RAIL CUTS WARNING

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march/april 2024 :: RMTnews 14 MPs and rail workers warned of dire consequences of over a billion pounds worth of cuts to track renewals work on the railways during a rally outside parliament. RMT senior assistant general secretary and lead officer for Network Rail Eddie Dempsey said that union members were warning there was not enough staff to do the job. “The staff they have are suffering heavily from fatigue and are overworked which is not what you need in a safety critical industry. “Our members tell us that safety standards are falling and that the condition of railway assets are in decline. “I take no pleasure in saying this but 9 out of 10 of our members are saying they are fearful that we will see another major railway incident in the next two years as a result of these cuts”. Mr Dempsey pointed out that passengers may not see the immediate impact of these cuts, but it will become more noticeable down the line. “What we need is a publicly funded railway at the right level of investment that is safe for passengers and workers alike. And critically we need to see it in public ownership,” he said. Other key facts in the survey of Network Rail members include over three quarters of Network Rail workers think the railway is less safe than it was two years ago. Over 94 per cent believe that performance and reliability will worsen during the next five-year period. Anonymous RMT members working on Network Rail have spoken out about their worries about NR cuts. One said: “I am a rail testing team leader and already since modernising maintenance has started there have been more broken rails in the last six weeks than we have had in years. That is not just on my route but all over the country. Our training centre…is getting broken rails brought to them to for inspection every week now". Another said: “Planned cuts have staff morale at an all-time low as it’s us who maintain the railway and management aren’t listening to us about the seriousness of cutting maintenance schedules and diluting skill levels on jobs. It’s front-line staff that will carry the can for any serious incidents!!!” Several Labour and independent MPs attended the rally against Network Rail’s plans which will also see in- house track renewal service cut at a cost of 500 skilled jobs. Cuts to maintenance and renewals work across the network, leading to a less safe and less reliable service is also widely expected. Speaking at the rally, Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell recalled the disasters at Southall and Paddington, near his west London constituency, earlier this century. “We are on that slippery slope again and we must not tolerate going back to those bad old days,” he said. Gateshead MP Ian Mearns warned that the planned cuts could “potentially cost lives”. “We need to have a railway that is safe for the public to use,” he said. Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery praised RMT’s campaigning for workers across the industry. Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn said that Network Rail’s plans would mean fewer staff working on railway repairs and maintenance, risking both safety and delays to services. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that the cuts, if they go ahead, would make the railways less safe and further impact on the performance of the network. “Cracked rails are being reported alongside extreme weather events which have led to disasters like Carmont in 2020. “It is vital that we maintain the pressure on the government to deliver the right funding package for our railway infrastructure,” he said. RAIL CUTS WARNING Rail Cuts Cost Lives rally outside the House of Commons in London