train crew national secretary (personal capacity)
Despite the undermining of the South West Trains dispute, rail-workers across the country continue to engage in strikes over pay and conditions. The prospect remains that the current disDules 0711 broaden into nation-wide action over the summer.
For the media the SWT dispute was all about jockeying for advantage in the RMT General Secretary elections. This was an insult to the SWT workers who struck for six days. Their dispute was in response to real grievances shared by railworkers around the country.
That is why action is still tion taking place with Arriva North guards in the northcast, with First North Western drivers in the northwest and with others elsewhere in the country. SWT workers were let down because the RMT leadership was not prepared to confront the political issues involved in the dispute.
The RMT was faced with a company that was prepared to use scab managers to run services on strike days and to disrupt its own services on non-strike days to starve out the workforce. At the same time the government intervened directly on the side of the management the Railway Inspectorate and the Strategic Rail Authority.
The only way to deal with these attacks was to broaden the dispute. The RMT leadership baulked at any such agree to do it failed to imple- action. Even what little it did progress ment.
dispute fund, for instance, Having set up a national At the letters written to ask for donations from other organirail safety sations were never put in the scenes, company level reps DOST Instead, behind the Cussion were encouraged to mobilise the weakest elements amongst the workforce call for the dispute to be assessment ended.
Despite the fact that the that workforce was still solid on strike days the dispute was first suspended, and after the resultant further demoralisafinally closed down, vucrators having failed to make any serious progress on the RMT's demands. The majority of SWT members have been left angry with the RMT for failing to progress the dispute with the neces- end of May. sary vigour.
However, with the Arriva North pay dispute still going strong, and with FNW drivers taking action to halt draconian treatment of staff matters are far from over. The RMT trein crew con- bership. ference held this weekend in Portsmouth is a good indication of the current mood. Delegates debated the role of truly independent railway On Bob Crow's inihealth and safety body. tiative the Giving practical support to Executive has agreed the existing disputes, they called on the rail unions to group of. the demand for MPs who have indinational collective bargain- cated they agree with ing as a priority. a four i plank same time the gramme prospect of a national train policies, on renationcrew strike this summer over alisation of the railwas put on the ways, defence of the agenda. After a year of dis- tube from privatisawith the RMT, tion, defence of merRailway Safety, the Railtrack chant shipping and subsidiary responsible for repeal of the the Railway Rule Book has union laws. rejected an independent risk But RMT Rule change proposals that supported changes cver were enough for the conprotected the safety ference. functions of train Guards.
unanimously It is clear they have done so ported a resolution calling in collusion with the train for the immediate ending of TO keep down payments from the political staffing costs at the expense fund to the Labour party of passenger safety. The connationally, calling instead for ference called on the union payments to be made to parto progress the issue to a bal- ties that support RMT memlot for strike action of train bers when in dispute. crew in every company if the third of matter is not resolved by the including Bob earlier attended a Socialist The conference was further fringe heartened by a report from debate on the future of our new General Secretary, Bob Crow. He has taken immedi- links with Labour. It is clear that the debate at the union's ate action to reorganise the AGM in June will be highly more support to the mem- lutions on the AGM agenda outline a number of options Outlining these changes, ranging from support for the aimed in his words to 'help union's political stance that were warmly welcomed by RMT new fourteen proof RMT antithese not Delegates supchanges Crow mented, to total disaffiliation from Labour. It is almost impossible to find any RMT activist prepared to defend policies on the railway. thạt said the right in the delegates, union is not going to go quiCrow, had etly. In the election to fill the Assistant General Secretary meeling position caused by the retirement of Vernon Hince, the right's candidate, Cash, has been successful. Alongside the defeat of the left in the annual election of the union's President, this is a serious blow. The right wing clearly aim to hem in has imple- Bob Crow, and wait counter attack at a later date. It is vital that in the current election for Assistant General Secretary to fill Bob Crow's old post the left But unites to ensure we can get elected someone woo can give Bob Crow the strategic support he needs from the left. Pat Sikorski, London Underground rep Mick national executive is already on the picking up significant supporting nominations from looking to build his campaign.
develop a fighting union', he also described changes in the
branches around the country and RMT activists should be