22 May 2025
RMT Press Office:
Rail union RMT, welcomed the imminent return of South Western Railway (SWR) to public ownership, as a step in the right direction but warned that continued outsourcing of essential frontline services risks undermining the benefits of renationalisation.
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Under new arrangements, SWR will be taken into public ownership on Sunday, as part of the government’s transition to Great British Railways.
However, key roles such as Cleaning, Security and Gateline remain contracted out to private profiteers including OCS, STM Group, Carlisle Support Services and Adecco.
RMT says these companies raked in 9% gross profits from public rail contracts last year while employing staff on poverty wages, without sick pay or decent pensions.
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Public ownership of South Western Railway is a major step forward and is a clear rejection of the failed privatisation model.
“But the job is incomplete when our contracted-out members remain outsourced and not reaping the benefits of nationalisation.
“This lingering injustice for our members working for profit hungry private contractors must end and RMT will campaign tooth and nail to make insourcing a reality.
“Many of our contracted out members come from Black and Minority Ethnic communities and are trapped in a two-tier workforce with no access to sick pay, poor pension provision and poverty pay.
“Labour has promised a wave of insourcing and we call on them to act now.
“If ministers are serious about delivering a fair and efficient railway, they must bring all rail workers, including cleaners, security and Gateline staff, back in-house without delay.”
RMT’s “Better Jobs, Better Services” campaign has highlighted that insourcing outsourced roles could reduce fares by up to 4% and deliver better outcomes for passengers and workers alike.
The union is urging the government to follow the lead of publicly owned rail operators in Scotland and Wales, where insourcing has already improved working conditions and service delivery.
Mr Dempsey added: “We will hold the Labour government to its promises to carry out the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation.”
END
Notes:
Up to 400 workers are contracted out on SWR
For more information on our insourcing campaign, click
here
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Tagged with: RMT, Eddie Dempsey, SWR, South Western Railway, Public Ownership
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