Strike action is balloted for!

MORE THAN 3,000 rail engineering workers at six of Network Rail’s key contractors are to be balloted for industrial action by Britain’s biggest rail union over jobs after each failed to give assurances that there would be no compulsory redundancies.

Around 1,000 RMT members at Jarvis have already begun voting on action after the company announced plans to axe 450 jobs, blaming NR’s decision to shelve 28 per cent of track renewals this year. The Jarvis ballot will close on April 21.

The union has also now informed bosses at Balfour Beatty (rail plant and infrastructure divisions), Babcock, Colas, Amey Infrastructure and Volker Rail Plant that it is in dispute after each failed to provide assurances that there would be no forced job losses, or that any transfers would come under ‘TUPE’ transfer of undertakings rules that protect conditions.

The Jarvis ballot is also over the company’s failure to observe the legal requirement for a 90-day consultation period over its plans.

“It is absolutely crazy that hundreds, maybe thousands of skilled rail engineering workers are facing redundancy when Network Rail will spend nearly £3.5 billion on this type of work over the next five years,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

“NR’s decision to defer nearly a third of this year’s renewals is senseless and reckless, but the contractors should be looking at the long-term picture rather than the short-term effect on shareholder dividends.

“These companies have made tens of millions out of the railways, and they should be taking a hit on their profits rather than cutting jobs. But they have failed to give us simple assurances that there will be no compulsory job losses, and we are urging our members in all six firms to vote for action to defend their jobs.

“For months we have been asking the government to step in and save essential rail jobs.

“If the government is serious about bringing forward transport and green projects to help ride out the recession it cannot stand aside and allow skilled rail workers to be thrown onto the dole – not least in an industry already dependent on government subsidy.

“That is why our members across the rail and Tube industry will lobby parliament on May 5 to demand a moratorium on job cuts, a freeze on dividends and a regime for the industry that will help to stimulate the economy rather than subsidise redundancies,” Bob Crow said.

Notes to editors: The ballot of RMT members at Jarvis will close on April 21, and a timetable for the other ballots will be set shortly.

Rally and Lobby to save rail jobs and services and for a People’s Railway

RMT members from across the rail and Tube networks will be lobbying parliament on May 5 to save green rail jobs and services, and for a people’s railway.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow has written to MPs asking for their support for:

1. The government and Mayor of London to impose a moratorium on job cuts on the railways and London Underground and a freeze on shareholder dividends with profits instead invested to protect jobs and services.

2. An industry-wide programme so our railways can provide a stimulus to the economy to help fight the recession.

3. A wholly integrated, publicly-owned and accountable People’s Railway and London Underground which puts people before profit and where passengers and workers have a real voice.

The full text of the letter follows after the EDM below:

Early Day Motion 794

NETWORK RAIL AND THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

Tabled by David Drew (Stroud) and signed by April 9 by 50 others

That this House welcomes efforts by the Government to lessen the impact of the recession and save jobs by intervening in the private sector industries, such as the car industry; notes with concern that Network Rail, which is heavily reliant on billions of pounds of Government subsidy is deferring 28 per cent. of rail renewals work, such as track and signals replacements; notes that Network Rail has confirmed in its 2009-10 business plan that this huge reduction in track renewals expenditure will have a major impact on the supply chain with 20 to 30 per cent. less heavy materials resulting in supply chain redundancies; is appalled that this will mean massive job cuts and supports the view of the rail unions that Network Rail's actions undermine the Government's stated intentions to use infrastructure projects to boost employment; further notes with concern that Network Rail is cutting the frequency of track inspections and routine signals maintenance which, combined with the reduction in renewals work, will significantly raise safety risks to passengers and workers; urges the Government to use its power as funder of Network Rail immediately to intervene to ensure that this essential rail renewals work is not deferred, to introduce a moratorium on job cuts and to develop an industry-wide strategy to ensure that railways can be managed in a way which mitigates rather than exacerbates the effects of the economic downturn.

For the latest list of signatories please visit:

http://webmail.rmt.org.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=37854%26SESSION=899

Letter from RMT General Secretary Bob Crow to all MPs, April 9, 2009

Thousands of rail and tube jobs lost or under threat – Tuesday 5 May, Rail Union National Lobby of Parliament and Rally.

I am writing to ask you to support the rally and lobby called by RMT on Tuesday 5th May 2009 to defend rail services and rail jobs.

Rail transport is green transport. Rail jobs are green jobs. Our railways and London Underground should be a powerhouse for a green stimulus to the economy to help beat the recession. Instead thousands of jobs on the railways and London Underground are being threatened or have already been lost.

Today we have been forced to announce a national ballot to fight against rail workers being made redundant at companies who are contracted to Network Rail to renew the rail network. Such renewals work includes laying new track and ballast.

These jobs are in part under threat because Network Rail has decided to make short term “efficiency savings” by deferring almost thirty percent of its renewals work for the next year. Network Rail is subsidised to the tune of £4 billion a year and is in effect controlled by the government. For months we have been imploring the government to intervene and defend these rail jobs. Yet for all the talk of bringing forward transport projects and green projects to help beat the recession the fact is the government is standing aside while skilled rail workers are being thrown on the dole.

This is a pattern being repeated across the industry affecting passenger services, rail infrastructure and rail freight. Despite the railways being heavily reliant on billions of pounds of government subsidy we are seeing a paralysis in government while job losses in the industry are being announced on an almost daily basis.

The job cuts will of course impact on services and significantly raise safety risks. This is all happening while many rail companies continue to rake in big profits and pay big bonuses while charging the most expensive fares in Europe.

Our lobby therefore has three demands and I hope you can support all or some of these.

1. For the government and Mayor of London to impose a moratorium on job cuts on the railways and London Underground and a freeze on shareholder dividends with profits instead invested to protect jobs and services.

2. An industry-wide programme so our railways can provide a stimulus to the economy to help fight the recession.

3. A wholly integrated, publicly-owned and accountable People’s Railway and London Underground which puts people before profit and where passengers and workers have a real voice.

Rail and tube workers will be demonstrating outside Parliament from 1pm to 2pm. There will then be a rally in Committee Room 14 from 2pm - 3.30 and then workers will be available to meet from 3.30 onwards in Central Lobby.

I do hope you can attend the rally and Lobby on 5 May and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary