Come and Join JUSTICE FOR COLOMBIA (www.justiceforcolombia.org) Outside the Colombian Embassy (Knightsbridge Station) at 16.00 on Monday 8th March to mark international womens day and protest against the Continued Detention of Liliany Obando, a Human Rights activist who has done nothing bar protest against the on-going murder of trade-unionists in Colombia.

A group of Trade Union Leaders will be be joined by a group of MPs in handing in a letter to the Embassy calling for lilianys Freedom.

PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS IMPORTANT EVENT

As part of the Branch’s efforts to encourage debate and discussion on issues outside LUL but still relevant to the times we live in, this month we were addressed by Cecil Gutzmore, a lecturer at the University of West Indies, living in Jamaica.

You can make a donation to help Haitian trade unions' reconstruction work by clicking the TUC Aid button here:





The statement below from the Haiti Support Group gives some of the social and political backgrond to the devastating loss of life in Haiti. It shows that although earthquakes are natural, the scale of their impact is largely down to social and political factors. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, and we are looking for opportunities to help trade unions and other progressive organisations in the mammoth tasks that face them.

Please see below a petition for our Ugandan brothers and sisters and against the 'Anti-Homosexuality Bill'.

A draft of the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" was introduced by Ndorwa West MP, David Bahati on October 14, 2009.

Paragraph 3 of the draft bill sets out provisions on what it names as "aggravated homosexuality," which will incur the death penalty, contradicting the global trend toward a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

A recent Channel 4 Unreported World documentary highlighted the plight of bus drivers in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Bus drivers are being murdered at the rate of one every other day as part of an extortion campaign. One driver who got shot had been paying $40 a week - half his weekly income!

Called by Stop The War Coalition

The following guest speakers addressed the AGM:

• David Cretney, Isle of Man Minister of Transport
• Joe O'Flynn, General Secretary SIPTU (Irish transport union)
• Karl-Heinz Zimmerman, Transnet (German transport union)
• John McDonnell MP, convenor of RMT's Parliamentary group
• Assaf Adiv, Manager of the Workers' Advice Centre, Israel
• Avraham Edri, Chairman, Histadrut
• Paddy Crumlin, National Secretary, Maritime Union Australia
• Chris Kane, Western District Secretary, Maritime Union Australia
• Cedric Godevin, CGT (French trade union)
  

RMT Young Members Present a Nicaragua Benefit Gig @ Brixton Jamm - Saturday 13th June 2009

Including Guest Speaker Karina Gomez, Young Nicaraguan Trade Unionist

Live Acts - Oggie, Red Venom and Melody Boytoy

On the Decks Dirty Needlez DJs from www.flavourradio.com Skelly B and Locky Stylez with MC Flowz

Proceeds will help support the Linking Young Trade Unionists Project and projects run for informal sector workers by the CTCP Confederacion de Trabajadores de Cuenta Propia- Informal Sector Union in Nicaragua.

Conference in Cologne, organised jointly by RMT and Bahn fur Alle, the German coalition against railway privatisation.

Branches interested in sending delegates should email James Croy.

A day of action organised by the International Transport Workers' Federation.

More details here.

This resolution, submitted by Swansea No. 1 Branch, was passed unanimously by RMT Women's Conference. It will now be submitted to RMT's 2009 Annual General Meeting.

That this Conference believes that Human Trafficking is a scandalous violation of human dignity.

In the UK the abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed on 25th March 1807. Two hundred years later there are still slaves in Britain.

This resolution, submitted by Finsbury Park branch, was passed at the October 2008 meeting of the Regional Council

United Nations World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) Review
Geneva: 20 – 24th April 2009
“Call for delegation to DURBAN II”

The UN World Conference Against Racism Review process is currently taking place and a second round of preparation meetings will be held on the 6th to 17th October 2008.

The main review will be held from 20 – 24th April 2009.