Political representation

The RMT have written to other unions to find out whether they ask for disclosure of members sexuality on membership forms. This follows a motion which passed through the LGBT conference in 2011 asking that a voluntary question be added.

Of 54 unions asked, 27 responded. 11% ask the question on the membership form with a further 11% asking members in other ways such as through an equalities questionnaire.

RMT Council of Executives decision:

That we write to all Branches and Regional Councils in the Greater London Authority election area asking if they have any objections to supporting these candidates. We make clear to Branches we are seeking views on the GLA London wide Assembly top up list election and not the GLA constituency election or Mayoral election. A copy of the Trade Union & Socialist Coalition manifesto to also be enclosed in the letter to Branches.

Branch responses to be placed before the Council of Executives on 21st March.

Council of Executives decision in response to this resolution from the London Transport Regional Council:

That we write to the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition to ask they provide a list of all their candidates for the 2012 GLA elections.

The General Secretary is also instructed to seek a meeting with Ken Livingstone to discuss the 2012 Mayoral elections.

We also note that we are already supporting Andrew Dismore for the Barnet and Camden Constituency and that we are not supporting other candidates for this area.

The following resolution submitted by Neasden Branch was carried unanimously at the November 24th Regional council meeting.

The London Transport Regional Council states its intention to support Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates in the Greater London Assembly elections in 2012 and requests permission from the RMT Council of Executives to do so.

Click '1 attachment' / file name to download the 'Brown Book', which sets out the rights of health and safety representatives.

On a personal note, the reason that I have posted this today is that the 1977 regulations, which gave these rights to safety reps, were brought in by Labour Secretary of State for Employment Albert Booth, my uncle, who sadly died this morning.

TRANSPORT UNION RMT today slammed the BBC’s Question Time for “outrageous political bias” after an invitation to General Secretary Bob Crow to appear on the programme this eveningwith London Mayor Boris Johnson was withdrawn at short notice.

Question Time editorial staff cobbled together the pathetic excuse that Bob Crow was pulled from the show “because he appeared on Any Questions?” last week - even though Johnson appeared on exactly that same show where Crow wiped the floor with him

* Friday 25 March, 8pm, BBC Radio 4 *

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow and London Mayor Boris Johnson will meet head to head for the first time this week when they both appear as guests on the BBC’s “Any Questions” which is being broadcast from Kingston Grammar School in Surrey.

In almost three years as London Mayor, Boris Johnson has refused to meet directly with the tube unions despite a massive financial crisis leading to staffing and maintenance cuts and repeated breakdowns on the Underground’s creaking infrastructure.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: