Young Members Are Not Just the Future They Are Part of the Union Now

One thing that has really struck me over the last couple of years is the quality of young members coming through our union.

I have had the privilege of attending the RMT AGM over the last two years, meeting members from across grades, sectors and regions, and seeing first-hand the amount of talent, commitment and passion that exists in this union.

Some of the young members I have met have been absolutely tremendous.

Sharp, political, committed, thoughtful, confident and determined to make a difference.

That gives me real hope.

I recently watched Sarah, the RMT Young Members’ Conference Secretary, talking about the young members’ course that runs while the AGM is in session.

That is exactly the kind of thing we need more of.

Young members getting workshops.

Young members hearing from first-time speakers.

Young members being able to sit at the back of the AGM and listen to proceedings.

Young members seeing how the union actually works in practice.

Not just reading about it.

Not just being told about it.

Actually being there.

Actually seeing debates happen.

Actually hearing motions moved, seconded and argued.

Actually watching delegates find their voice.

That matters.

Because we cannot just keep saying, “young members are the future,” and then expect them to magically understand how the union works.

That phrase gets used a lot.

It is true, of course.

But it is not enough.

Young members are not just the future.

They are part of the union now.

They are workers now.

They are members now.

They are dealing with workplace issues now.

They are facing low pay, insecure work, monitoring, pressure, bullying, fatigue, bad management, poor training, mental health pressures, and all the same challenges as everyone else — often while still trying to find their voice in the union.

So if we want young members to step up, we have to give them the tools to do it.

I also think it is important that the union recognises young members publicly.

The John Cogger Award does that.

Each year, young members who have made a real contribution are highlighted and recognised, with the award presented by our General Secretary, Eddie Dempsey.

That matters.

Recognition matters.

It tells young members that their work is seen.

It tells them that their contribution counts.

It tells them that the union is not just talking about young members in theory, but recognising those who are stepping forward in practice.

And for other young members watching, that can be powerful.

They can see people like them being recognised.

They can see that getting involved matters.

They can see that the union values young activists.

But awards and recognition should also be part of a wider pathway.

A young member should be able to come into the union, attend a young members’ course, sit in at AGM, hear debates, meet experienced activists, build confidence, access training, get mentoring, take on a branch role, and know there is support around them.

That is how we turn encouragement into development.

That is how we turn potential into activism.

That is how we build the next generation of reps, branch officers, organisers and leaders.

My own son went to his first Young Members’ Conference this year.

He is now the Young Members’ Rep in our branch, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus Branch.

I know he wants to get more involved.

I know he wants to learn.

I know he wants to play a part.

But like many young members, he has not yet had the training he needs.

That is not a criticism of him.

Far from it.

It is a reminder that enthusiasm alone is not enough.

We cannot simply elect or appoint young members into roles, tell them they are the future, and then leave them to work it all out for themselves.

Nobody is born knowing how a trade union works.

Nobody automatically understands branches, regional councils, conferences, motions, standing orders, representation, negotiations, recognition, disciplinary procedures, grievances, health and safety, political campaigning, organising, recruitment or the rule book.

We all had to learn.

Someone helped us.

Someone encouraged us.

Someone explained things.

Someone gave us a chance.

Someone made space for us.

Someone let us make mistakes and learn from them.

That is what we now have to do for the next generation.

That is why courses like the young members’ course running alongside AGM are so important.

Because it gives young members more than theory.

It gives them exposure.

It gives them confidence.

It puts them close to the heart of the union.

It lets them see that delegates are not mythical figures.

They are ordinary working people who have learned, grown, made mistakes, found confidence and stepped forward.

That is powerful.

A young member sitting at the back of AGM today may be moving a motion in future.

A young member listening to a first-time speaker today may become a first-time speaker themselves.

A young member attending a workshop today may become a workplace rep, a branch officer, a regional council delegate, a conference delegate or a future leader of the union.

But that only happens if we create the pathway.

If we want young members to become confident reps, organisers, branch officers, campaigners and future leaders of this union, then we need to invest in them properly.

That means training.

It means mentoring.

It means political education.

It means practical workplace skills.

It means encouraging them to attend meetings.

It means explaining how things work instead of assuming they already know.

It means not talking down to them.

It means giving them responsibility, but also giving them support.

It means helping them build confidence.

It means making sure they feel part of the union, not visitors to it.

That matters because it can be intimidating walking into union structures for the first time.

It can be intimidating going to a conference.

It can be intimidating standing up to speak.

It can be intimidating asking a question when everyone else seems to know the process.

It can be intimidating being in a room full of experienced reps, branch secretaries, regional officers and national figures.

And if we are honest, union structures can sometimes feel confusing even to those of us who have been around a while.

So imagine what that can feel like to a young member walking in for the first time.

That is why support matters.

We should not just say to young members: “Get involved.”

We should say:

“What training do you need?”

“Who can mentor you?”

“What meetings can you attend?”

“What courses can we get you on?”

“What do you want to learn?”

“How can the branch support you?”

“How do we help you grow into the role?”

That is how you build confidence.

That is how you build activists.

That is how you build a union for the future.

This is especially important in the bus industry.

Bus workers can sometimes feel underrepresented in wider transport union structures.

Young bus workers can feel even further away from the centre of the union.

Many work difficult shifts, long hours, weekends, late finishes and early starts.

Getting involved is not always easy.

Getting release for training is not always easy.

Finding the time and confidence to attend meetings is not always easy.

So when a young bus worker is willing to step forward, we should grab that opportunity with both hands.

We should encourage them.

We should train them.

We should support them.

We should make sure they do not feel like they have been given a title but no tools.

The same applies across every sector of RMT.

Rail.

Maritime.

Offshore.

Buses.

Cleaning.

Catering.

Engineering.

Stations.

Admin.

Control.

Every grade.

Every workplace.

Young members bring something vital.

They bring energy.

They bring new perspectives.

They bring an understanding of the modern workplace.

They understand digital communication, social media, monitoring, new technology, mental health pressures and the cost-of-living crisis in ways older activists may not always fully appreciate.

But they also need what experienced activists can pass on.

They need the history.

They need the lessons.

They need the confidence.

They need the organising skills.

They need to understand what has been won, what has been lost, and what still needs to be fought for.

That is how a union renews itself.

Not by one generation replacing another.

But by connecting generations together.

By passing on knowledge.

By listening both ways.

By respecting young members as workers and activists in their own right.

By understanding that experience matters, but so does fresh energy.

I have seen enough from young members in this union to know there is huge potential there.

But potential has to be supported.

Hope has to be backed up by structure.

If we want young members to lead in the future, we need to invest in them now.

That means proper workplace rep training.

Proper Young Members’ training.

Proper political education.

Proper branch support.

Proper mentoring.

Proper pathways from branch involvement into regional and national union work.

It also means making union education accessible.

Not everyone can attend week-long residential courses.

Not everyone can travel long distances.

Not everyone can get release from work easily.

Not everyone has confidence straight away.

So training has to be practical, accessible and relevant.

Young members need to know how to represent someone in trouble.

How to organise a workplace.

How to recruit.

How to speak to non-members.

How to write motions.

How to challenge management.

How to use the rule book.

How to campaign publicly.

How to use digital tools.

How to understand politics and economics from a working-class perspective.

That is not a luxury.

That is how we build the union.

I am proud that my son has taken his first steps into the union’s Young Members’ structure.

I am proud that he wants to do more.

But I also know that it is now on us — as branches, regions and the wider union — to make sure young members like him are not left waiting for support.

Because if we get this right, the future of RMT is strong.

If we train young members properly, they will organise.

If we trust them, they will grow.

If we support them, they will lead.

And if we listen to them, they will make this union better.

Young members are not just the future.

They are part of the union now.

And they deserve the training, respect and support to play their full part.

About the author

Lee Odams is a bus driver with nearly two decades’ experience in the industry. He is Branch Secretary of the RMT Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus Branch, Secretary of the RMT National Industrial Organising Conference of Bus Workers, and a member of the RMT Bus & Coach Sectorial Organising Committee. He is also active in the Yorkshire & Lincolnshire Regional Council and campaigns on bus workers’ rights, public transport, safety, accessibility, fares, welfare and working conditions.

Disclaimer

This article is written by Lee Odams in a personal capacity. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily represent the policy, position or views of RMT, any RMT branch, regional council, committee, conference, employer, or any other organisation unless explicitly stated

tags

RMT, Young Members, Trade Union Education, Young Workers, Trade Unionism, RMT AGM, Bus Workers, Public Transport Workers, Workplace Reps, Union Training, Mentoring, Organising, Working Class Education, RMT Young Members, John Cogger Award, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Bus Branch, Transport Workers