RMT STEPS UP CAMPAIGN TO SAVE NATIONAL EXPRESS JOBS

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: february 2009 :: RMTnews 8 T he public campaign against plans by National Express East Anglia to slash 300 jobs was taken to commuters arriving at London’s Liverpool Street station recently and they signed up in their droves to protect their passenger services. Norwich North MR Ian Gibson and RMT general secretary Bob Crow were among the campaigners handing out postcards for commuters. Passengers were asked to tell National Express East Anglia chief executive Andrew Chivers that the company’s plans are unacceptable because they would reduce passenger security, destroy award-winning catering facilities, reduce the help available to disabled passengers, make access to service information more difficult, and result in dirty trains. Mr Gibson has tabled a commons motion 436 condemning the cuts, which has already been signed by many MPs, and is seeking a meeting with Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon. “We are stepping up the pressure on National Express. Colleagues and I will be meeting with Geoff Hoon to seek his view on the company breaking the franchise. “What National Express is doing is unacceptable. It is contrary to the statement they made on services when they signed the franchise. “We support the RMT and the workers and we will do all that is possible to stop these job cuts that will reduce service to save private profit,” said Mr Gibson who recently joined RMT’s parliamentary group. Passengers are angry that rail privateers like National Express have been systematically draining huge sums of cash out of the industry as profits while seeking to cut staff and services. When National Express took over the franchise it promised to improve customer services and information, retain kitchen facilities on London-Norwich trains and put more staff on stations and trains, but now it is doing the opposite. National Express Group has so far paid out £40.2 million in shareholder dividends in 2008 and presided over a six per cent increase in rail ticket prices. THE PROPOSED CUTS • Loss of 242 jobs and freezing of 61 vacancies (total of 303 jobs, which could increase to 315) • Norwich customer contact centre to close and the function transferred to Newcastle and National Rail Enquiry Service. • Removal of restaurant services from Norwich Trains on the intercity service • Substantial decrease in on-train revenue collection and protection on Stansted Express services with a reduction in staff numbers from 45 to 25 • Removal of safety critical train dispatch jobs at several stations • Staff cuts include: 3 drivers, 11 cleaners, 44 caterers, 53 retail staff, 19 Stansted Express train crew, 7 workshop engineering staff , 73 call centre staff, 4 revenue-protection staff, 14 HQ support and 15 area support staff PROMISES MADE BY NATIONAL EXPRESS WHEN SIGNING THE FRANCHISE National Express Group gave the following commitments in January 2004: • Improved booking office facilities and new customer information systems. • Opening of a new Customer Service Academy in the region providing a dedicated training facility for all employees of the Greater Anglia franchise focusing on continuous improvements in customer service. • London to Norwich trains will continue to offer catering facilities from on-board kitchens. • Appointment of a Customer Service Director for the region to oversee the delivery of customer benefits within the franchise as well as the appointment of a quality audit team to monitor standards. • Recruitment of 40 additional customer- facing roles at stations and on trains improving communication with passengers. RMT STEPS UP CAMPAIGN TO SAVE NATIONAL EXPRESS JOBS Norwich MR Ian Gibson joins campaigners at Liverpool Street