In my opinion the RMT are an embarrassment to Trade Unions as they do a very good job at making the general public anti-Trade Union.
their members may disagree. I am sorry the RMT don't meet with your definition of a "good" trade union. Is that one that doesn't rock the boat to much and gives in quietly?
The amount of steel in a new UK passenger train is much reduced and is falling since most new designs have Aluminium body shells and inside frame bogies that have reduced steel usage dramatically from the late BR era (the inside frame bogies have reduce the steel /cast iron requirement by a few tonnes /car on the Desiro City and Aventra designs).
Lucchini tend to use recycled steel for the wheel sets any way.
The steel requirement for UK rolling stock would keep them going for substantially less than a day.
We can't compete with the China on cost so our export markets (circa 30%+ of UK production) have largely evaporated and the significant volume of low quality re-bar is where the Chinese steel companies are doing well in the UK (the lowest of the lowest quality wise).
Yet the point on steel remains - other countries protected their steel industries while we did not. Supporting British industry should not be considered wrong or perverse.
Unions receive the many legal privileges they enjoy because they're a vehicle for workers to bargain collectively with their employers, and help them deal with workplace issues. Regardless of what you think about the technical merits of the issue itself, the current southern DOO strike is a perfect example of something that is clearly within their remit. This on the other hand has absolutely nothing to do with the condition of transport workers. Why doesn't the Steel Workers union say something instead?
The Community Union has been very active in this field. I assume RMT issued a press release as part of their solidarity support campaign with other unions. Solidarity being another central tenant of the Trades Union movement, as I am sure you are aware.
However you miss the point that
without political organisation,campaigning and agitating there would be no collective rights to support. A union is, by definition, a political body and generally a left wing political body, which seeks to both protect and enhance the treatment received by their members.
I'm more than aware of that history. My father was very high up on a dockers union. Believe it or not, people can be aware of that and still disagree with it, without being "brainwashed." :roll:
How does getting British made trains (despite the fact that no one bid for them) improve the treatment of rail workers? It has nothing to do with that, and all with forwarding an extreme left political agenda, which is exactly why I don't join my union, although I probably would if they stuck to workplace advocating.
I am sure you would join - and it is odd how people with objections to the unions they profess to despise evaporate when they are in trouble!
Commenting on this subject ( unhappy as it makes you) fits in with the RMT political agenda ( being a political body they have a political agenda) which is , generally speaking, supportive of British workers and industry, against the transfer of British funds to foreign concerns, pro nationalisation and eurosceptic. It also fits within the wider scope of the TU position generally. Plus RMT know their quotes will be reported by the mainstream media whilst other unions will be ignored, especially those who are "reasonable". Perhaps thier media strategy is that any coverage is good coverage. perhaps their members like that approach.
Whilst I am sure you would prefer unions who knew their place that would kind of defeat the point of a union!
Okay then.
I despise grapefruit, nearly as much as I despise patronising posts on here.
Are we actually going to pretend that this country's steel manufacturing would be fine if the minor steel components for our trains were constructed here?
Of course not - however as part of a much wider campaign to "buy British" perhaps. And that is what the RMT are advocating, however cackhandedly
What actually concerns me (as a Labour supporter and TU member with a reasonable (not perfect) "understanding of the history of the TU or Labour movement") is that their press releases seem to no longer have any impact. It is seen by many as just the random ramblings of a grumpy person Which is exactly how it comes across to me. Eventually if you just say the same things over and over again people do not listen. Very few of their press releases seem to actually have any sort of argument within them. Just the rehashing of british jobs, nationalisation etc. Especially seen as these are often attached to positive news stories, which again makes them across as the grumpy old cynics who never see the good in the world.
Note this is regardless of whether what they say is correct. Yes it isn't good that we have abandoned our manufacturing base, i agree with them. DOO I almost 100% agree with them, most things i agree with them. But it is the way they put their point across that frustrates me beyond measure.
And before you say anything, yes i have had lengthy discussions with my local TU rep on the subject and shared my views. In some form of fruitless attempt to change things. As with everything in the rail industry, people are quite content to sit and moan but are much less forthcoming with the actions. Expecting others to do it for them. Quite opposite to being "naive or brainwashed by the mainly conservative press".
I agree. TU's need to
radically rethink their communication strategy and style. I have said as much to senior people within my union ( which is not RMT) repeatedly. However, the RMT in particular seem keen to play up to the stereotype demanded by the press.
That said the central point that a TU is a political organisation and not one that should simply concern itself to local issues is important and to suggest that they are not political organisations is naive in the extreme. They only exist because of the political work done to secure better terms for their members.
EDIT: Anyway this is all off topic. New train - ain't they brilliant! 
