ATUC pledges continued solidarity action with striking workers - please sign the right to strike petition

Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) is continuing our solidarity with striking workers in all unions taking action for decent pay and safe working conditions for staff and the public.

Tommy Campbell, Unite, on behalf of ATUC, and ATUC delegate and Labour councillor, Simon Watson, joined the RMT picket line today at Aberdeen Rail station, to show our support for RMT strikers across the UK.

Wishing everyone a happy new year on behalf of ATUC, President, Graeme Farquhar pledged, "We will continue to join picket lines of striking workers as long as it takes to make sure that working people are paid decent wages for the work they do.

"That is not only morally right, but it also makes economic sense. We are still the sixth richest country in the world. We can afford decent wages if we end extortionate profits to the wealthiest and make sure everyone pays their fair share.

"Giving decent, inflation busting pay rises to workers is good for them as it means they are not dependent on foodbanks or excessive debt, but is also good for the economy, as we are the people who spend in our local shops and businesses, keeping them afloat. The richest don't even spend in this country, never mind our local communities."

He slammed the Tory government's attacks on workers' rights to strike and called on all our delegates, affiliates, friends, families and the public to sign this petition to protect the right to strike.

Graeme urged, "As the cost-of-living crisis continues to hurt workers everywhere, we need to be able to stand together and choose to strike when we must. These laws will do nothing to fix this crisis - they will make it even harder for working people to get pay rises.

"Every working person is under attack from these new laws. Add your name and join the campaign. 

"We must defend the right to strike."

ATUC sends solidarity to striking rail workers

 Aberdeen trades union council sends solidarity and support to our colleagues in the RMT union, striking for better pay and for safe working practices on our railways.

RMT members took action on Thursday 18 August and will strike again tomorrow 20th August. 

There will be picket lines in Aberdeen tomorrow from 8 till 10am then again from 1 till 3pm. Please go along and support the strikers if you can.

Unite retired member and ATUC delegate, Tommy Campbell, who joined the picket line yesterday said: "No one knows better than us in the North East of Scotland the importance of safety on the railways.

"Only last week we mourned the second anniversary of the Carmont rail tragedy when two of our trade union colleagues and a passenger lost their lives as a result of failures to keep the railway safe.

"We stand in complete solidarity with out comrades in the RMT and with all other trade unions taking action for decent inflation proof pay rises and to ensure that services can be safely delivered to our citizens."

ATUC joins RMT in remembering the Carmont rail tragedy

Aberdeen Trades Union Council joins RMT, in remembering Brett McCullough, Donald Dinnie, and Christopher Stuchbury on the second anniversary of the Carmont derailment.

Our thoughts are with their families and everyone on the railway affected by this tragedy.

We do not forget.

ATUC - standing in solidarity with striking workers

 Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) has continued to show solidarity with our colleagues in RMT and the CWU in their strikes for fair pay and safe working conditions.

The ATUC banner has been on every picket line in Aberdeen, standing alongside our striking comrades in RMT and CWU. 

With thanks to those ATUC delegates out on the picket line on behalf of every delegate to ATUC. 

Also see ATUC delegate and Unite retired member Tommy Campbell speaking to the media and making the case for strike action and better pay for all workers.

We stand in solidarity with you all.

Solidarity with RMT in their strike for decent pay and against cuts to the rail network

 

Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends our solidarity to the members of RMT in their strike action to demand a decent pay rise.

See statement from RMT below.

RMT statement on the forthcoming Rail and Tube strikes

In the past few weeks, discussions have been taking place at senior level with Network Rail, Train Operators and London Underground.

Despite the best efforts of our negotiators no viable settlements to the disputes have been created.

It has to be re-stated that the source of these disputes is the decision by the Tory Government to cut £4bn of funding from our transport systems - £2bn from national rail and £2bn from Transport for London.

As a result of this transport austerity imposed by the Government, the employing companies have taken decisions to:

• Savage the Railway Pension Scheme and the TFL scheme, cutting benefits, making staff work longer, and poorer in retirement, while paying increased contributions.
• Thousands of job cuts across the rail networks.
• Attacking terms, conditions and working practices in a form of internal fire and re-hire.
• Cutting real pay for most of our members through lengthy pay freezes and below RPI inflation pay proposals.

In the face of this massive attack on our people the RMT cannot be passive.

Solidarity with RMT conductors striking for workplace justice

Aberdeen Trades Union Council stands in solidarity with our RMT comrades in Scotrail Abellio in their fight for workplace equality and justice over enhanced payments for rest day working.

On 4th April 2021, their second day of strike action, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

"Our Scotrail Conductor members are standing firm and united again this morning in a fight for fairness and equality for a group of essential workers who deserve better than the abuse and contempt that has been dished out to them by their employer.

"Abellio are determined to squeeze every last penny that they can out of the dying months of this franchise and if that means kicking staff in the teeth in the process they have shown that they are prepared to do just that.

"RMT thanks the public for their support for this campaign for basic workplace justice for Scotrail staff but it's now time for the political leadership in Scotland to get off the fence and demand that Abellio play fair by their front-line workforce on the basic issue of enhanced payments for rest day working.

"RMT remains available for serious and meaningful talks. "

 

ATUC sends support and solidarity to Unite and RMT Wood Group members who have voted overwhelmingly for strike action

Aberdeen Trade Union Council is sending messages of support and solidarity to our colleagues in Unite and RMT working for the Wood Group across Shell operated assets.

Almost 400 members of Unite and RMT unions working for Wood Group across eight Shell oil and gas platforms in the North Sea will be striking for the first time in a generation in a dispute over 30 per cent pay cuts and changes to allowances, it was announced today (Monday 18 July).

The first 24-hour stoppage will take place on 26 July, this will be followed by a series of other stoppages over the following weeks.

- See more at: http://www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/listofregions/scotland/latestnews/north-sea-oil-and-gas-workers-to-strike-for-the-first-time-in-a-generation/#sthash.1uw7CojI.dpuf

A ballot of Wood Group employees coordinated between the two unions has returned with a massive majority supporting industrial action.

The ballot results from both unions are well over the 50% turnout threshold and have huge majorities in support of industrial action in the form of strike and action short of strike. In the case of Unite 99.1% voted in favour of industrial action while 98.5% of RMT members voted to support industrial action.

The first 24 hour stoppage will take place on 26th July followed by a series of other stoppages over the following weeks.

John Boland, Unite Regional Officer said; “Despite the best efforts of the full time officials and workforce shop stewards to broker a deal with the company, talks have failed to find an acceptable deal for the workforce. We now find ourselves forced down the route of industrial action".


"That said, we remain available for talks should the company wish to consider an alternative offer. However, any talks must respect the workers and especially with regards to exercising their democratic rights in a dispute situation. Therefore the move by Shell to engage a scab labour workforce through various agencies to cover any potential industrial action is extremely disturbing.”


Jake Molloy, RMT Regional Organiser said; “After two rounds of redundancy, the imposition of an additional 4 to 5 weeks of work annually, forced to work a 3:3 rota, the increase in workload, and the restrictions on leave, this battered and bruised workforce are being told they have to accept all of this with a reduction in salary of anything from 10 to 30%. The workforce message is clear, ‘Enough is Enough’ and it’s little wonder we find ourselves in this situation.”

Unite and RMT are members of the Offshore Coordinating Group of trade unions.