NO TO DRIVER-ONLY OPERATION

18 The union’s traincrew and shunting grades annual conference meeting in Newcastle was dominated by the very real threat of a growing drive towards driver only operation and the brave battle being waged by RMT members on Scotrail fighting attempts to bulldoze through DOO on the new Airdrie- Bathgate route. Conference bitterly condemned Scotrail for its cynical mobilisation of a “scab-army” of managers from First’s transport operations the length and breadth of the UK who had been drafted in at huge expense in a desperate effort to break the strike. Executive committee member Craig Johnson launched a savage attack on the “conspiracy” between First Scotrail and Scottish Government politicians which had not only stitched up the plans to axe the guards in secret but which had gifted £300,000 in taxpayers money to “bankroll the scabbing operation”. Scottish regional organiser Ian MacIntryre brought fraternal greetings to the conference direct from the Scotrail dispute and, along with Scottish delegates who spoke about the rock solid loyalty of our members in the teeth of outright intimidation, received a standing ovation that shook the room. Assistant general secretary Pat Sikorksi took the conference through the current position with regard to the defence of the role of the guard and where the battle lines have been drawn with the Train Operating Companies as the national “Keep the Train Safe – Keep the Guard on the Train” campaign is rolled out. Pat warned that the TOC’s are at the start of the process of ripping up the 2001 agreement on DOO and that “what is happening at Scotrail today will hit the rest of the country tomorrow”. Pat also picked up the theme about the strike-breaking tactics of the First Group and the very clear parallel with BA’s strategy for trying to break their cabin crew staff in their dispute. The latest phase of RMT’s “Keep the Train Safe” campaign has seen a letter sent out to the vast majority of the TOC’s setting out a firm timetable for them to come back to the union with concrete assurances that they will abide by existing agreements on DOO and reinforce their commitments to the retention of guards. Pat Sikorski told the conference that if the companies fail to give those assurances there will be an aggregated ballot for action with one ballot paper and the same questions the length and breadth of the country. “The message from Scotrail is clear – they are coming for us all. “But our response is that the guards are here to stay and if that TOC’s don’t like that they can take a long run off a very short plank,” he said. A motion from Liverpool 5 branch, condemning a deal done by the ASLEF on Merseyrail over the move to DOO was also carried unanimously. Delegates angrily attacked the ASLEF organisation for “selling out guards jobs for a few quid” and for actively putting RMT guards out of work whilst at the same time trying to recruit guards into membership. It was agreed that this matter would be taken up by the union at national level. RMT President Alex Gordon set out the wider-ranging priorities of the union and talked about the significance of the dispute with Network Rail over the attack on jobs and safe working practices for all grades. Alex spoke about the horrific situation facing our members at Jarvis who were facing the prospect of the dole as their employer slid into administration. “That is why it is so important that this union continues to develop strategies to resist the attacks on our members wherever they come from. “The situation at Scotrail, Jarvis and on Network Rail also reinforces the importance of RMT as an industrial union, equipped to support all workers in our industry,” he said. Other motions dealt with issues through from adverse weather payments through to cuts to services on the East Coast Mainline and the prospects for extending electrification. The common theme was the continuous penny-pinching by the train operators as they strive to jack up their continuing profits and shareholders dividends from rail privatisation. A motion on the abuse of CCTV equipment by employers as a weapon to attack their staff was carried unanimously. Delegates from across the country told the conference how CCTV, which was originally introduced as a tool in the fight against crime and for staff and public safety, was now being routinely abused as a way of threatening and disciplining staff. CCTV is also being used as an excuse to get rid of actual staff rather than being seen as a supporting system in the fight for safety. The motion called on the union to stamp out the misuse of CCTV by the TOC’s and the platform confirmed that RMT will take the issue up nationally. NO TO DRIVER-ONLY OPERATION The Traincrew and shunters grades conference meeting in Newcastle saluted RMT members at Scotrail battling to prevent the introduction of DOO RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: april 2010 :: RMTnews