URGENT MESSAGE
23rd December 2009
Dear Colleague,
FIGHT NETWORK RAIL JOB CUTS
National Rally and Lobby of Parliament
Wednesday 27th January 2010, Assemble 12.30pm
The RMT Day of Action on 17th December called in protest against Network Rail's threat to axe 1,500 maintenance workers was a great success. RMT members distributed 25,000 postcards to passengers across more than 40 stations nationwide and made a splash in the media – TV, radio and newspapers, right across the Land.
It is essential that we maintain the momentum against the proposed job cuts and your Union has called a National Rally and Lobby of the Westminster Parliament on Wednesday 27th January. Put this date in your diary now. We ask that people arrive promptly for 12.30pm for a demonstration outside Parliament, which will be followed by a rally at 2.15pm and we would like RMT members to lobby their MPs from 3.30pm. A flyer is attached and I would be grateful if you could publicise this throughout your workplace.
RMT rail maintenance members have warned that these job cuts have grave safety implications and there is a serious concern that it will lead to another rail tragedy such as Potters Bar. Therefore these cuts affect all rail workers and we would hope all RMT activists to turn out for the rally, not just Network Rail members.
Our postcard campaign and Lobby is aimed at getting MPs to sign Early Day Motion Number 80 'Network Rail & Safety', tabled by Linda Riordan MP (see below). With the assistance of the RMT Parliamentary Group, this Early Day Motion has been supplemented by a series of regional EDMs detailing where the cuts will fall.
We want individual members to play as active part as possible in this campaign and I recommend that you visit the RMT website to find out how you can participate. You will be able to download model letters, find out who your MP is and it is important that if you wish to meet them on the day of our Lobby, that you contact them in advance. Visit http://www.rmt.org.uk/networkrail for further information.
Yours sincerely,
Bob Crow
General Secretary
How you can get involved
As well as attending the Rally and Lobby of Parliament, via the RMT website http://www.rmt.org.uk/networkrail you can do the following: -
· Find your MP http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/ and write to them either by email or post:
· Download a model letter to write to your MP urging him or her to meet you after the RMT Rally (see sample letter 1). Please note that we want you to attend the Lobby even if you do not wish to meet with your MP http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeId=130197
· Download a model letter urging your MP to sign Early Day Motion 80 (see sample letter 2) http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeId=130197
· Itinerary for the Lobby on 27th January 2010 and instructions if you wish to lobby your MP http://www.rmt.org.uk/files/130198/FileName/NationalRallyandLobbyofParliamentGuideforRMTMembers_2.pdf
· Link to EDM 80 http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=39617&SESSION=903
Network Rail and Safety, tabled by Linda Riordan MP, 18.11.09
That this House notes the decision of Network Rail to announce the loss of thousands of frontline maintenance jobs by spring 2010; believes that this will mean that in a matter of months there will be a drop of up to20 per cent. in the number of rail workers carrying out essential inspection and maintenance work; further believes that these deep and rapid cuts raise genuine and urgent concerns as to whether Network Rail will be able to ensure the safe and efficient running of the railway, including the adequate inspection and repair of track, signals, overhead lines and other infrastructure; is deeply concerned that Network Rail is failing to consult the trade unions on the safety implications of the proposals; further notes that the cuts are in part due to the fact that the economic rail regulator, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), has asked Network Rail to make efficiency savings of 21 per cent. over the next five years; is further concerned that because the ORR is both the safety and economic regulator it will be difficult for an objective view to be taken as to whether the safety of passengers and workers will be put at risk; believes the cuts cannot be justified; and calls on the Government to use its power as the primary funder of Network Rail to intervene to ensure that Network Rail directors put safety first.
Media coverage of RMT Day of Action, 17th December 2009
This is not an exhaustive list, but activists have advised us that news of their efforts leafleting outside their local stations given was carried in the following media outlets, along with interviews with RMT officials: -
• Daily Post
• Liverpool Echo
• BBC Merseyside
• BBC Radio Solent
• Southampton Echo
• BBC Sussex
• Brighton Argus
In a show of solidarity, RMT activists out leafleting were supported in some areas comrades from the National Shop Stewards Network and in a number of locations other trade unionists took handfuls of the postcards to distribute in their workplaces.
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