The Durham Miners' Gala and the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival are tow important events in the unions calendar. Both take place in July, and this year, for the first time, the RMT has organised activities specifically for young members at both. Dave Marshall of the RMT Organising Unit says that these activities will be "combining education sessions with going along to and enjoying the events themselves."

The Durham Miners' Gala is from the evening of 7th July to the 11th. The Tolpuddle Festival is the following weekend from the evening of the 15th of July to the 17th.

Attached are RMT circulars, as below, and application forms for both events.

Young Members’ Education Event –Durham Miners Gala 2011

The Durham Miners Gala is known historically as ‘The Big Meeting’ as it attracts literally thousands of trade unionist from all over the UK and overseas to celebrate the role that the Miners played throughout the history of the working class and the struggle to improve working conditions for all workers generally. The Gala is centred on a procession of National Union of Mineworkers Colliery bands that make their way
through the centre of Durham and arrive at a rally and festival in the heart of Durham.

I am inviting any RMT Young Members to apply to attend this great Trade Union event and to take part firstly in some discussion and education sessions that look at the history and contribution of the miners to our movement as well as looking at the landmark 1984/85 national miners’ strike.

It is intended to arrange accommodation in central Durham (to be advised on your acknowledgement letter). You would need to arrive the evening of Thursday 7th July. On Friday the 10th there will be a series of discussions and educational sessions that will cover the issues involved and the background to the Gala. On the Saturday 11th July the RMT group will be able to witness the procession of colliery bands and then attend the Rally, following the Rally the group will travel home.

If you wish to attend this event please complete the attached application form and return to the RMT Education Officer, Andy Gilchrist, at UNITY HOUSE, 39 CHALTON STREET, LONDON NW1 1JD.

To assist you to attend your Union will reimburse all your reasonable travel costs to and from the event and will cover all your accommodation and entry fees. Also if your employer will not grant you paid release from work to attend this event your Union will reimburse any loss of wages to the agreed maximum level.

Young Members’ Education Event – Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival and Rally Conference
2011

In 1834, in a small and remote Dorset village called Tolpuddle a momentous series of events began which are still sited as the birth of what the world knows now as Trade Unions. Six very ordinary agricultural workers met to discuss how they might improve their wages (about 30 pence a week in today’s money) after three wage cuts that had forced their families to near starvation. These first meetings were probably the first ever Trade Union Education meetings as they worked out a plan to improve their lot. The
authorities moved quickly against these brave men and as a result they were sentenced to Transportation (to Australia) and would not see home or their families for over three years. Only because of the pressure in the UK of other trade unionists did they eventually return home, also their families had been able to survive their sentence as a result of donations from trade unionists across the country. The principles enacted over this period are the very foundation of Trade Unions today and the RMT Trade Union.

To learn more about these events and enjoy one of the finest Trade Union Festivals anywhere in the world I am inviting any of our RMT Young Members to apply to attend this Festival and Rally.

It is intended to arrange accommodation a close distance away from the village Tolpuddle (to be advised on your acknowledgement letter). You would need to arrive the evening of Friday 15th July. On Saturday the 16th there will be a series of discussions and educational sessions that will set out to explain the events of the early 1830’s in Tolpuddle and what they mean today. On the 17th July the RMT group will all
attend the Festival and Rally in Tolpuddle which is a truly fantastic event. The group would depart following the close of the Festival.

If you wish to attend this event please complete the attached application form and return to the RMT Education Officer, Andy Gilchrist, at UNITY HOUSE, 39 CHALTON STREET, LONDON NW1 1JD.

To assist you to attend your Union will reimburse all your reasonable travel costs to and from the event and will cover all your accommodation and entry fees. Also if your employer will not grant you paid release from work to attend this event your Union will reimburse any loss of wages to the agreed maximum level.