FIGHTING FOR SAFETY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2018 :: RMTnews 4 Hundreds of RMT members, MPs, disabled activists and supporters from across the country staged a vibrant protest outside Parliament on the second anniversary of the fight to defend the guard on Southern before packing out a meeting in the House of Commons. Guards also took further rock solid strike action earlier this month on Arriva Rail North and Greater Anglia and the battle continues on Merseyrail and South Western Railways. RMT general secretary Mick Cash congratulated members for their continuous show of strength and solidarity throughout the dispute. " The union also thanks the travelling public for their support and understanding throughout our campaign to put safety and access to services for everyone using our railways right at the top of the agenda,” he said. In a powerful address to the rally in parliament Labour Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald congratulated the “defiant stance” of the union, telling workers that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling was “a very worried man”. “The government’s stance is totemic. Grayling is running a rail system that does not deliver competition, does not deliver value, and is collapsing. “It shows what slavish, profit-driven ideology is at work here. The guard’s role is not about pushing a button. This is about security. It’s about sex attacks and hate crimes. It’s about accessibility. Railway employers can choose to ignore this at their peri,” he said. Reminding everyone that the broad opinion of the whole country is behind the guards, he assured train guards of the support of the Labour Party to sustained applause. In an equally moving and passionate speech Shadow Rail Minister Rachel Maskell praised RMT for inspiring all other workers and said that “the reason why there is a dispute is because Chris Grayling wants a dispute, but we can tell Chris Grayling there is only one of him and hundreds and hundreds of members across our railways who will not tolerate his behaviour and will stand up to him at every step of this journey. “And I am proud to stand with you today and over the coming weeks and months in solidarity, and you have to keep going, let’s keep up the pressure, keep up the good work and lets win the strike,” she said. Liverpool MP Dan Carden who has worked tirelessly on behalf of Merseyrail members was proud of the real change in the Labour Party supporting industrial disputes. “Isn’t it incredible that the Labour front bench is addressing this meeting, and backing the RMT wholeheartedly?” he asked. Emily Yates from the Association of British Commuters read out a message from Ann Bates OBE who thanked RMT for defending the right to safe accessibility that can only be guaranteed by having the second safety critical member of staff on board. She also told the Daily Politics show that the government was behind the drive to de-staff trains as outlined in the McNulty report launched back in 2011. MPs Ian Lavery, Ian Mearns, FIGHTING FOR SAFETY Rally in parliament marks two-year battle on Southern to defend safety Getting the message accross