Minutes of Regional Council meeting, 24 September 2009

ATTENDANCE

  • Bakerloo branch - Malcolm Taylor
  • Camden no.3 branch -
  • Central Line West branch - Vaughan Thomas (meeting chair), Stefan Melnyk, Vik Parmar
  • DLR branch - Chris Ives, Les Sime
  • East Ham branch -
  • Finsbury Park branch - Glenroy Watson, Dean O'Hanlon, Frank Curtis, Will Reid, Dave Rayfield, Neil Cochrane, Gary Fitzpatrick, Derek Bishop
  • LU Fleet branch -
  • Hammersmith & City branch - Sandra Hunt, Josie Toussaint-Pinnock

Resolution: Conduct of Jobs/Pay/Justice Dispute

This resolution, submitted by Stratford no.1 and seconded by Neasden, was carried at the September meeting of the Regional Council:

This region believes that before any further industrial action on the outstanding issues in our current dispute with LUL, there should be a new ballot or referendum of all members involved.

We also believe that before the union accepts any pay offer from LUL management, there must be a reps’ meeting and a referendum of all members.

Lobby of Labour Party Conference, Brighton, Sunday 27 September

Lobby of Labour Party Conference, Brighton, Sunday 27th September 12.30pm

For Jobs, Education and Peace

The RMT is supporting the lobby of the Labour Party Conference on Sunday 27th September for jobs, education and peace sponsored by a coalition of trade unions and pressure groups including UCU, PCS, NUT, NUJ, Right to Work, Stop the War and Unite Against Fascism. I would urge RMT members to attend this key rally to demand a change of direction over proposals to cut public expenditure.

No to 19

John Kennedy, Vice chair London taxi branch, writes ...

Clause 19 of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) bill seeks to introduce a “voluntary registration” for pedicabs that will allow councils and transport for London to issue fixed penalty notices for parking and moving traffic offences. The scheme is voluntary and therefore no owner or rider is compelled to register and therefore there is no sanction for those who chose not to operate under the scheme. The Head of Transportation at Westminster city council intends to give up to 30 ranks/bays for pedicabs to park/operate from and this will lead to reasonable members of the public believing that these dangerous objects are in fact regulated by councils or TfL in London.

Picket: No to 19!

RMT's London taxi branch is holding a picket on Parliament Square, Windsor House (TfL HQ) and Westminster city council offices regarding the “London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) bill” ... ”No to 19” clause 19 of the bill.

This article explains cabbies' objections to this legislation.

National Express East Coast

This resolution, submitted by LU Fleet branch, proposed by Hammersmith & City and seconded by DLR, was passed by the October 2009 meeting of to the Regional Council ...

The collapse of privatisation on National Express East Coast has again vindicated the RMT's position that railways should always have remained in the public sector and that the threatened sell-off of the franchise to Stagecoach will only be a repeat of the original mistake of privatisation.

Obituary: RMT stalwart John Knight passes away

John Knight a lifelong union rep, activist and officer of Finsbury Park Branch has died after being diagnosed with throat cancer only six weeks ago. John spent most of his working life as a guard and driver both at Oakwood and Arnos Grove and was known for the integrity and unshakeable principles that characterise all that is good about our union. He was kind and compassionate and was well respected by all who knew him; even in his retirement years that were so tragically cut short, he still gave his time without reward to help youngsters in his local RAF cadet company.