PRESIDENTS COLUMN

It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as your president for the last three years and congratulations your new incoming president John Leach. I am particularly proud to have served a union that leads the way as a progressive and challenging organisation that is not afraid to stand up for working people everywhere. RMT policies have led the way in industrial matters and on political environment and social issues. The advent of so-called ‘globalisation’ has had a negative impact on our members through downward pressure on wages and job cuts. RMT has been at the forefront of the battle against this trend and has fought against the European arm of this phenomenon, known as the European Union. EU directives, drawn up by unelected and remote EU institutions, have attacked the many services that working people rely on. Transport directives are privatising ferry and rail services across the EU. While pensions, postal services and healthcare are also being forced into the private sector by EU diktat to enhance profits for the few. The services directive also threatens to hand over a whole range of essential services to the corporate carpetbaggers and asset strippers, if they are allowed to get away with it. Nevertheless, resistance to this process is growing and, I am proud to say, RMT is not afraid to be a part of that challenge and deal with the issues of our times effectively. More and more people recognise that the private sector is not providing the services or efficiency promised by the Tories and Tony Blair’s clique. Just look at the West Coast Mainline debacle where Virgin was given £590 million in extra subsidy than planned. It is clear that this kind of profiteering will not produce an increase in capacity our environment demands. The deregulated bus industry also continues to decline and all the evidence points to the need for regulation and democratic control of this important sector. Bringing rail maintenance back-in- house has already played a major role in Network Rail’s efficiency gains. While the operating profit made by Network Rail will be ploughed back into the industry – it’s a pity it isn’t the same for train operations. We still have to endure the spectacle of train operating companies siphoning millions of taxpayers’ money out of the industry in return for providing a generally poor service. With this level of corporate greed, just imagine how much worse it would be for transport workers if their union was not there to fight for their interests. RMT’s determination to defend working people is directly reflected by the fact that we are the fastest growing union in Britain. That is something we can all be proud of. I have enjoyed my term of office. But there is one major disappointment, it is the distinct lack of progress of realising RMT’s long- held policy regarding the need for a single union for rail workers. The arguments for such a body are overwhelming and the benefits are self-evident. The removal of sectional interests and the greater unity of workers are honourable goals and I still believe they can be achieved for the betterment of all transport workers. Thanks again to everyone that has helped me do my job and good luck for the future. Tony Donaghey, retiring RMT President President’s column Unity and progress www.rmt.org.uk :: december 2006 :: RMTnews 31 G ermany’s ruling coalition of conservative Christian Democrats and Social Democrats have finally reached agreement on the full privatisation of national rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB), by 2009. Following serious disagreements about implementing EU rules and splitting infrastructure and train operations, the government will continue to own the 34,000km of track and 5,500 stations - but not take on DB’s debt. Unions have called off industrial action following a promise of no direct dismissals until 2010. But they are still concerned that up to 80,000 jobs could go thereafter despite a 2005 union agreement protecting 130,000 of DB’s 230,000 jobs. Full details of the initial sell-off, which probably will involve up to 49.9 per cent of DB, are expected in the spring. Meanwhile, stations and booking offices are closing and fares have gone up for the third time in two years. T he Estonian government has announced plans to buy back Estonian Railway (Eesti Raudtee), the transport company it sold a 66 per cent stake in only five years ago. The government has said that private investors in Baltic Rail Services, the company that bought Estonian Railway, had failed to meet their financial obligations. Economy Minister Edgar Savisaar signed an agreement on October 18 to re-nationalise Estonian Railway by purchasing the remaining 66 per cent of the company for 2.4 billion kroons. He said that re-purchasing the railway was important in terms of international policy and Estonia’s domestic affairs, given that the rail route is primarily a trade connection with Russia. As its first step, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said the government would consider raising cargo fees charged by Estonian Railway to pay for infrastructure improvements. “The investments made so far are not sufficient, and due to the sell-off, Baltic Rail Services lost the moral duty to invest in the railway too,” he said. GERMANY SET FOR RAIL SELL-OFF ESTONIA RENATIONALISES RAIL NETWORK