DUTCH DITCH UK RAIL AND BUS FRANCHISES

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september 2022 :: RMTnews 12 The Dutch state railway is pulling out of Britain with a management buyout of its subsidiary Abellio, which runs four rail lines and a number of London bus routes. After 20 years in this country, Abellio’s parent company, the Netherlands state-run Nederlandse Spoorwegen, is to sell off the firm to its UK management. Over that time, Abellio has run East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Merseyrail and West Midlands Railway and currently employs over 15,000 staff. Abellio UK’s CEO Dominic Booth is leading the buyout and will be operated by a new firm, to be known as Transport UK Group Limited. However, the deal for the proposed buyout remains subject to formal approval from partners including the Department for Transport, Transport for London and Merseytravel, as well as regulatory consent from the Office for Rail and Road. Abellio’s parent company said that it had decided to withdraw from the UK market “to focus on domestic service provision within, and international railway services to and from, the Netherlands”. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that contracts like Abellio should be taken into public ownership so that every penny spent on public transport is actually invested back into public transport rather than being siphoned off to pay for fat cat profits and salaries. “While rail workers endure pay freezes and threats to their jobs this is yet another spin on the railway money-go-round where there are huge profits to be made riding on the backs of the taxpayer, fare payer and public transport workers,” he said. The union is informing all present, former and retired members of the dangers from working the old Gas Car Kitchens that were insulated both in the shell of the vehicles and on the pipes and boiler jackets with asbestos, as this is a very real danger to the health and well-being of these staff – potentially exposing risks associated with mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining that covers the outer surface of some of the body's organs. It is usually linked to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma mainly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), although it can also affect the lining of the stomach (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart or testicles. Most cases are diagnosed in people aged 60 to 80, and men are affected more commonly than women. Unfortunately, it is rarely possible to cure mesothelioma, although treatment can help control the symptoms. The symptoms of mesothelioma tend to develop gradually over time. They typically don't appear until several decades after exposure to asbestos. Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lining of the lungs include: • chest pain • shortness of breath • fatigue (extreme tiredness) • a high temperature (fever) and sweating, particularly at night • a persistent cough • loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss • clubbed (swollen) fingertips Symptoms of mesothelioma in the lining of the stomach include: • stomach pain or swelling • feeling or being sick • loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss • diarrhoea or constipation See your GP if you have any persistent or worrying symptoms. Tell him/her about any exposure to asbestos you may have had in the past. The vehicles in question were still in use in 2001 and later both on normal services, sleepers and special charter trains and may still be in use today. A letter has been sent to all train companies, including the heritage sector, asking if any such kitchens are still in use. DUTCH DITCH UK RAIL AND BUS FRANCHISES Union calls for Abellio contracts to be taken in-house to stop rampant profiteering ASBESTOS EXPOSURE IN GAS CAR KITCHENS