STOP THE CUTS!

5 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september 2021 :: RMTnews RMT is stepping up the campaign against a cynical and opportunist wave of post- COVID cuts to jobs and services on Britain's railways – warning that savage proposals being drawn up by both Scotrail and South Western Railway are set to be mirrored across the network. The cut plans already being lined up, which would decimate services and staffing levels, fly in the face of statements from government ministers just weeks ago that they expect rail passenger usage to return to pre-COVID levels. The cuts on South Western Railway would affect the Reading, Basingstoke and Guildford lines among other routes and threaten hundreds of services and thousands of jobs. SWR commercial director Peter Williams said that the company was “right sizing” services while admitting that profits were based on huge public subsidies. "We are making sure we account for the service levels we provide, but also we need to provide value for money for the taxpayer who subsidises the railway by billions of pounds,” he said. ScotRail has also published its "Fit for the Future" document which sets out proposals to cut 300 rail services per day from its timetable. Abellio currently runs the franchise but from spring next year the Scottish government will take over from the Dutch firm, using a "break clause" in the franchise contract to end it three years early. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that it was crystal clear that the planned cutbacks on both Scotrail and South Western Railway were just the tip of the iceberg as cynical employers use the cloak of COVID to smuggle through the decimation of jobs and services on Britain's railways. “Not only do these planned cuts fly in the face of the government's own statements on future rail usage they also make a mockery of their green agenda as they will force more cars onto the road at the expense of environmentally- friendly rail travel. “RMT will not sit back while this carve up of the rail network is cooked up in company boardrooms. We will be stepping up our campaigning and the union has moved onto an industrial war-footing as we recognise exactly what is at stake. “If it means national industrial action on the railways to stop this carnage we are more than ready for that,” he said. Transport Focus Chief Executive Anthony Smith also warned that was an early indication of what is to come, but the climate change emergency is here. "We need good public transport. The government has put huge amounts of money into the railway over the years, but it has to be attractive to use,” he said. STOP THE CUTS! RMT steps up campaign to stop wholesale post-COVID rail cuts as Scotrail and South Western Railway make ‘savage proposals’ RM ca R a