(RMT Traincrew National Secretary, pers. cap.) ONCE AGAIN the RMT leadership has called off industrial action despite having won a mandate from the membership. This time, however, they have done so despite also having won a mandate from the RMT General Grades Committee (the ra matronar executive).
Arcane
The GGC voted 12-7 for strike action to take place on 27 April, only to have the vote Tic our or order Dy KMI President Don Loughlin, using an arcane precedent no one could remember that sinke action needed a two thirds majority vote.
Instead of action the RMT is to baliot again with the GGC recommending non-acceptance of BRs latest offer. While this recommendation is to be welcomed many railworkers will correctly interpret this as a reluctance to fight on the part of a split RMT burcaucracy.
BR management aim to use this wavering to encourage a voic azamst acaon. LeIl acavists will have to work harder to win the ballot.
There can be no excuse for the failure to call further action. The first two days of action have been rock solid. With feelings running higher than they have for many years the message was the same throughout the country - 'no trains moving here"; further action would have been just as suocessful. BR's offer gives no guarantees going even halfway to those required by the RMT.
In a parallel development ASLEF have settled their dispute with BR. ASLEF members have been left angry and confused. They are entitled to ask why they went on strike in the first place as they have settled for no more than a promise of discussion at a new working group - with the proviso that the "interests of customers' must be protected.
In effoct they have come out of a successful one day stoppage, where not one train moved with a deal which icaves them worse off than when they started.
RMT and ASLEF members striking together on April 16 was a major step forward. But even without the ASLEF the RMT could have maintained its action successfully. Now we are façing a battle to convince the KM membership to vote for further action. Whilst the mood is still strong many members will wonder if it is possible to win with a leadership clearly divided. On past performance this scems unlikely. Which leaves left activists is the union to pick up the gauntlet.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No.41. May 1, 1993. Page 6