In a New Year's message in advance of next phase of action on Northern and South West Railway RMT's Mick Cash says union will step up fight for publicly owned, safe and accessible transport services in 2019.

In a New Year's message in advance of the next phase of action on Northern and South West Railway RMT's Mick Cash says union will step up fight for publicly owned, safe and accessible transport services in 2019

General Secretary Mick Cash said;

"Throughout 2018 RMT members have fought for the principles of a publicly-owned, safe and accessible transport network for all. In 2019 we will be stepping up that campaign as the Tory Government teeters on the brink and the prospect of sweeping away years of private greed and austerity ‎grows by the day.

"I want to pay particular tribute to RMT  members on Northern and South Western Railway who will be striking again this weekend ‎and on New Year's Eve in a long-running battle to put public safety before private profit. They are a credit to the entire trade union movement.

"We have major pay campaigns looming large on our agenda early in the New Year, notably on Network Rail and London Underground, and the union has made it absolutely clear that we will not accept any attempt to undermine our members' standard of living and that we will fight to ensure that those standards are both protected and enhanced.

"From the railways to the offshore and shipping industry and through to the buses and road transport RMT has fought against a tide of cuts, privatisation and for the principles of workplace justice for all. That fight will ratchet up as we head into the New Year."