RENATIONALISE THE GREAT WESTERN!

RMT is calling for the renationalisation of the Great Western franchise after the government handed an extension to FirstGroup, underwritten by a multimillion- pound taxpayer subsidy, on the bogus grounds of “delays with issuing tender documents”. The latest ‘scandalous and expensive’ fiasco on Great Western comes despite First Group having served notice on the contract to avoid a payout of more than £800 million to the government. The next contract for the franchise was due to begin on April 1 next year but it is likely to be put back to the summer because of what the government is spinning as “delays”. As an indicator of the level of the chaos surrounding the process, the Department for Transport has refused to confirm a new start date. As a result, despite pulling the pin on the contract to dodge £800 million of payments due to the taxpayer, trains will continue to be operated by FirstGroup, with multi-million pound public subsidies. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that it was a symptom of the chaos caused by the McNulty threat to jobs and services, pressure from MPs along the route and a massive delay in the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) contract. “This latest fiasco on Britain’s railways will cost the taxpayer a small fortune and will have FirstGroup laughing all the way to the bank as they benefit from a multi-million pound windfall on the back of this shambles. “The case for renationalising to avoid this kind of franchising chaos is now overwhelming – if the tax-payer is funding this route then why shouldn’t they own it?,” he said. The campaign against the McNulty report has hit home with a lot of Lib Dem and Tory MPs in the West Country and there is disquiet about the extent of job losses and ticket office closures, which is undermining backbench support for the franchise bidding process as they recognise the public outrage at the poisonous combination of cuts and profiteering. The £4.5 billion IEP contract for 596 carriages means that there is to be a fundamental shift, compared to other franchises, in the franchise bidding process. The huge importance of the IEP project means that Agility Trains will have to assist bidders in developing their proposals. A planned six months of design development, before ‘design freeze’, for the new rolling stock will coincide with the franchise bidding, which could result in Agility having to contend with four bidders who could all have radically different opinions on how the Hitachi trains could be improved. To avoid Agility wasting time on bids that have little chance of success, it is envisaged that the DfT may weed out the weaker bidders. RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september 2012 :: RMTnews 7 RMT is balloting crew working on the Mitie contract on First Great Western for both strike action and action short of a strike over the blatant victimisation of union representative Sharon Petrie. The ballot, of more than a hundred staff ranging from on-train cleaners to the crew emptying the sewage tanks, will will close on September 7 2012. RMT Representative Sharon Petrie was suspended by Mitie after baseless and unsubstantiated allegations while carrying out the duties of a union rep. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the allegations were unfounded, spurious and discriminatory and it was clear that she is being targeted due to her trade union activities. “Sharon has shown enormous courage in the past by standing up over pay problems and staff welfare. “She has also assisted her colleagues with getting warm clothing for the winter months, helped to alleviate excess work expectations and always tried to achieve fairness at work. “RMT will not stand by while our reps are attacked in this fashion and we are calling for a strong yes vote for action as we take Sharon Petrie’s campaign for justice forward,” he said. RENATIONALISE THE GREAT WESTERN! RMT demands renationalisation of Great Western franchise as it slides into tax-payer sponsored chaos MITIE FGW VICTIMISATION BALLOT