RTUC Supports RMT Pickets in Reading and Oxford

On 21, 23 and 25 June and 27 July 2022, the Reading Trades Union Council stood shoulder to shoulder with the striking RMT workers on picket lines at Reading Station, Reading Maintenance Depot and Oxford Station. Their role as key workers, keeping the supermarkets stocked and getting medical staff to hospitals, has been forgotten by the government-owned employer, Network Rail. Ministers prefer denigration and insult over fairness and open dialogue to resolve the dispute with the railway workers.

RMT picket line at Reading Railway Station, 21 June

While the retail price index stands at 12% - with the likelihood of further increases to come - Network Rail initially offered a 2% pay rise plus non-pensionable 0.5% lump sums in September and November, but only in exchange for 'efficiencies'. With the details of the company's 'Modernising Maintenance' revealed on 1 July, major staff reductions and new ways of working were proposed and so the pay dispute has been augmented by a fight by the trade unions to prevent compulsory redundancies.

RMT picket line outside Oxford Railway Station, 21 June

In Reading, Neil Adams (Unite), John Gillman (Unite), Kevin Jackson (Unison), Colin Masters (RMT), Ali McNamara (NEU), Danny McNamara (Unite Community), John Oversby (UCU), James Parker (Unite Community) and Chris Reilly (RMT) represented RTUC on the picket, while in Oxford, John Partington (TSSA) and Suzanne Quainton (the RMT picket organiser) attended alongside representatives of Oxford & District Trades Union Council and other groups.

RMT picket line at Reading Railway Station, 21 June

The local and national media covered both Reading's and Oxford's industrial action, with Neil Adams reporting on the Socialist Party website: "We spoke with the pickets about the need to unite the action with other unions and everyone agreed this is needed. We distributed NSSN conference leaflets and invited the pickets to our Socialist Party public meeting tonight. There was enthusiasm for our ideas". ITV Meridian also covered the local actions here.

TSSA members flank the RMT picket organiser in solidarity, 21 June

On 21 June, BBC Radio Oxford broadcast a brief interview with John Partington, who outlined some of the justifications for the strike action. The excerpt can be heard here:

Solidarity support from across the left continued in significant numbers across the three strike days as the following gallery of photographs shows:

NEU members show solidarity at Reading Station, 23 June

Oxford Station picket line, 23 June

The picket at Reading Station was filmed on the morning of 23 June:

Oxford Station picket, 25 June

TUSC & Socialist Party solidarity at Oxford Station, 25 June

TSSA, RMT & ASLEF (x2) members in solidarity at Oxford Station, 25 June

John Oversby (UCU, right) joining RMT picketers, Reading Station, 25 June

The four days of industrial action by the RMT represented a shot across the bow of the employer, Network Rail. It is now for Network Rail - if they can loosen the restrains seemingly imposed by the government - to sit down with the trade unions (RMT, TSSA and Unite) and make a reasonable pay offer, provide guarantees on job security and address concerns which have been raised over health and safety. Otherwise - and with the TSSA and ASLEF also taking strike action - the next round of action will intensify the pressure and demonstrate the anger and frustration which years of belt-tightening without reward is provoking in railway workers.

Ali (NEU) and Danny McNamara (Unite Community) at Reading Station, 27 July

John Partington (2nd left, TSSA) at Oxford Station, 27 July

Chris Reilly (left, RMT) at Reading Station, 27 July

Oxfordshire Solidarity Rally with Striking Workers

Inspired by the emerging battle for improved pay, conditions and safety by the rail unions, Oxford & District Trades Union Council organised the Oxfordshire Solidarity Rally with Striking Workers on 20 July 2022 at Rose Hill Community Centre, Oxford.

Setting up the Banners of Solidarity!

Following a call for support across the local and regional labour movement, volunteers arrived with banners, flags and posters from Botley & District Labour Party, Chipping Norton Labour Party, CWU South Central Postal Branch, Oxford & District Labour Party, Oxford & District Labour Women, Oxford & District National Union of Journalists, Oxford & District Trades Union Council, Oxfordshire Health Unison, Oxfordshire National Education Union, RMT Reading Branch and TSSA North London (Network Rail) Branch.

The Panel: John Partington (TSSA), Keith Hamilton (CWU), Bill MacKeith
(ODTUC), Brendan Kelly, Suzanne Quainton and Colin Masters (all RMT)

The evening was ably chaired by Bill McKeith, a Vice-President of ODTUC, with Suzanne Quainton (RMT), John Partington (TSSA), Colin Masters (RMT), Keith Hamilton (CWU) and Brendan Kelly, the keynote speaker as Wales & South West Organiser for the RMT. Three of the speakers were delegates to Reading Trades Union Council.

Suzanne Quainton (RMT Reading Branch)

Suzanne gave a personal account of the hardships faced by Revenue Protection staff on the railway during the COVID19 pandemic, the impacts on passengers of proposed continued reductions in staffed ticket offices and the economic challenges faced by staff due to below-inflation pay offers (i.e., pay cuts).

John Partington (TSSA North London Branch)

John gave an overview of rail industry restructuring, proposed headcount reductions and their impacts on the health, safety and wellbeing of staff and passengers alike. He advocated the rail unions coordinating their industrial action and called on the room to make the connection between the rail industry disputes and the cost of living crisis and attacks on workers' safety in all sectors.

Colin Masters (RMT Reading Branch Assistant Secretary)

Colin's speech segued nicely with John's, relating aspects of John's high level safety concerns with the reality of staff at the chalk face, being asked to maintain rail infrastructure with reduced numbers, greater 'flexibility' and a net reduction in pay. He spoke of train operating staff facing the loss of shift supplements, working more unsociable hours without compensatory payments.

Keith and Brendan rounded the speeches off, drawing parallels across the labour market, promoting solidarity action by members of other unions and highlighting the importance of attending the forthcoming pickets when the RMT, CWU, TSSA, ASLEF and other unions take industrial action.

Messages of solidarity were also read out from the Oxford Unite Health Branch and the Socialist Health Association, while Cllr Steve Akers (CNLP), Cllr Paula Dunne (ODLP), Cllr Edward Mundy (ODLP / CWU), Cllr Jabu Nala-Hartley (ODLP) and several others spoke from the floor. Details of the three ODLP councillors' previous solidarity with the TSSA's dispute can be found here.

The event followed with a collection of £210 which will be divided across the hardship funds of the striking unions.

A collection of speeches and messages from the Oxfordshire Solidarity Rally is being prepared for publication by ODTUC under the editorship of Bill McKeith. To obtain copies, please email the ODLP Secretary here.

The commemorative booklet

RTUC at Tolpuddle 2022

David McMullen (right, GMB)

Over the weekend of 15 to 17 July 2022, Reading Trades Union Council showed solidarity with comrades across the workers' movement by attending the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival. Kevin Brandstatter (GMB), Nikki Dancey (GMB), James Denny (RMT), Keith Jerrome (Unite), Dave McMullen (GMB) and John Partington (TSSA) represented their respective trades unions and the RTUC.

John Partington (right, TSSA)

On the Saturday, Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary, addressed enthusiastic supporters about the recent and ongoing strikes across the rail industry.

Kevin Brandstatter (GMB)

On the Sunday, the procession through Tolpuddle Village was impressive by its strength of numbers, demonstrating that two years of truncated, virtual festivals had done nothing to dampen enthusiasm.

RTUC proudly affiliated to the Shrewsbury Campaign

The key speakers on Sunday included Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, who promised support for a summer of industrial action, and Frances O'Grady, giving her final speech to Tolpuddle as TUC General Secretary, while Robb Johnson and Billy Bragg provided entertainment from the main stage.

Frances O'Grady, outgoing TUC General Secretary

There was plenty of opportunity to expand knowledge on key current issues as well as learn from past struggles to advance present campaigns. The Martyrs' Marquee hosted speakers and entertainers the whole weekend while stalls of books, pamphlets, leaflets and other information filled the space. Radical Films were projected in the mobile cinema and trade union stalls facilitated sharing of information and focal points for members of the respective unions. And the Tolpuddle History School ran throughout the festival.

James Denny (right, RMT)

The weekend was great preparation for - to quote Mick Lynch - a "Sizzling Summer of Solidarity"! Billy also sent us off with a message to the fascists who might try to get in our way!