FIGHTING FISCAL FASCISM

President’s column FIGHTING FISCAL FASCISM RMT is part of a growing movement increasingly seen as the real opposition to the dictatorship of Banksters and Eurocrats. Our general secretary, Bob Crow, re- elected unopposed again in November, is regarded by many as the real leader of the opposition to the cuts – or ‘fiscal consolidation’ as bankers call them – which threaten democracy and workers’ rights as fascism did in the 1930s. RMT members marched with a million workers, pensioners and students this year in London demanding an alternative to cuts and unemployment. On June 30 one million civil servants, teachers and lecturers took strike action defending pensions. On November 30 RMT members employed by Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Tyne and Wear Metro joined four million other public sector workers on strike for fair pensions. Of all British unions, RMT has been frankest criticising European Union privatisation dogma and the single European currency. Our AGM this year called for Britain to get out of the EU. Subsequent events have shown the wisdom of that decision. The SNP-led Scottish government’s recent announcement on the future of rail services in Scotland rang alarm bells for those who remember their 2010 ‘consultation’ on unbundling lifeline ferry services. This exercise facilitating cherry-picking of profitable routes, led publicly-owned Caledonian MacBrayne ferries to withdraw its Gourock-Dunoon service. The SNP is now taking another leaf out of the EU privatisation handbook. In March, the European Commission published a White Paper: ‘Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area’ demanding ‘market opening’ across all modes to allow transnational monopolies to cash in on taxpayer- funded public transport services. In November, the European parliament rubberstamped the Commission’s ‘recast’ rail liberalisation package establishing a ‘single European railway area’, designed to enforce fragmentation, separation and privatisation across Europe’s railways. ‘Transport Scotland’ rejects ownership and control of ScotRail by the Scottish people themselves and instead promotes fragmentation of rail services to create what it calls: “geographically or operationally distinct franchises, for example, the sleeper services, regional routes, all or some inter-urban services (such as Edinburgh-Glasgow).” As Bob Crow says: “This fits with the EU drive to break up national rail services and maximise opportunities for rip-off merchants from the private sector.” Or, as Robbie Burns nearly said over 200 years ago: “We are bought and sold for Euro gold' /Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!” Transport Minister, Justine Greening publishes the government ‘Command Paper’ on the McNulty proposals in the New Year. Bob has made RMT’s position clear. We oppose any attempt to fragment, reprivatise, or casualise railway workers’ jobs and we will fight all cuts to jobs and safety, through industrial action and politically with the message that McNulty is a threat to the safety of the travelling public. Working class communities are under unprecedented attack. In Portugal soldiers marched against austerity alongside trade unionists in November’s general strike. In Greece, trade unions held their 15th general strike on 1 December. But as workers fight back against dictatorship of the banks and financial institutions, there are worrying signs of creeping fiscal fascism. In Greece and Italy, governments have been appointed without a single democratically elected politician. In both countries former Goldman Sachs bankers responsible for cooking the books to negotiate entry to the ‘Euro’ single currency now hold power as Primeminister. The world is dividing between those who stand with the working class to defend the welfare state, public services and union rights, versus those who defend bankers and unelected ‘technocrats’ demanding an anti- democratic, European super state. I wish you, your family and friends a safe and a merry Xmas and a fighting New Year. To borrow a phrase from the Occupy Wall Street protesters: We are the 99%. They are the 1%. Alex Gordon RMT President RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2011 :: RMTnews 25 considerations. “Pressure for faster and more frequent trains, and the financial penalties for Network Rail and its Executives pay of any delays, led to unacceptable pressure on staff,” Bob said. “Network Rail, with the full knowledge of the Office of Rail Regulation, is still failing to provide adequate time and staff to complete proper patrols and maintenance required on the West Coast route. “There remain systemic problems which have failed to be addressed since this derailment. “We cannot wait for another derailment and another inquest to deal with these issues and now need an urgent public inquiry,” Bob said. South Lakes MP Tim Farron backed the inquest call and called on the government to act on the report and make sure that there was no repeat of the tragedy. RMT solicitor Chris Humphreys said that Network Rail had spent the entire Grayrigg inquest justifying the actions it had taken since the derailment in 2007, but having to admit that many of the fundamentals had still not been addressed. “The ORR reported to the coroner that it was only more recently that it had begun to get Network Rail's co-operation to deal with the 29 recommendations made by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.. “We have had the Potters Bar inquest so it is little wonder that there are calls for the prosecution of Network Rail. “What is clearly needed is an independent investigation and we need to know why it took over four years before Network Rail co- operated with the regulator. “Why is it only now that the regulator says it will consider whether there are grounds for a prosecution? “An independent investigation should consider the conduct of Network Rail as well as examining the role of the regulator and whether it is sufficiently independent of the industry. “The political and commercial pressures to accommodate faster and more frequent trains must be checked by independent scrutiny which puts safety first,” he said.