"Our Union needs to change!"
Greg Tucker, candidate for General Secretary of the RMT, explained the issues he sees facing union members at a recent RMT Branch meeting:
"Industrially, we failed to fight when the Tories privatised BR. Despite Union policy, all that Knapp would do was try to convince a handful of Tory MPs to vote against their government. Not surprisingly this strategy failed.
Since then we have been on the defensive. Jobs lost, conditions under constant attack.
If we are to defend our members we have to address the new problems we face.
Not by adapting to our new bosses’ agenda - but by pressing forward with our own. That was the meaning of this year’s Infrastructure dispute. We have shown that when we organise a campaign on our demands our members are prepared to fight.
For this year we have to make a reality of union policy to fight for a shorter working week and a minimum 10 per cent pay increase. This means more than just waiting in the hope that pressure from members will build up - but going out and mobilising the membership. Giving them the confidence that their actions will not be squandered by a leadership looking for an easy life - but taken forward by one willing to organise whatever is necessary to win.
Politically, we are failing to fight as new Labour privatises LUL. Despite Union policy, Knapp will not even ask our sponsored MPs to speak up to defend our terms and conditions.
The idea that the government might consider re-nationalising the railways has been dropped. Even the cost-less proposal to return rail franchises to public ownership at the end of their term has disappeared from the New Labour agenda.
We need to reassert our own agenda - to fight for re-nationalisation as the only way to defend rail services; to halt the threat of any further privatisation on London Underground; for action to defend our shipping members from the likes of P&O; and defend our bus members from the ravages imposed with deregulation.
As the anti-union laws continue to be used against us, we cannot be satisfied with the pathetic crumbs thrown our way under "Fairness at Work". This is even more the case now that Mandelson has given in even further to the CBI. We have to assert our demands for the total repeal of all the anti-union laws. Together with the rest of the movement we have to build a campaign that forces the government to act to unshackle our trade unions.
Organisationally, we are failing as a Union. Membership is nearly one third what it was when Knapp took office. Finances are stretched to the limit, but other than attacking basic democratic structures little has been done to get to grips with the situation. The financial situation far from being cured has become chronic.
The Union needs to be rebuilt into an organisation capable of defending the membership. We have to act decisively to direct resources to supporting our grass roots. Our representative and officer structure is arranged as if British Rail was still nationalised. We have to face reality and build an activist system capable of responding to the pressures of the privateer bosses.
We cannot just assume that transport workers will queue up to join the Union. We have to mobilise the membership to actively recruit and organise.
Every member an activist, every activist an organiser.
Our rank and file have struggled to defend themselves – too often with no lead from the top of the Union.
"Wait and see", and hope our troubles go away has been the order of the day. Our Union needs to change - we need to build a fighting democratic union – with all members united in common cause – with officers prepared to give clear and decisive leadership.