Sunday, August 03, 2008

No wonder the RMT are so stroppy

A very sensible and reliable person contacted me to discuss what he had overheard while travelling recently on a London underground train. He was sitting next to four “suits” who were wearing what appeared to be either Network Rail or their contractor’s identification badges. These people were managers who were loudly discussing company business, regardless of who was sitting next to them.

It was in the afternoon so they may have had a long liquid lunch. However, my contact was astounded to hear these managers openly discuss how they will get rid of the RMT (the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) members in a forthcoming reorganisation. They boasted about how they will be sitting on the interview panels and ensure that RMT members will not be successful in getting jobs.

Now, I may not be over impressed with the RMT Leadership over various issues, but this does make you think about the reasons why the RMT are militant. If their managers are so arrogant that they feel they can openly boast about sacking people on the basis of their trade union membership then faced with such rubbish no wonder the RMT believe that they have to be so stroppy. I think this is called “Cause and effect”?

14 comments:

Jackson Jeffrey Jackson said...

John,

I think that one reason the RMT are militant on the tube is that they have to be for reasons your blog touches on.

TfL is a monopoly employer of labour. If you are trained in one of the Underground trades and you lose your job, that is it, you have no alternative employer to try and get a job with, in the London area and with your skills.

This puts the management in a very strong position which - as your blog shows - they are not afraid to use.

Remember that even if a worker wins an unfair dismissal case, the tribunal cannot force the employer to take them back, so you could win the case and still be unable to work any longer in London without getting a new trade and career.

Under these circumstances, a militant trade union is pretty much the only self-defence which staff have against the power of TfL management and the arbitrary way which some of them wield it (as your friend observed).

Anonymous said...

Hi john,Great points Jackson made management at TFL are a joke. Now with Boris in the hot seat there's trouble ahead.

John Gray said...

Good points JJJ and thanks for the photo's Paul of the likely suspects- I'll post them later

Anonymous said...

The problem with this blog and a large proportion of the supporting comments are that its all about the class war and being abrasive and confrontational at every opportunity... anyone can make a story up like this...I was on the tube yesterday and I heard four trade unionists talking about how they were defending someone who had an appalling sickness record. They all knew the person was putting it on but they decided to back them and create an issue anyway..the socialists inability to take the commnsense approach and denial of the bloody obvious is outstsnading...just look at John's comments elsewhere..." I still think that Gordon will lead us into victory at the next election"..what are you smoking?

John Gray said...

Hi anon
Okay, okay sometimes I do over step the line, but to be quite frank when you compare this blog and the comments posted with the vast majority of right wing blogs I honestly think find that this is pretty tame.

Class war? Moi?

I note you haven’t suggested that the story is so outlandish to be untrue? I don’t think you actually understand the point about trade union representation. What we do is to try and make sure that members are treated properly and fairly. Not make issues over someone pulling a fast one.

I gave up smoking just after Labour won in 1997. So I will have to deprive myself of a celebratory cigar at the next Labour Party victory celebration in 2010 (ish)

Anonymous said...

Actually a good trade unionist has also to be able to manage the employers..and the way this is done is building a relationship on commonsense and honesty. It does nothing for the credibility of the trade unionist in front of the other workers when he has to represent someone who is a shirker..the toughest work masters are actually your work colleagues and no one likes working alongside and carrying some slacker. This is why Union membership is steadily declining - you have to be able to discern when things are worth fighting for rather than creating issues with employers when the issue is with the employee. Guess you can't see that though..?

Anonymous said...

Hi John, Dear Mr anon i'v been in a union since the age of 19. Let me tell you the only shirkers were none union staff, I look out for members who get picked on by shirky managers and it gos on believe me. Yes let us manage because the shirkers up in there ivory towers can't. Got a light mate....

Anonymous said...

What progressive area is it that you work in then? Local Government? The Post office?

Anonymous said...

Sorry John, Mr anon, I work in two the first is in the housing sector, and the second is a London cabbie, And I've picked up this type of person. Let me say if the money is so good and the work is easy why do i need to drive a cab.Yes I'm a ex council worker. Some of my mates are ex postman now driving cabs, one's a ex fireman if there jobs where so easy why 3/4 years on the knowledge. Tell me why is it so many postman are trying to do the knowledge. And not any cabbies trying to be caretakers. ALL THE BEST.

Anonymous said...

A cab driver! Nice one mate... then you are automatically an expert on everything..

Anonymous said...

Hi John,Re Mr anon, Thank you i like your humour i really do, We'll clash soon. Till then take care.....

Anonymous said...

I had the John Prescott in the back of my cab once...couldn't understand a word he said...mines a large one Giovanni.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
Hang on, so union reps should be judge and jury then? If a rep decides someone is a “shirker” then they should refuse to represent them?

Yeah – tell you what, why we don’t let HR decide whether someone is a real shirker and just let them get on with it?

Work mates are the toughest – yes, but even the most critical would still demand the right that people are treated openly and fairly.

This is supposed to be the British way? Or don’t you think it is important to protect the underdog?

Union membership has stablised and given the way that some companies treat their employees I am sure that new unions will grow again.

John Gray said...

Hi anon

Need to redo your knowledge mate.