CUT CARBON EMISSIONS, NOT JOBS PROTEST

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2021 :: RMTnews 10 R MT expressed solidarity with the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union Cargo Truckers’ Solidarity Division (KPTU- TruckSol), who are taking industrial action to preserve their Safe Rates system. It was part of the International Transport Workers’ Federation week of action last month with affiliated transport unions across the world to fight for decent work and safety in the Road Transport Industry. This week of joint action is in follow up to the Safe Rates Summit, during which ITF unions committed to solidarity actions in support of affiliates fighting for Safe Rates and economic employer responsibility, and actions to promote the ILO Guidelines on the Promotion of Decent Work and Road Safety in the Transport Sector (RT Guidelines). The RT Guidelines make governments, employers and clients responsible for Safe Rates and other decent work issues directly related to road safety throughout their supply chains. R MT demanded that the government cut carbon emissions, not public transport jobs at a demonstration outside the Department of Transport in London in November. The union also called for an end to cuts agenda as new polling by the Railway Industry Association revealed that confidence in the rail industry had returned to pre-2019 levels. The London protest coincided with the DfT hosting an ‘engagement day’ for the private sector to try and persuade them to bid for the future Passenger Service Contracts, announced as part of the Williams-Shapps review, and which will replace franchises. With the eyes of the world on the UN climate summit COP26 taking place in Glasgow the protest put the case that climate change was not just an environmental issue, but also one of social and economic justice. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that public transport had a key role to play in fighting climate change, yet the government and transport operators remain intent on attacking workers’ jobs, pay, conditions and pensions whilst protecting the profit of big business. “RMT is fighting these damaging cuts as part of its ‘Cut carbon emissions, not public transport jobs’ campaigning.  “Whilst COP26 is taking place in Glasgow, the Department of Transport is hosting an ‘engagement day’ for the private sector to try and persuade them to bid for the future Passenger Service Contracts (PSCs), announced as part of the Williams-Shapps review, which will guarantee profits for the private operators.  “Rather than disgracefully furthering private profiteering at the expense of transport worker jobs, pay and conditions, the government should instead be commencing a new deal for public transport that protects all jobs, pay, conditions and services, and properly funds our rail, bus, metro and shipping networks to power a green transport revolution that makes services more affordable, available, accessible and attractive to use. "The recent surge in confidence also makes a nonsense of the cuts agenda which is decimating jobs and services across the rail industry. "Those cuts should be halted or we risk storing up a skills and capacity crisis which will just drive more people away from the railways and onto the roads,” he said. CUT CARBON EMISSIONS, NOT JOBS PROTEST KOREAN ROAD TRANSPORT SOLIDARITY