From London Transport Region's Executive Member Janine Booth

TRAINING COURSES

RMT is running weekend courses at the Doncaster National Education Centre, as follows:
Women's training, 16-18 November and again in 2013
Black & Ethnic Minority training: early 2013
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender training: mid 2013
The union also plans a week-long Equality At Work course.

RMT has developed a two-day Disability Awareness course, which will be offered to regions.

WOMEN

RMT’s National Women’s Advisory Committee met on 19 September.

Posters and badges produced by LTRC Women's Officer (Esme Bradbury) will be produced nationally.

National Women's Advisory Committee elections about to take place - 5 seats for LT Region, to be nominated by branches.

We are supporting Matchfest, a festival in London to mark the 125th anniversary of the Bow Matchwomen's strike next year, which will thereafter be an annual event.

RMT is now selling olive oil, soap and baskets produced by Sindyanna, a women workers' cooperative in Galilee which supports the Workers' Advice Centre.

LESBIAN/GAY/BISEXUAL/TRANSGENDER

International LGBT
Council of Executives decision, 5 September:
That we note and fully support this AGM Resolution [on International LGBT rights]. The General Secretary is instructed to implement this Resolution and further place an item on the LGBT Advisory Committee to advise us on what program of events we could mobilise on. We refer to the ETF/ITF Subcommittee this policy so we can take up specific items at these bodies. Finally the General Secretary is to ask the LGBT Advisory Committee for a volunteer to write an article for the RMT News.

Tackling Homophobic Bullying in Schools
Council of Executives decision, 5 September:
That we note the Resolution from the AGM and to prosecute this Resolution, the General Secretary is instructed to:-
1. Contact the charity Diversity Role Models and ask for a presentation from them to a Council of Executives and ask to give a presentation to the LGBT Advisory Committee; their views will be tabled for the Council of Executives to consider.
2. Write to the NUT; NASUWT; UCU; ATL and the EIS for their policies on the subject and when we have collated all this information the Council of Executives will then consider what political campaigns we can run or be part of to oppose cuts in funding to anti-bullying initiatives.

The next meeting of the National LGBT Advisory Committee is on Monday 8 October. Amongst other things, it will be discussing extending the National LGBT Conference to two days.

National LGBT Advisory Committee elections are about to take place - 5 seats for LT Region, to be nominated by branches.

Thank you to everyone who signed our RMT members' letter protesting against the deportation of a transgender activist from Denmark to certain persecution in Guatemala. The deportation has now been put on hold

BLACK & ETHNIC MINORITY MEMBERS

Haiti. The Council of Executives decided to pursue this issue through the TUC, as requested by the Black & Ethnic Minority Members' Conference and endorsed by the AGM.

National Black & Ethnic Minority Members' Advisory Committee meeting took place 14 September, and discussed, among other things, use of racist language in employer communications, organising cleaners, and training for BEM members.

National Black & Ethnic Minority Members' Advisory Committee elections are about to take place - 6 seats for LT Region, to be nominated by branches - number has increased, as the Council of Executives decided to increase the maximum number for regions to 6 and introduce a minimum of 2

DISABILITY

RMT supported disability rights campaigning, especially opposing ATOS during Paralympics.

Follow-up will include a public meeting on disability access to London public transport, as part of the Action For Rail campaign, and jointly with disability groups. There will then be a national RMT disabled members' meeting.

I am organising, with the WEA, a one-day briefing on Autism In The Workplace - this is fully-booked for 19 October and 21 November, with a third date planned for January. We are also seeking to expand it into a 3+-day course and get it accredited. The TUC has asked me to write a handbook for trade unionists on Autism, which is planned for publication next year.

Following the resolution from London Transport Regional Council, the union will make a submission to the government's consultation on changing the law on Special Educational Needs; and is contacting education trade unions to seek their views.