Useful links

The RMT has launched a website for vulnerable workers.

Vulnerable workers are, according to the Trades Union Congress, people working in an environment where the risk of being denied employment rights is high, and who do not have the capacity or means to protect themselves from abuse.

In 2010 RMT conducted a survey through its magazine, RMT News, to identify where there were vulnerable workers in the transport sector and the problems they face.

An annual 'Vigil Against Hate Crime' is due to take place on Friday 28th October, 7.30pm-9pm in Trafalgar Square.

A 2-minute silence to remember all victims of hate crime will be observed at 8pm across the UK.

No To Hate Crime said “We believe that it is important to actively remember the victims of hate crime, to show our support to those who have had their lives changed forever by acts of hate. To state clearly that hate crime is not acceptable in our communities and that we need to work together to tackle this problem.”

• RMT women
• Advice, support and information for women workers
• Campaigning for women's rights

Here are some links to information about Egyptian workers and the new independent union federation:

• Report from RMT Bristol branch website on 2009 rail strikes
• Centre for Trade Union and Workers' Services (It will probably load first in Arabic. Towards the top left is a menu bar. Click on it, and you can switch to English.)
  

Stonewall is conducting a survey on the health needs of gay and bisexual men.

"This will be the largest ever survey of gay men’s health. We know quite a lot about gay men’s sexual health, but very little is known about the wider health needs of gay and bisexual men." Say Stonewall.

If you'd like to take part in the survey, click this link to go to Stonewall's website.

While the exciting events in Egypt make headline news, the mainstream media do not tell us much about workers' and trade union involvement. So I have compiled this selection of links:

• Up-to-the-minute workers' movement news and reports about Egypt on LabourStart website
• Center for Trade Union and Workers' Services (the site appears in Arabic; to see the English version, click the drop-down menu, top left)
  

BBC London is asking for viewers questions, related to public transport, for London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The article is here should you want to ask him anything.

This website has several articles regarding Boris.

The RMT's General Secretary Bob Crow will appear on the BBC's Question Time programme tonight (Thursday 22nd of July) at 10.35. Shortly afterwards it will be available on the BBC's Iplayer here.

I recommend this article for some interesting insight into why industrial (ie. all-grades) trade unionism is more effective than craft (single-grade) trade unionism.

It was written by Irish Marxist James Connolly, who was a trade union organiser in the USA at the time (1910) that he wrote this article.

RMT London Calling is on Facebook and Twitter. You can follow us to keep up to date with the latest news and share it with your friends, colleagues and comrades.

On Facebook search for the group www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk or click here. On Twitter follow RMTLondon here. The Twitter account has a feed to all the latest public stories as soon as they are published.

In the latest episode of RMTv, from the 21st of June, General Secretary Bob Crow discusses the Tube Lines and DLR dispute and cuts in the public sector.

There are more videos at the RMTv site or you can subscribe to RMTv's Youtube channel here

I received an email today from 'Tube Worker' with a flyer attached urging ASLEF members to reject the pay deal as it stands.

The Tube Worker Leaflet is available to view or download here.

• Communication Workers' Union (national)
• CWU London region
• CWU London branches
• 'Royal Mail chat': rank-and-file postal workers' website

Contact details for support groups in London:

• Tower Hamlets - 07532 364638 / 07961 337640

I use RSS or 'Really Simple Syndication' to keep an eye on certain areas of this site - be it news about London Underground disputes, or blog entries from my rep. However, many people don't know what it is or how to use it - so I thought it may be of interest or use to some of you for me to have a go at explaining it here.

If you want to keep up with the latest statistics on pay settlements, inflation and other employment-related facts, you could try looking at the IDS website.

One fact it will tell you is that median pay settlements are currently running at 2% - a full 0.5% higher than LUL and TfL's current offers. ['Median' is one type of average, found by arranging the values in order and then selecting the one in the middle.]

• A guide for parents of someone who is LGBT
• A guide for those thinking about coming out
• Information database
• Web info for trans support
• Publications and research documents conducted by Stonewall
• Information on HIV and AIDS

• A guide for parents of someone who is LGBT
• A guide for those thinking about coming out
• Information database
• Web info for trans support
• Publications and research documents conducted by Stonewall
• Information on HIV and AIDS

RMT's London Transport region is affiliated to the United Campaign Against Police Violence, set up in the wake of this year's G20 protests.

You can visit the campaign's website by clicking here.

ABOUT WAGE CONCERN

On Friday 15th May, the Employment Opportunities Bill will be debated in Parliament. The Bill has been put forward by Conservative backbenchers and it would enable employers to ‘opt-out’ of the Minimum Wage brought in by the Labour government ten years ago.

If passed, the system would be wide open to abuse by unscrupulous employers. For instance an employment agency could write a Minimum Wage Opt-Out into any contract potential staff would have to sign.

Unbelievably, they tried to claim it was against people’s ‘Human Right to work’ to have a Minimum Wage.