PARLIAMENTARY COLUMN

Parliamentary column RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: june 2011 :: RMTnews 9 My debate in the Commons on East Coast Main Line's decision to transfer Customer Contact jobs from Baron House, Newcastle to Mumbai, India was timetabled to perfection, coincidentally. It took place on the day of the release of Sir Roy McNulty's report on why Britain's railways cost more than other European railways and when he recommended yet further fragmentation of our rail network. This failed to consider seriously the benefits of reintegrating the railways under public ownership or why billions of pounds are drained from the industry in profits to the private train companies. The purpose of the debate was to ensure that the government could not evade responsibility on the threat to 180 jobs on Tyneside. I wanted to highlight the ridiculous scenario whereby a state-owned company— supported by millions of pounds of taxpayer subsidy—is pursuing a policy of exporting jobs to exploit cheaper labour abroad whilst throwing local people on to the dole in an unemployment black spot. This is simply the latest cut to East Coast Main Line operations, in order to make it more attractive to potential bidders when it is put up for re-privatisation. I wanted to place the threat to jobs at Baron House within the context of McNulty's report and East Coast Main Line's place in the chaotic structure of the privatised railways. I fear that the scandalous decision to close the East Coast call centre is just a microcosm of what is to come if the McNulty recommendations are implemented. The whole thrust of McNulty has parallels with the banking crisis. The big banks and corporate finance bought the economy to its knees, yet continue to make handsome profits while ordinary people suffer job losses, pay freezes, attacks on their pensions and the destruction of public services. Similarly the privatised rail industry has resulted in a tripling of public subsidy and huge fare increases. Rail workers and passengers will be asked to pay the price of this while rail industry fat cats get even fatter. So while rail workers are told they should no longer expect pay increases, McNulty says nothing about stopping the billions of pounds paid out to shareholders. While nearly every grade of rail worker is threatened with redundancy, McNulty proposes the creation of new rail industry quangos, staffed by chief executives from the same companies who have made such a mess of our railways. While passengers are asked to pay more for fares, Train Operating Companies will be given more "commercial freedom" to cut services and pack even more people onto trains. But we can save our railways. In my experience, the public want more not fewer staff at ticket offices and on stations and trains. They want to be reassured that our railway infrastructure is well maintained and operated by adequate numbers of maintenance and operations staff. New technology is important, but it is no substitute for the skills and experience of rail workers. And passengers and the wider public also know that rail privatisation has been one of the biggest rip-offs and public policy failures of modern times which is why opinion polls consistently show overwhelming support for re- nationalisation of the railways. The fight for the future of our railways has begun and I along with other members of the RMT Parliamentary Group are with you all the way on this journey. Ian Mearns Labour MP for Gateshead SAVE OUR RAILWAYS would like to be featured please email a quote to sophie.allain@bettertransport.org.uk We have a directory of local groups so that people can find others who are already campaigning on buses. If you have a new group and would like to be listed for others to see in our directory contact laura.fenn@bettertransport.org.uk We also provide research materials to help campaigners make the case for the social, economic and environmental value of buses - available from our web site. If you want help or advice on media work our communications team would be happy to help. Contact alice.ridley@ bettertransport.org.uk. We also user twitter @SaveOurBuses_UK and on facebook we can be found at facebook.com/bettertransport If you are involved in a group and you would like us to send you materials such as flyers please email: sophie.allain@bettertransport.org.uk. We are working with youth organisations on a campaign video project. If you know of a young person who would like to get involved you get more information at the ‘Don’t Make Me Miss the Bus’ webpage at bettertransport.org.uk. The campaign launched with lots of media attention and has a number of different areas of work. We lobby decision-makers from local councillors to cabinet ministers. We work with other organisations to show that buses have broad based support. We use the press and television media as well as social media and the internet to get our message out there. We offer support to local campaigners and we continue to research bus cuts across the country. The best way to get more detail about the campaign activities is to check our buses blog on the website. For example you will see from the blog that we have been helping a bus user take forward a legal challenge against Cambridgeshire County Council who decided to cut all bus subsidies. If you have further questions about the campaign do get in touch.