RMT LUL BALLOT

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2019 :: RMTnews 6 RMT has welcomed a new ‘We Own It’ poll showing clear majority for public ownership of rail with less than one in five saying that privatisation has been a success. On day the government Rail Review closed last month an RMT survey also revealed nine out of ten railway workers believe their company is more interested in making a profit than providing a service. The survey of rail workers by the largest rail union also found that nine out of 10 workers believed that the railways would work better as a single national unified organisation under public ownership. Worryingly, for safety and future industrial relations eight out of 10 Network Rail maintenance members feared that their company would seek to increase profits at the expense of jobs and conditions in the future. Eight out of 10 workers also felt that public ownership would lead to better industrial relations on the railways. There were hundreds of comments from RMT rail members, describing an industry in which the pursuit of private profit drives all decision making. COMMENTS INCLUDED: “Removing booked stops at stations for a service into London, thus inconveniencing and delaying passengers, just so the company minimises its delay minutes.” “The whole railway infrastructure is comprised of a ‘blame culture’ where every company is competing against others, and blaming each other for the problems arising instead of striving for one common goal.” “Lack of investment in routine maintenance stores up problems which then become problems for the day to day running of the trains, which then cost far more in the long run.” “The company has had a massive reduction in ticket office clerks. This is putting passengers last. It has caused very long waiting times at the ticket office but the company doesn’t seem to care.” RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that Chris Grayling commissioned the report to hide the failures of privatisation, rising fares and timetable chaos and his own incompetence as Transport Secretary. “Governments and rail companies come and go but railway workers remain working hard in often very difficult circumstances to keep our railways running safely for passengers. “Railway workers know first- hand that the only way to deliver a railway which provides value for money and puts passengers first is for it to be fully renationalised. “The government should listen to the people who actually make our railways work,” he said. The new We Own It opinion poll has also found that fewer than one in three people support proposals for increased competition on the railways. It found that only 29 per cent of people surveyed thought that more competition would result in improvements and a majority believe that the railways would be better value for money if they were publicly owned. We Own It campaigns officer Ellen Lees said that private rail companies had been lobbying hard for more private involvement and increased competition on our railways. “This new poll shows just how out of touch the rail industry is and the public doesn’t want more competition, they want a railway they can trust, with cheaper fares that provide good value for money. ‘This is only possible if the railway is brought into public hands. After endless delays, cancellations and crowded trains, people are sick and tired of privatisation. So it’s absolutely vital that with the Williams Rail Review coming to an end, Keith Williams makes the right call on the future of our railways,” she said. Mick Cash said that the poll was just the latest evidence that the general public are sick to death of more than two decades of the privatisation racket on Britain’s railways. “Not only is there a clear majority again for public ownership but less than one in five believe that privatisation has been a success and that is a figure that this zombie government should be taking a long, hard look at. “RMT will be stepping up the fight for the return to a publicly owned railway where safety and quality come first and it is no longer a question of if, it’s a question of when,” he said. PUBLIC BACK RAIL NATIONALISATION Nine out of 10 railway workers think employers are more interested in making a profit than providing a service