RMT agrees to participate in Rail Industry Recovery Group processes

MAIN RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that it will continue to participate in the processes set out in a statement by the joint-industry Rail Industry Recovery Group – the group convened in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RMT's executive has made the clearest possible statement on its principles guiding continuing participation;

”This NEC is of the view that we should continue to participate in the processes set out as we need to protect the interests of our members but in the context of re-stating our principled position as:

Job Security Agreement to cover the whole rail industry that defends jobs and maintains pay, conditions and agreements. We reiterate our policy of No Compulsory Redundancies.
Reward our members for their work and commitment now and in the future, we oppose pay cuts and do not accept a pay freeze.
Defending and improving member’s pensions.

Ending casualisation, outsourcing, bogus self-employment and zero hours contracts. Bring in-house vital activities such as security, cleaning, rail catering, fleet engineering and infrastructure renewals.
An industry-wide collective agreement that places all rail workers under a common contract and undertaking with restoration of full travel facilities and entitlement to enter and remain in the Railways Pension Scheme for all staff.
Pursuing our policy agenda, including an integrated publicly owned railway as a solution.

In addition, this NEC re-states that in participating in the processes set out by the RIRG we are not committed to acceptance to any of the particular measures, changes or proposals set out or that may arise in the process.

We further reiterate that our participation in these processes will not prevent this union defending our members’ jobs, pay and conditions.”

General Secretary Mick Lynch said:

“RMT will participate in the industry-wide processes and discussions as we have to be there to defend the interest of our members. We don’t accept the notion that the future of the railways should be based on job cuts and attacks on safety, pay, conditions and pensions.


“In participating in these discussions RMT has ensured that there will still be scope to ensure security of employment measures whilst also pursuing pay awards, coupled with a framework that allows the union to pursue long standing objectives such as a reduction in the working week, travel facilities for all rail workers and bringing catering and cleaning work in-house."