 months) following a ballot for industrial action
  • additional powers to the Certification Officer to fine trade unions.

 

The ballot threshold means that in a transport workplace of 100 union members, 50 members would have to participate in a ballot and a minimum 40 of that 50 would have to vote yes for industrial action to be legal. This means on a turnout of 50%, an 80% yes vote would be required.

 

Attacks on picketing not only include changing “unlawful” or “intimidatory” picketing from a civil offence to a criminal one but also involves the union appointing a “picket supervisor” for every picket and taking “reasonable steps” to tell the police the picket supervisor’s name, where the picketing will be taking place, and how to contact the picket supervisor.

 

The Union will also now have to itemize all industrial action undertaken, and all expenditure from the political fund in our Annual Return to the Certification Officer. Any errors or omissions will be penalised by the Certification Officer.

 

It is expected that the ban on employers using Agency Staff to replace striking workers will be lifted through secondary legislation.

 

RMT has a proud record of fighting the anti-unions laws and our struggle against them will now intensify. We will continue to work with other unions and the TUC, and through campaign groups such as the Institute of Employment Rights and the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom, to build the broadest possible alliance to fight these laws.

 

We have submitted a motion to the 2015 Trade Union Congress which reflects this position.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

 

 

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RMT responds to new raft of anti-union laws

RMT responds to new raft of anti-union laws

 

General Secretary Mick Cash said;

 

“We know that these brutal new anti-union laws are specifically targeted at our members in the transport sector who have shown in recent months that they have the guts to stand up and fight for jobs, pay, services and safety. The response of this Government mirrors the actions of hard-right regimes throughout history – shackle the unions, criminalise it’s members and use a raft of new laws to try and bankrupt workers’ organisations.

 

“It is not lost on us that this legislation has been tabled just a few days before we celebrate the Tolpuddle Martyrs at their annual festival – a group of Dorset farm labourers criminalised and ‎exiled for daring to organise a union.

 

“The trade union movement will unite to fight this brutal assault on the most basic of human rights and that campaign will be taken into the communities who stand to lose access to safe and reliable services as this noose of the anti-union laws is twisted round our necks. ”

 

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MPs condemn “disgraceful” treatment of tube worker

MPs condemn “disgraceful” treatment of tube workers and calls for Mayor to withdraw imposition of night working

 

London MP Jeremy Corbyn and other MPs have tabled a motion condemning the “disgraceful” treatment of tube workers and calling on the Mayor of London to withdraw the imposition of night working.

 

The motion notes that uncontrolled and unmanaged night work can have a serious impact on the physical and mental health and well-being of employees as well as a detrimental impact on family and social life with MPs saying they are

 

“appalled that the Mayor of London is imposing night working on tube workers without their agreement and is dismayed that tube workers who have only just recently been rightly lauded as some of the heroes of 7/7 are now being treated in such a disgraceful manner.”

 

The motion also expresses concern that the night tube  “is being rushed in on the back of massive cuts to staffing and strains on the existing infrastructure, raising genuine concerns amongst the workforce that the safety and service to passengers and workers will be jeopardized.”

 

The motion calls for the Mayor to withdraw the imposition of night working on tube workers and instead seek agreement with their trade unions on proper and safe staffing levels and working arrangements.

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Jeremy Corbin

Transport union backs Jeremy Corbyn’s bid for Labour leadership.

 

At its Annual General Meeting in Newcastle today, transport union RMT voted to endorse Jeremy Corbyn’s bid for the Labour Party leadership.

 

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said;

 

“RMT’s AGM has voted to support Jeremy Corbyn’s bid for the Labour Party leadership and to provide whatever practical assistance we can.

 

“Jeremy has been a long standing member of RMT’s parliamentary group and has stood shoulder to shoulder with RMT members in every sector whenever and wherever they have been in struggle.

 

“Jeremy’s standing on a platform of opposition to austerity, support for public ownership and for the repeal of the anti-union laws. That platform matches much of RMT’s core campaigning programme and we are delighted to be backing him. “

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National Lobby of Parliament for Palestine

To the Secretary all Branches,

Council of Executive members,

Regional Councils and Regional Offices

 

Monday 08th June 2015

 

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

National Lobby of Parliament for Palestine

 

The National Lobby of Parliament for Palestine will take place on Tuesday 23 June, from 2-6pm, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

 

As it gets closer, more and more people are contacting their MPs about the lobby. Informing and pressuring our representatives in Parliament is central to the campaign. This is the first lobby for Palestine that has taken place in this new parliament, so its crucial we send a strong message.

 

Please visit http://www.palestinecampaign.org/ to write to your MP and for more information.

 

Please make every effort to attend and encourage family and friends to come along.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Mick Cash

General Secretary

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TUCG Annual Tolpuddle Seminar

To the Secretary all Branches,

Council of Executive members,

Regional Councils and Regional Offices

 

Monday 08th June 2015

 

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

TUCG Annual Tolpuddle Seminar

 

This year’s Trade Union Coordinating Group Annual Tolpuddle Seminar will take place on Tuesday 14th July, 2015 at 18.30 in the Jubilee Room, Houses of Parliament (St Stephens Entrance). Please allow 20 minutes to get through security.

 

The theme will be based around trade union rights, proposed Government attacks and how unions can continue to organise with tighter restrictions through the ‘snoopers charter’ etc… working on a positive strategy, and more widely about trade union roles in society.

 

The event is open to the public and I hope to see you there.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

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