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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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).
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| The commemorative booklet |
