NORTHERN RAIL HANDED TO DEUTSCHE BAHN

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2016 :: RMTnews 7 RMT marked the first day of Arriva, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, taking over the Northern Rail franchise by exposing the nonsense of German state operator DB taking over services at the expense of investment in British railways. RMT also ramped up the campaign against the threat of Driver Only Operation, the sacking of the guards, to rail safety, jobs and front line passenger services. RMT handed out leaflets in Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds where activists raised ceremonial German State flags to symbolise the contradiction of a government opposed to British state ownership of our railways but allowing the German state to bleed franchises dry. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it may have been April Fool’s Day but it was no joke for railways across the North to have their services set up for plundering by Deutsche Bahn at the expense of investment here. “It makes a total mockery of George Osborne’s “Northern Powerhouse” nonsense. “This rotten Tory government, opposed to British public ownership of our railways, have now awarded the Northern franchise to the German state railway company giving them the opportunity to bleed away millions in profits to subsidise their domestic operations,” he said. A German Transport Ministry spokesperson admitted to such a strategy in reference to its state- owned company Deutsche Bahn saying: “We're skimming profit from the entire Deutsche Bahn and ensuring that it is anchored in our budget - that way we can make sure it is invested in the rail network here in Germany”. On top of that safe operation is threatened as DB swing the axe over the heads of safety- critical members and RMT said that it would be stepping up the fight to defend those jobs, defend quality services and demand public ownership and a People’s Railway for the North. Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn has pledged his full support for the campaign over Northern Rail jobs, services and safety. Union vows to fight to protect guards, rail safety, jobs and services NORTHERN RAIL HANDED TO DEUTSCHE BAHN