Welcome to the website of RMT Bristol Rail Branch (0224). You may have noticed that we've made a few changes.

We set up our union branch website in April 2005 and a year or so later we realised what a monster we had created! Initially we had thought a website would be useful for our members as a sort of electronic union noticeboard, one that any member with an internet connection can check for union agreements, circulars, press releases and general information about the industries our members work in and the labour movement.

And we were right. Not only our own members, but also RMT members from other branches, members of other trade unions, public transport campaigners and thousands of people we may never meet from Australia to Zimbabwe have accessed our website. We'd like to thank everyone who visited - especially the nice people who keep offering us incredible deals on fake Rolex watches. Fantastic!!

So because you've kept us so busy with your emails and trackbacks we've gone upmarket. Our web redesign was created by Eric Lee (founder of LabourStart) to whom we are immensely grateful. The quality of his bespoke web design work for the trade union movement is well known and our new site is just another example.

What's new?

The design: is cleaner, less cluttered and from our point of view much easier to use than our previous site. We've moved over to MoveableType 3.2 software, which allows us more flexibility in design, categorising and editorial control. We've built a 3-column homepage to keep Resource Links, News Stories and Search Categories separate and more accessable. We hope you find our new site easy to use.

Navigation: use the search facility beneath the RMT logo (top of the right hand column) by typing in your search word and every story containing your search term will come up in chronological order. Alternatively you can select a category from any one of the dozens of submenus beneath the search facility to find every story that we've covered from Architecture to Train Operating Companies or from Network Rail to Sri Lanka.

You can also look through the archives month by month if that's your cup of tea.

Resource Links: these are located in a separate and new left hand column on the site. More will be added in the coming weeks along with plugs for books, films, special events such as trade union conferences, rallies and demonstrations.

News Stories: we aim to maintain a high-quality and high turnover of relevant, useful information aimed specifically at RMT members and railworkers. If you have any stories that you think we should be covering you'll soon be able to email them direct to the website for our consideration. In the meantime don't hesitate to get in touch using the Comment facility at the bottom of this page. If you leave your email address we'll get back to you. Unless you're selling Rolex watches 'cos we've already got several of those.

Email subscribers list: You may have noticed that our regular weekly email newsletter to subscribers has been missing of late. That's because we have a serious problem with spam addresses (Yes, that's you, Mr Rolex man!) polluting our subscribers list that will take a few weeks to sort out. We are transferring over to another email system, so normal service will be resumed shortly.

In the meantime please send us any comments that you have about the site by using the Comment facility below.

Alex Gordon,
RMT Bristol Rail Branch (0224)
Website co-ordinator,
Sunday, 6 August 2006