TRAGEDY AT PORT TALBOT

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2019 :: RMTnews 9 T he RMT community has been shocked by the death of RMT track worker members Michael Lewis, 58, and Gareth Delbridge, 64, after being struck by a train while working on the tracks near Port Talbot on July 3. Investigations are ongoing into the deaths as RMT general secretary Mick Cash and assistant general secretary Mick Lynch attended the men's Bridgend branch of the union to express solidarity and sympathy with colleagues and families of those involved in the fatal tragedy and to take soundings as RMT steps up the campaign for track worker safety. The union is reinforcing it's core demands after years of warning that there is a systemic and corporate failure to address a whole range of issues related to the safety culture on the railway. RMT is calling for the safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to issue a vigorous and early response on track worker safety. Whatever action they take, the ORR’s response will still be viewed by RMT members as too late as they have been aware of union concerns and serious nature of the near-misses on the railway infrastructure and the confusing and bureaucratic systems that Network Rail has created. The ORR’s slow response also demonstrates the conflicted nature of the ORR as an organisation which is responsible for finance, franchising and safety of the rail industry. The union is calling for a truly independent rail safety regulator which is focussed on protecting the workforce and users rather than satisfying the policy, financial and business needs of the government and its contractors. RMT will also be convening a meeting of senior union reps to discuss the broader issues of track worker safety and protection including aspects such as suspending/banning Red zone (moving trains) working, enhanced protection systems, safe systems of work and how the union might respond industrially. Mick Cash said that the union's focus has also been on supporting members and the families affected by the incident. "We will also be stepping up our vigorous campaign for the elimination of track worker fatalities and serious injuries, based on a simple and coherent track safety regime that has worker protection as its core principle. “The nonsense of the safety regulator being funded by the industry, and having a financial control role, has to end. We need genuine independence to restore confidence. "We will be convening a meeting of national Network Rail reps shortly and nothing is ruled out including a demand for a ban or suspension on red zone working if that's what it takes to force those in control to take us seriously," he said. S trike action on East Midlands Trains went ahead in July as franchise holder Stagecoach was accused of cutting and running before they are dumped from the rail network in a row with the government over pension obligations. The dispute is over EMT’s management’s failure to bring a meaningful resolution to concerns over Pay Discrimination and Contract issues. Staff have ended up caught in the crossfire of a bust-up between Stagecoach and the DfT and are being expected to pay the price for the continuing franchise chaos on Britain's privatised railways. RMT has made every effort to broker a negotiated settlement but have been snubbed at every turn by the Stagecoach-owned company who have given up on any pretence of serious management as they adopt a scorched-earth policy aimed at extracting every penny they can before they are kicked off the railways in light of the pensions scandal. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that East Midlands Trains lack of commitment to deal with union concerns over contractual issues such as compulsory Sunday working, wage discrimination and other matters was a total disgrace reinforced by ludicrous refusals to talk. “It is outrageous that Stagecoach is being allowed to slash and burn its way through their remaining franchises in advance of getting banned from the railway by the DfT. “The union remains available for talks but it takes two to tango no one should underestimate the resilience and determination of our EMT members to see justice,” he said. TRAGEDY AT PORT TALBOT EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS STRIKE Derby