Support and solidarity for workers and trade unionists around the world
Hundreds of thousands of Egyptian workers are taking strike action to defend their rights and in a fight to improve wages.Please see below a statement from MENA (Middle East North Africa Solidarity Network) detailing the struggle that these workers are embarked on.
RMT Council of Executives decision:
That we note the resolution and support efforts to ensure donations reach the people they are intended for. We continue to fully support TUC Aid and ITF appeals. We encourage members to donate through these organisations.
Further, we instruct the General Secretary to write to Haiti Now - Haiti First seeking more information on their campaign to hold internal charities to account.
At this years RMT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender conference, Executive member for London Transport Region Janine Booth brought to members attentions the realities of LGBT rights internationally and the equalities that British LGBT workers and people still lack.
Internationally full legal equality for homosexuals only exists in 8 countries in the world. That is that they have equal rights including an equal marriage something that still eludes us in the UK. In 80 countries homosexuality is still illegal. Of these seven countries still have the death penalty. Only recently Uganda was attempting to criminalize all homosexual acts - punishment being a death sentence.
The RMT's London Transport Region sent delegates to Egypt to "make contact with trade unionists across industries, to learn about their struggles and their progress in forming and building new Independent Trade Unions."
Click 'Read more' to read the delegates report, or download the attachment to see it in full.
The following resolution submitted to the April meeting of the Regional Council was by passed 8 votes to 3.
The following resolution submitted by LU Fleet was carried at the April 28th Regional Council meeting
Support Political Prisoners in Zimbabwe
From LabourStart ...
It has now been more than five weeks since the illegal arrest of Moshrefa Mishu, President of the Garment Workers Unity Forum in Bangladesh (pictured).
There was no warrant for her arrest at the time that heavily-armed plainclothes officers took her off to jail, where she remains - in poor health and badly treated.
Her real crime was leading a protest campaign to demand the implementation of the legal minimum wage.
An Open Conference of Fighting Transport Unions – 31 January 2011
From the International Transport Workers' Federation
Dear friends
Dismissal workers by the Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Investment Development and Operation Inc (ISG), Turkey
The ITF has been informed that ISG has dismissed 160 workers without following all the procedures required by Turkish law. Hava-Is has also pointed out that the dismissals occurred just a few days after the ruling by the Court of Appeal confirming the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s decision that ISG should be treated under the ‘air transport’ branch of activity for the purposes of the trade union establishment procedure. The timing of the dismissals suggests that they may have been a reaction to the court ruling, which is favourable to Hava-Is. Therefore appears to be no economic reason to justify the dismissals of the 160 workers last week.
RMT London Transport Regional Council is supporting the International Conference Against Disappearance due to take place in London on 9-12 December.
You can read more about it here. If you would like to attand on behalf of the Regional Council, please email Janine.