RMT press releases

TUBE UNION RMT said today that in a ballot of staff working on London Underground’s “Trainpeople” agency contract members have voted unanimously for strike action over the termination of a deal which will dump dozens of staff on the dole and which makes a mockery of regulations which were supposed to protect the employment rights of agency staff.

Rail union RMT today challenged the Government to come clean over the real reasons for a three year delay in crucial rail fleet replacement programmes, delays that are both unnecessary and which continue to threaten the future of the UK train building industry.

TUBE BOSSES today stood accused of “lying through their teeth” over the effect of industrial action being taken by train drivers to protect passenger safety on the capital’s Bakerloo line.

Since January 15, Bakerloo drivers in RMT and Aslef have been physically checking that trains are empty of passengers before moving into sidings, after LUL stopped station staff checking carriages.

20 years after legislation paving the way for the privatisation of Britain’s railways was passed by John Major’s Tory Government on the 19th January 1993, rail union RMT has set out the case for public ownership with a pledge to step up the campaign for renationalisation:

• Privatisation has cost passengers more. Since 1995 the average ticket price has increased by 22% in real terms. Britain has Europe’s highest commuter fares for both day returns and season tickets.

33 RMT London Underground “Trainpeople” staff – who face the prospect of dismissal this week - took their demo right to the heart of the company that treated them so appallingly today.

The sacked workers and their supporters were at St James Park station on Tuesday 15th January at 8am where they set up a soup kitchen to highlight their plight and build public and political support for their fight for jobs and justice.

From General Secretary Bob Crow

In my circular No NP/185/12 dated 10th August 2012 (Sick Workers and Annual Leave Ref: LA/185/12) I set out members’ entitlement to receive payment or carry over their leave entitlement where they had been unable to take this due to illness.

This was as a result of the decision of the Court of Appeal that, regardless of whether a worker is employed by a public or private employer, if a worker is unable or unwilling to take the four weeks’ annual leave conferred by regulation 13 of the Working Time Regulations owing to sickness (i) he or she must be allowed to take it at another time

TUBE UNION RMT said today that it is to ballot all staff working on London Underground’s “Trainpeople” agency contract for strike action over the termination of a deal which will dump dozens of staff on the dole and which makes a mockery of regulations which were supposed to protect the employment rights of agency staff.

Today, RMT London Underground “Trainpeople” staff – who face the prospect of dismissal this week - are taking their demo right to the heart of the company that treated them so appallingly this Tuesday.

Rail, maritime and transport union RMT announced today that the organisation has continued to increase its membership in the past twelve months in the teeth of the most savage attacks on jobs and working conditions for a generation.

Membership figures released by the union today show that RMT has put on a net gain of 1456 members through 2012, taking the total to 77,549 – an annual growth of nearly 2% in the most challenging circumstances.

The union has increased its membership year-on-year from the 59,277 total when General Secretary Bob Crow was elected in 2002

The Transport Committee report sets out their vision for the railway by 2020. The report endorses the 'quest' for a more efficient railway but raises concerns about safety, staffing and the protection of passenger interests.

Responding to today’s House of Commons Transport Committee Report on Rail 2020, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

"Whilst this report reinforces once again that our railways are nothing more than a multi-billion pound rip off lining the pockets of a bunch of spivs and speculators it ducks the real issue, and that's the cast-iron case for public ownership.

As people prepare for the first day back to work, rail campaigners are today (Wednesday) warning that commuters face yet another year of inflation-busting fare increases and service cuts.

Train fares will increase by 3.9 per cent, on average, from today with some passengers facing hikes of up to 10 per cent on their journeys, says the TUC.

Research published last month by the TUC’s Action for Rail campaign shows that average train fares have risen nearly three times faster than average wages since the beginning of the recession in 2008.