RMT demands end to outsourcing on publicly owned Northern Trains ahead of Manchester day of action

RMT demands end to outsourcing on publicly owned Northern Trains ahead of Manchester day of action

11 November 2025

RMT Press Office:

Rail union, RMT is stepping up its national campaign to end outsourcing across the railway with a day of action to put pressure on Northern in Manchester on Wednesday 19 November.

RMT members employed by Carlisle Support Services on the Northern revenue protection and gateline contract took 48-hour strike action last month in response to a culture of bullying and harassment by management.
 
Now they are demanding they be taken in-house by the government owned operator as part of the wider rollout of Great British Railways (GBR) to put an end to all outsourcing on the rail network once and for all.
 
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Northern is a publicly owned company. There is no excuse for continuing with a broken outsourcing model that bullies workers and drives down pay, conditions and offers no company sick pay.
 
"Our members on the Carlisle contract have shown tenacity in standing up to intimidation. They deserve to be treated with dignity and employed directly by Northern.
 
"With Great British Railways on the way, the Government has a responsibility to ensure all outsourced rail workers are brought in-house as part of an integrated, publicly owned system.”
 
END
 
Notes: 
 
RMT DAY OF ACTION – END RAIL OUTSOURCING
Location: Manchester Piccadilly Station Approach
Date: Wednesday 19 November
Time: 09:00–11:00

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Tagged with: RMT, Eddie Dempsey, Northern Trains, Carlisle Support Services