Union urged to prioritise recruiting apprentices


Non-unionised apprentices in the transport industry must be prioritised for recruitment, young members of the RMT rail union have warned.



The union’s annual conference was told that non-unionised apprentices risk being exploited and used to undermine rail strikes. It is estimated that 60%-70% of apprentices on the rail network are not union members.


Delegate Freddie Seale told the conference: “With all the restructuring going on in the railway industry there is a strong likelihood that companies will exploit apprentices as a cheaper unit of labour to undermine disputes.” Another speaker pointed out that, outside London, they can be paid as little as £4.80 an hour and that they are often sent out to work “and left in really vulnerable positions”.


Delegates called on the union to develop a national organising strategy for apprenticeships and devote lead officers to liaise with the union’s young members committee on a regular basis.


RMT senior assistant general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that apprentices are also often affected by fixed-term contracts. With the many attacks on jobs in the industry, he said, “there is a real risk that apprentices will be used as units of labour to cover jobs and reduce wage costs and then not gain a permanent contract”. He agreed that a renewal of the union’s apprentice organising strategy was needed.