From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

The Law Commission is currently reviewing all legislation relating to taxi and private hire vehicles. Whilst this review, which officials claim is designed to simplify the legislation, could potentially deregulate the industry and as such is a threat to members’ livelihoods, it also presents us with a number of opportunities.

The interim statement of the Law Commission does not commit to legally defining plying for hire, however, it does acknowledge that a two-tier system must remain in place.

From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

Tuesday 9th July, 2013 7:00pm

Committee Room 5, House of Commons

The Trade Union Co-ordinating Group, which comprises of ten trade unions (BFAWU, FBU, NAPO, NUJ, NUT, PCS, POA, RMT, UCU and URTU) and represents over one million trade unionists throughout the UK, have invited RMT members to listen to the concerns of unions, lawyers and campaigning groups in relation to the current issues facing workers.

TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed today that it is to ballot staff running the London “Boris Bike’s” for both strike action and action short of a strike over a range of grievances:

· The imposition of a 2% pay increase for 2013

· The imposition of shift change patterns

· The continuous bullying and harassment of members

· The company’s refusal to reach a formal agreement on travelling time or on travel allowances

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

This circular is from RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

The following resolution was adopted at the 2012 National Conference of Station and Associated Grades concerning fatigue. Subsequently, the General Grades Committee adopted the following report from the GGC Health & Safety Sub-committee:

“That we note the resolution from our National Conference of Station and Associated Grades 2012.

This report covers the period from 26 February to 31 May, including Easter and the half-term Whitsun Recess. The House sat for approximately eight weeks during this period which also saw Parliament prorogued as the 2012-2013 session was concluded, and the Queen’s Speech announcing the government’s legislative programme for the 2013-14 session of Parliament was held on 8 May.The Government’s agenda for the new Parliamentary Session was set out in the Queen’s Speech, which along with the Budget and the Comprehensive Spending Review statement at the end of June, clearly demonstrate the continuation of its programme of cuts, job losses, privatisation and attacks on pay, pensions, employment rights, and terms and conditions.

Read on to view or download the report below

From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

LGBT PRIDE 2013 – LONDON 29 JUNE

Our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Advisory Committee are taking part in the annual Pride march in London on Saturday 29 June. An invitation is extended to all RMT members, friends and family, whatever sexuality, to join them and show solidarity for LGBT rights across the world.

In this edition of RMT London Calling are stories on:

• We Will Resist Job Cuts - Fight For A Fully Funded Publicly Owned Underground
• Defend Clara Osagiede
• Mobile Supervisors and ICSAs Signal the Start of Post-Olympic Cuts - We Can and Will Defend Pay, Conditions & Job Security
• APPEAL: FIGHT FOR BRIAN MUNRO’S LIFE!
• Statement from RMT LT Region on Arson Attack against Islamic centre.
• Lobby Against Taxi Deregulation
• Tubelines Pension Dispute Continues
• Save Whitechapel Ticket Office
• Pride 2013
• NSSN Conference

This report on the European Transport Workers Federation Women's Conference has been endorsed by the RMT Executive.

The ETF Women’s Conference (and Congress) met in Berlin in the 80th anniversary year of the Nazis’ storming of trade union offices and deportation of trade unionists to camps, and of the repression of LGBT venues and communities. There is a temporary display near the Brandenburg Gate on Unter den Linden, and I also visited the memorials to both Jewish and homosexual victims of the Holocaust.

Sledge Hammer diplomacy on a loyal company servant. Station Supervisor Dave Issit and his family thrown to the wolves !

Station Supervisor Dave Issit attended a CDI On 19 February, where he was summarily dismissed from LUL. The company upheld this decision at an appeal on 18/03/2013.

This report was written for the quarterly magazine Asperger's United by Caroline Henthorne who was a delegate to the TUC Disabled Workers' Conference

Report on the 2013 TUC Disability Conference Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd May 2013

By Caroline Henthorne

Aren’t Unions for People with Jobs?