About Us

No fancy pictures, no gimmicks, just good old traditional trade unionism looking after its members interests first and foremost.

This is an exciting time for existing and future members. Yes there will be problems but they will not be of our making.

"We are a new union, a fresh union but a union with a vast amount of knowledge and experience to draw upon” in order to represent members from a broad section of the rail industry holding to the core values of trade unionism.

One of the questions that need to be considered is “what makes ATCU different?

 ATCU believes that the industry needs one union with one voice. We are not separatists, we believe in unity, the collective of all members supporting each other.

ATCU is a union that puts forward a vision of the future that goes beyond pay negotiations, a union that does not advertise its financial benefits but actually creates its financial benefits.

Everyone in ATCU has the same aspirations ‘a union that members feel they belong to’

We have several objectives that are aimed at effective representation but most important, to bring to the members a sense of belonging. This is based not just on members but also their family and community. All aims and objectives will ultimately follow from this such as wages, Health & Safety, working conditions and Pensions.

ATCU wants to create a union that is more than just employee insurance. We want to return back to the true values of trade unionism, back to the basic values that makes a trade union respected by its members.

We do this through engaging members. We want to hear when we get it right but most important we want to know when we get it wrong. It is only through your voice, support, criticism and participation that we will become even stronger.

You and the members are the ATCU, the driving force that makes us what we are. A union that has many objectives but only one policy and that is the protection of the members.

We are flexible

One of the many attributes of ATCU is that we are flexible enough to change, we are not monolithic. No union can be weighed down by dogma or historical political ideology, otherwise we become trapped in a time warp and become blinded to what members are saying.

The political climate has changed.  Political interests are very different from the time when there was a common ideology and understanding between trade unions and workers parliamentary representatives.
 
Therefore we need to change.  This does not mean we are not political, by our very nature ATCU as a union is political. Although we will not affiliate to a political party ATCU will direct its energy and recourses to areas of political interest which will benefit you and your community.

What ATCU will not do is to be fettered by the decisions of others. It will be directed by its members, the people who own the union and are the union.

We ask members to leave their political affiliation at the door; this is a trade union not a political or syndicalist movement.

Retaining Trade Union values

However, there remain certain values that we must retain and these principles are different to adhering to the political past. Work colleagues, members, family friends and community are what we know and understand. 

This does not mean we ignore those who paved the way through their own struggles; quite the opposite, we embrace them and recognise the sacrifices they gave in order that we have a voice. We must never forget those who heroically fought against oppression and the rights of workers.

Ours is not just to build on what they won but also fight hard to retain what we have.
Their efforts can quite easily be lost in moments if we become complacent. This will be our way of celebrating what they did.

As times change so will this union but we will remain committed to the tenets of trade unionism.

As we develop it will be paramount that ATCU members are encouraged to become involved with this process.

Avoiding unnecessary overburdening hierarchy

ATCU will avoid the trap of becoming top heavy. It is thought that to be so would be unnecessary and costly but primarily it would create barriers and stifle the flow of voices and opinions upwards. ATCU top structure needs to be lean so that membership decisions can be made quickly and effectively. 

For this reason ATCU has reorganised the structure that is formally known as the Executive. This will be replaced with Regional Organisers attending at an agreed date to deal with important policies and issues. We must always remember, it is the Regional Organisers and the branches that are at the forefront of what this union is about.

Branches and members, the driving force of this union

ATCU wants the power and driving force of this union to be in the hands of the Branches and members. It is they who are at the forefront of this industry; it is they who experience the day to day heavy grind that keeps the industry moving.

ATCU will focus heavily on the Branch structure as this is the first contact for members and the most important level within the union. ATCU will develop a stronger link with branches, assuring the functioning and structure of the Branch has the full resources of the union.

At all times our attention must never lose sight of one major over riding principle:
‘ATCU is organised from branch level upwards with the rank and file controlling the union, this union cascades upwards not downwards’.

Legal/ Representation

A common question that arises is ‘do members have legal support’; the answer to this is Yes Yes Yes. ATCU have three firms of solicitors who bring to the union specific and specialised skills. ATCU would not ask members to join the union if we did not.

Since June 2008 rail companies fought against ATCU recognition at disciplinary and grievance hearings. We knew the law, we knew we were right and so our resources were diverted towards winning that argument for the protection of our members. We won that fight.

In June 2008 the rail industry never heard of the Associated Train Crew Union, they do now.

Head Office

Head Office is the hub of the organisation and it is imperative that a large amount of attention is given to this area.

A union is not built on bricks and mortar; it is constructed on the solid foundations laid down by the dedicated people who work, first and foremost, for the benefit of our members. The employees of ATCU also have a vested interest in this union and accordingly this will be acknowledged at all times. They are part of this union not secondary to this union.

It is vital that Regional areas and Branches are linked to Head Office through the ever changing technologies.  This means quickly adapting to new technologies.

As the union develops then organisational questions will arise. Taking this into consideration and in line with time scales, a review of the organisation will have to take place.  It is vital that this is constantly monitored to ensure that the ATCU remains an effective union which maintains a strong attachment at grass root level.

ATCU member’s subscriptions

ATCU is a strong union simply because every member that joins ATCU does so, not because he or she has to, or is forced to, but actually wants to.

We represent working people and we stand above careerist elitism, there will be no place in this union for such people. It will not be a place for oligarchies and political bullies and thugs are not welcomed.

Nor will the members’ money go to paying over and above wages that are higher than the hemisphere reaching cosmic proportion. That is why this union has set a ceiling on future Regional Organisers and the General Secretary wages. Neither will we needlessly spend membership money. All income is used to continually improve and expand the level of service to our members.