RMT FIGHTS THREATENED CLOSURE OF BABCOCK RAIL DEPOT IN NEWCASTLE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2011 :: RMTnews 7 R MT taxi drivers in Solihull demonstrated in the town centre recently against the local council’s undermining of the licensed hackney-cab trade by giving unfair advantage to the private-hire sector. The drivers marched to Solihull Town House in protest after the council created marshalled ‘mobile pick-up’ points for private-hire vehicles, while imposing ever- more draconian conditions on licensed taxis. The union said that imposing an unrealistic age-limit on purpose-built taxis and requiring two MOT tests a year on top of the existing stringent supplementary test, while allowing private-hire vehicles effectively to tout for trade on the streets, would kill off the licensed taxi service. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that taxi driver members were being driven out of town by a council that is making life as difficult as possible for the licensed trade while effectively making touting legal for private-hire vehicles. “The council says it has no money to conduct a survey on the town’s taxi needs, yet it is paying for marshals to facilitate private-hire vehicles picking up fares on what amount to ranks that ought to be for licensed taxis,” he said. Solihull’s 244 licensed taxi drivers have invested around £7 million in providing purpose-built taxis and have to pass knowledge exams, but they are being squeezed to the point that several have already been declared bankrupt or had their taxis repossessed. “That is shortsighted and all we are asking is for some fairness and co-operation from Solihull’s licensing office, and an end to the unfair advantage being given to a private-hire sector that is regulated far less rigorously,” said Bob. A round 30 MPs have signed up so far to Early Day Motion 1119 tabled by Gateshead MP Ian Mearns to save the Babcock Rail depot in Newcastle which is facing the threat of closure. The RMT parliamentary group MP has called on the government urgently to convene an industry summit which includes the trade unions to develop an integrated approach to enhance Britain's capacity and skills base rather than let the decline continue. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the closure plans were a shocking indictment of the lack of strategic rail planning, despite there clearly being a long-term demand for infra-structure renewals and upgrading. “Protecting skilled, engineering jobs in the north- east must be a political and industrial priority and the loss of all or part of the capacity at the Babcock Rail depot would be a hammer blow for the economy in Newcastle and beyond. “For these workers it’s the second time in less than twelve months that they have ended up with the axe hanging over their heads as most of these posts were transferred out of the collapsed Jarvis Rail company after RMT negotiated an arrangement to protect the jobs. “That is no way to treat experienced, skilled rail workers that we need to keep our trains running,” he said. RMT is also writing to MPs urging them to get involved in the wider battle for long-term, strategic rail planning that brings an end the continuing uncertainty in the industry. RMT FIGHTS THREATENED CLOSURE OF BABCOCK RAIL DEPOT IN NEWCASTLE EARLY DAY MOTION 1119 “That this House expresses concern that Babcock Rail's Newcastle-upon-Tyne depot is threatened with closure and that there is no guarantee of employment at current levels for the skilled railway infrastructure workers at the depot after March 2011; believes that the loss of these track renewal jobs would damage the North East economy and undermine capacity for future rail projects in the region; notes that there is appropriate rail infrastructure work in the area planned by Network Rail which could safeguard the depot and on which these workers could gainfully be employed; recognises that Britain lacks a long-term, co- ordinated strategy for railway infrastructure and engineering; and calls on the Government urgently to convene an industry summit which includes the trades unions to develop an integrated approach to enhance Britain's capacity and skills base.” Ian Mearns MP for of Gateshead SOLIHULL TAXI DRIVERS PROTEST OVER UNFAIR COMPETITION RMT taxi drivers demonstrate against Solihull’s unfair bias