RMT’s Bob Crow calls press conference on fight for renationalisation of Britain’

Britain's biggest rail union, RMT, will be holding a press conference this Wednesday (13 May) at RMT Head Office to unveil the launch of a new political campaign aimed at securing the renationalisation of the crisis-torn East Coast line which is currently run under a franchise arrangement by debt-ridden National Express.

In the past week it has been reported that National Express has been in talks with the government on bailing out of their £1.4 billion franchise arrangement on the East Coast in favour of a copper-bottomed, management fee guarantee which RMT have described as a "massive financial reward for total failure."

The East Coast line, which links London with Edinburgh via York and Leeds, carries 17 million passengers a year and employs 3,100 staff. It is Britain's most lucrative train franchise.

Through their parliamentary convenor, John McDonnell MP, RMT are bringing together a coalition of MP's with seats along the East Coast line to apply political pressure on the government for an orderly return to public ownership and control of the service. Newcastle Central MP Jim Cousins will be tabling an Early Day Motion to that affect on Wednesday.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said :

"The chaos facing the rail industry from the looming collapse of major franchises is unprecedented and we are calling on the government to step in now and begin the process of renationalisation to restore order to the railways. At our press conference we will be setting out our plans to pursue that objective for the East Coast line as part of our wider campaign for a publicly-owned People's Railway.

"It would be political suicide for the government to bail out National Express and offer them a copper-bottomed management fee guarantee in return for ripping up the East Coast franchise. That would be reward for complete and abject failure on an epic scale and the British taxpayers would be up in arms," Bob Crow said.

RMT CLASHES WITH THE BNP IN CARLISLE!

Members of RMT clashed on saturday with members of the BNP in Carlisle as they were out campaigning for RMT-backed No2EU-Yes to Democracy left-wing coalition which is contesting seats across the UK in next months Euro elections.

. Police were called after the BNP reacted with hostility to No2EU campaigners handing out leaflets in close proximity to the regular BNP street stall in Carlisle. In an hour long standoff RMT/No2EU campaigners refused to be moved on by the BNP.

Shoppers told the No2 EU campaigners that they were delighted that at last someone had had the courage to stand up to the BNP on the streets of Carlisle.

ASLEF activist and No2EU candidate John Metcalfe said:

"The BNP have been leafletting Carlisle City Centre for months and obviously didn't take kindly to being exposed for the fascists that they are by our campaign. They were openly agressive and hostile and it didn't take long before the mask slipped and they started shouting fascist slogans."

Craig Johnston, from RMT Executive and another member of the No2EU slate, added:

"I have lived and worked in and loved the city of Carlisle for 45 years. No one is going to intimidate and harass me off the streets of my home town."

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary and convenor of No2EU, said:

"RMT members and No2EU supporters will not bow to intimidation from the BNP in Carlisle or anywhere else in the country. What today's incident proves is that the BNP are worried about the socialist message of No2EU and it's appeal to voters who are sick of the political elite in the UK and in the EU. No2EU is the only left-wing group challenging the BNP on the streets for the votes of the angry and the disaffected on June 4th. We will be stepping up our campaign in the coming weeks and offering voters a socialist alternative to the poison and hatred of the far right."

Repsonse that a brother had from his MP following May the 5th

The following is an email he received on the 6th of May, the day after.

Dear Robert,

Thank you for your green card yesterday and for your e-mail.

Unfortunately, I did not get your green card until 5.30pm and when I did I checked to see if you had contacted me previously and uncovered your e-mail which had got caught in the House of Commons spam filter and therefore had not come to my attention.

I am sorry therefore that I wasn't able to meet you as I would have liked to have done so.

However, this morning I have written to the Rail Minister on your behalf and have sent a copy of my letter in the post to you. As soon as I receive a reply I will send it on to you straight away.

Thank you again for trying to contact me. I am sorry that I wasn't there to see you, but hopefully your concerns will land on the Minister's desk for his consideration.

Best wishes,

Philip

Philip Hollobone MP
Member of Parliament for the Kettering Constituency
House of Commons
LONDON SW1A 0AA
Tels: 01536 414715 / 020 7219 8373 / 07979 850126
E-mail: hollobonep@parliament.uk

Below is a copy of the letter mentioned in the above email, this was received by our brother on the 9th of May, click on it to enlarge it.

No 2 Eu Yes to Democracy!

May the 5th 2009 RMT Rally at Westminster.

"People's Railway" Campaign Rally 05/05/09

Following the announcement by Network Rail on work bank deferral's, an extraordinary meeting was called and held at the RMT's headquarters at Unity House in Chalton Street in London. Union representatives from all of the renewals companies were present at the meeting.

RMT Headquarters Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JD

The main topic was how the union would respond to the announcement of a 28% cut in the work bank. By this stage 450 jobs were to go at Jarvis and 350 were going at Babcock, and that was just for starters.

Banners against the Lisbon Treaty and Job Cuts in London Transport adorning Unity House.

It was agreed that urgent action was required and sooner than later, it was announced that the union would be balloting all of its member's within the renewals companies on industrial action on this issue. And it was agreed to combined it with the existing campaign against rail privatisation, using what ever methods were available to publicise the plight of rail workers. A rally on the 5th of May was organised.

RMT activist's setting up banners in preparation for the rally.

The rally was due to start at around 1330, with participants forming up at "old Palace Yard" at Westminster at 1300.

Cardiff RMT activist's setting up banners in preparation for the rally.

From 1300 until about 1430 we noisily demonstrated, with horns, pacards, and flags. When demonstrator's got a positive indication from a member of the public, or a passing motorist it resulted in a flurry of horn blowing.

Demonstrator's at the Old Palace Yard forming up for the Rally.

Just after 1430, the rally moved of towards the visitor's entrance. Here we had to give up our placards, banners, and horns before entering. We all had to pass through the security screen, being photographed, then pass through metal detector's, personal effects passing through an xray machine. All before being finally admitted into parliament.

The visitor's entrance is near the base of the tower, with an access ramp leading down to the security suite where everyone had to pass through before being allowed into parliament.

From the security suite we made our way around to the main entrance of Westminster Hall. An imposing space, which certainly has a humbling feel, you can feel the weight of the centuries. We crossed to the far end and up the stairs turning left down a shortish corridor into the central lobby. We were in parliament proper.


Short video clip of Westminster Hall.

From the Central Lobby area, we made our way to Committee Room 14. Once everyone had filed in and were seated, a number a speakers addressed those that were gathered.

"The Gladstone Room" Committee Room 14.

Amongst notable figures there were Bob Crow General Secretary of the RMT, Mick Cash Assistant General Secretary of the RMT, Rt Hon John McDonald MP, Rt Hon Kelvin Hopkins MP for Luton North, Rt Hon Jim Dobbin MP for Heywood and Middleton, Rt Hon Alan Simpson MP for Nottingham South, and Stephen Joseph from the Campaign for Transport were just some.

Kelvin Hopkins

"It is time that industries like transport were brought back into the common ownership. Rather than continuing with privateers running the show and robbing the public of this country blind."

Jim Dobbin

"Rail jobs are green jobs! Transport in its many forms in this country accounts for something like twenty five percent of the UK's carbon dioxide emission's. Rail transport itself produces around only a third of the level of emission's that road haulage and private cars produce."

John McDanald

"Even after tkaing into account the difference in the value of money today as compared to twelve to fifteen years ago. It cost's four to five time's the amount of money to relay a mile of track now as it did under BR"

Alan Simpson

"Many of the companies within the Rail Industry are starting to actively seek to renegotiate their contracts, threatening that they will just walk away if they dont get more favourable terms. More and bigger subsidies from the Government, and the Taxpayer to bear more of the burden if things take a downturn. Rail Transport should be taken back into public ownership, it doesnt need to cost the taxpayer a penny. When the contracts, and franchises come up for rernewal, we just take them back."

Bob Crow

"Remember when you lobby your MP, that many MP's rediscover their political principles when it comes round to an election. But if they wont listen and deliver what the people want then its perhaps time that we set up a new political party that truely represents the working class people of this country, we did it once, and we can do it again. MP's ignore us at their peril, what goes around, comes around."


Committee Room 14

After the meeting in Committee Room 14 closed, everyone retired to the Central Lobby of Parliament to undertake the important business of lobbying their MP's. Those that hadn't already obtained an appointment to see their MP's, filled out Green cards to their MP's and had to wait to see if they were available.


Central Lobby.

Images of Westminster.

May the 5th, RMT Rally for a "People's Railway"

Below are the scanned pages from a booklet produced for the rally on May 5th and the lobbying of parliament.

Click on images below to enlarge them.

RMT News Alert - Your Job. Your conditions. Your Safety. Please support your union's demonstration and lobby of Parliament on 5th May

Dear Colleague

Your Job. Your conditions. Your Safety. Please support your union’s demonstration and lobby of Parliament on 5th May

This week I met with Secretary of Transport, Geoff Hoon, to urge him to intervene to stop the huge jobs losses that are taking place on the railways.

He was told that in last few months almost 4,000 job losses have been announced in every sector of the railways. These jobs are under threat despite the rail companies receiving big government subsidies and continuing to make huge profits.

Thousands of more jobs are under attack and rail bosses will also be using to recession to have a go at pay, conditions and pensions.

The cuts mean safety is also under threat. Network Rail is cutting back on the frequency of track inspections and has postponed a third of its planned track renewals. I have warned Geoff Hoon that conditions are being created for a serious derailment. There is the real danger of another Hatfield Potters Bar or Grayrigg.

We have now twice asked Network Rail to publish their report on whether the postponement of the track renewals programme raises safety risks and they have refused. What are they hiding?

And as the Train Operating companies cut back there will be less staff at stations and on trains with passengers, especially women more vulnerable. And we know all too well that the cuts will leave the public feeling angry and frustrated and when that happens it is often rail workers who end up as the punch bag.

Please support the demonstration and lobby of parliament on 5th May

If you want to make an appointment with your MP on 5 May, it is not too late. You can email them at http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/commons/l/ or call the House of Commons on 020 7219 3000.

Remember, if your MP is not free to meet you on 5 May it will be just as effective to ask to meet your MP in their constituency office. More information on the campaign can be found at, www.rmt.org.uk/peoplesrailway

I hope to see you on 5 May

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary

May Day for rail and tube as RMT steps up jobs figures campaign

As RMT rail engineering members at one of Network Rail’s key contractors, Jarvis, prepare to take industrial action next Tuesday May 5 2009 in response to plans by the company to axe 450 jobs, the union has sent out an eve of May Day pledge to defend jobs and services across the industry.

RMT members at Jarvis will refuse to carry out overtime for all shifts on Tuesday May 5 and will strike on the same day between 12.00 and 13.00hrs. May 5 has also been designated as a Day of Action by RMT and hundreds of rail workers and their supporters will descend on parliament to lobby MP’s over the planned jobs cull hitting rail and tube.


In a May Day message to members, RMT general secretary Bob Crow has sent out a clear warning to the government and the private companies in the rail industry that the union will step up the campaign against the growing attacks on jobs, services, safety and pay and conditions.


“On International Workers Day we salute RMT members at Jarvis who have joined with thousands of their brothers and sisters across the country in the fight for the right to work,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said.


“We are calling again on the government to intervene to stop the attack on jobs and working conditions on the railways and to call to account the private companies who are jacking up fares by as much as 11% with one hand while hitting their staff with the other.


“And on Boris Johnsons first anniversary as London Mayor we’ve got a message for him as well – call off the planned cuts in jobs on the Tube and at TfL and pay our cleaners on the Underground the London Living Wage of £7.45 a hour that you have promised them,” Bob Crow said.

Tuesday 5th May 2009

Click on image to enlarge.

National Rally and Lobby of Parliament for a Publicly Owned People’s Railway

Defend rail and tube jobs services: national rally and lobby of parliament for a publicly owned people’s railway, Tuesday May 5

Rail bosses are using the recession as an excuse to attack jobs and conditions and cut back on services and essential rail works. Thousands of jobs are being threatened or have been lost. At the same time rail fat cats are raking in big profits and bonuses on the back of the most expensive fares in Europe. Make no mistake: as the recession worsens so will the attack on rail workers and rail services.

Join the national demonstration and lobby of parliament to demand

· An end to cuts in rail jobs and services. A freeze in shareholder dividends with all profits instead invested to protect services and jobs.

· An urgent industry-wide programme so our railways can provide a green stimulus to the economy to help fight the economic downturn.

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

Rally and Lobby Details

1.00: Assemble and demonstrate outside Houses of Parliament (nearest tube Westminster)

2.00. Rally in Committee Room 14, Houses of Parliament

3.30 Lobby Your MP

If you intend to lobby your MP write as soon as possible to make an appointment to meet them on the day. I attach a model message you can use to send to your MP. You can find out who your MP is and send an email by clicking on http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/commons/l/. You can also ring your MP on the House of Commons switchboard 020 7219 3000.

Visit www.rmt.org.uk to download other lobby and campaign material and click on the link below to look at the Early Day Motion 1271 in support of the campaign tabled by the Convenor of the RMT Parliamentary Group, John McDonnell MP.

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=38395&SESSION=899

Join the rally. Defend Jobs. Defend Services. For a People’s Railway

Bob Crow

RMT General Secretary

Rail Against Privatisation (Part 1)

Rail Against Privatisation (Part 2)

FREE MANSOUR OSANLOO

This is a video clip about an Iranian tradeunion activist, he's never been anti-government, merely he only crime is has been to fight for improvement of the working conditions of his fellow workers on the buses in Iran.