7 February 2018
RMT Press Office:
RMT demands answers on behalf of workforce as East Coast shambles rumbles on
RAIL UNION RMT today accused Chris Grayling and the Tory Government of leaving thousands of rail workers “dangling by a string” as key operational questions about what happens next with the collapsing East Coast rail franchise remain unanswered.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“On Monday Chris Grayling told the commons that Virgin/Stagecoach would be allowed to lurch on for a few more months on the East Coast, he also said that staff would notice no difference and that all options for the future, including the public sector option, were under consideration.
“Since then he has not come forward with a shred of detail as to what happens next and what his operational plans actually are. That leaves thousands of rail workers caught in the crossfire of the privatised chaos on this crucial Inter-City route in the dark as to what the future holds and RMT will not allow those responsible to drop this bombshell and then run for cover.
“No one from the DfT has had the common decency to pick up the phone to the union and we will not allow our members to be treated as collateral damage in this third, privatised failure on the East Coast routes.
“There are RMT members on the job today who have gone from British Rail, to GNER, to National Express, to Directly Operated Railways, to Virgin/Stagecoach and who are now left wondering who their sixth employer will be in little more than two decades on this vital section of Britain’s rail network. That is a shameful way to treat the workforce and shines the spotlight on the continuing chaos of rail privatisation.
“The solution is simple. End the fixation with the spivs and speculators from the private sector and bring the whole lot back in house, on a permanent basis, with immediate effect.”
ENDS
Unity House
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