DEFEND THE GUARD

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2015 :: RMTnews 12 Stop Driver Only Operation (DOO) and defend the guard! was the message from the 2015 Traincrew and shunters conference meeting in Portsmouth. Regional organiser Craig Johnston delivered a passionate update about the campaign he is spearheading against the introduction of DOO in the north. Craig said that the guard supervises train evacuation and was, therefore, a key safety function which was being undermined. “The train operating companies want to take away the cost of the guard and we will be left with an army of agency staff on zero-hour, minimum wage contracts,” he said. Craig spoke of the need to organise these staff within to the union so that RMT can argue for them to be employed on proper terms and conditions. Craig also recalled Bob Crow telling Sir Roy McNulty that privatised railways cost three to four times the amount of a nationalised one and so why did he not consider re-nationalising the railways? “McNulty replied that this was not his remit, thus proving that this is an ideologically driven campaign against terms and conditions rather than being about value for money as it has been portrayed,” he said. Craig told of how the campaign to defend Northern rail services, safety and jobs had seen a huge response with over twenty thousand completed postcards being returned to the DfT and of gaining the support of 50 MPs. “We are involved in one hell of a battle for the safety and security of this industry. “We will be going around the marginal seats in the north and taking this message to the voters that it is not just this issue but the privatisation of the industry that causes these on- costs that mean that these savings need to be made. “We need to convince them of the reality. “We need to tell our members in the rest rooms that they need to go get off their backsides to protect their jobs,” he said. Ritchie Veitch, Edinburgh and Portobello backed complete opposition to DOO. “There is a possibility of their being nine or 10 car sets in service with just one member of staff being on-board. “The success of the Northern and TPE campaign is very impressive but more action is required to see guards retained and for 2015 to be the year of the fight-back,” he said. Jim Buchannan, Dorset Rail said that the union stood “shoulder to shoulder” on the issue. “This is the first tranche of DEFEND THE GUARD Traincrew and shunters conference calls for fight against Driver Only Operation