WHO’S GOING TO BUILD HS2?

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march 2020 :: RMTnews 4 T hree young members of Cambridge branch employed as facility cleaners by Churchill Services (GTR Contract) at Cambridge Station have had their suspension lifted followed the intervention of the union. The three had been suspended on trumped up charges and their initial hearing was fundamentally flawed and RMT regional organiser Eddie Dempsey (right) halted the proceedings. Following a press campaign by the union and high-level talks with the company a Churchill director agreed to restart the process and was in attendance with Eddie Dempsey at the investigation stage where it was successfully concluded. RMT has warned that the government will fail to hit the High Speed 2 targets if it doesn't address decades of under investment in skills and training as a matter of urgency. RMT has called for the setting up of a jobs and skills taskforce with the unions at its core which will map the scale of the deficit and set out a plan of action to deliver HS2 and other projects. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said that it was welcome news to finally see the government recognise the benefits that high-speed rail will bring and commit to the HS2 project. “However, my union is concerned that after decades of under investment in the very skills, training and workforce planning we need to fully deliver the HS2 project that the Government will continue to be asleep at the wheel of this project. "To address this shortage this government must urgently set up a skills taskforce with unions at its core to address this deficit and fully deliver the project. “If they do that not only will HS2 improve the wider rail network for passengers, HS2 is the once in a generation opportunity to build the jobs, training and apprenticeships to serve the wider rail industry well into the future,” he said. WHO’S GOING TO BUILD IT? Following HS2 finally getting the green light RMT calls for taskforce to address skills and jobs deficit CAMBRIDGE THREE BACK AT WORK