JUST because an idea is ing of the rail network. mad does not mean the To- But when the (Tory apries will not implement it. pointed) "independent" reguThe party that brought us lator announced the the Poli Tax and the Child possibility that as few as 300 Support Agency is now offer- stations might be able to sell ing the hurried privatisation through tickets for the remainof Railtrack - as a desperate ing network, leaving passendevice to raise cash to fund gers to drive as far as 50 tax cuts to win the next elec- miles before being able to tion. board a train, the whole situAt first sight the chaos al- ation appeared to have degenready created on the railways erated into total farce. is bad enough, with the old Blank cheque BR split into a baffling array of franchises and self-con- Transport Secretary Brian tained businesses, while Rail- Mawhinney replied that there track has taken control of was nothing he could do track and signalling. about this, because of the There have been warnings powers given to the regulator from various sources that the by the 1993 Railways Act, outcome of privatisation which is a blank cheque for could be a catastrophic halv- the Tories to do anything they like to the railways.
At first sight the entire system is doomed to failure. So why is it expected that Railtrack can be sold off to investors for an estimated 24-£6 billion?
The answer, of course, lies not in train services but in the land. Railtrack is one of the largest landowners in Britain, with hundreds of square miles of property, much of it in inner cities, which developers would just love to get their hands on.
Mawhinney's main concern is simply and cynically to fragment the existing rail networks in such a way as the privatised sections are almost impossible to piece back together, and to promote the sale of Railtrack - so that the new shareholders can carve up the assets while trains become as rare as rocking horse dung.
However Mawhinney's manoeuvres have had one positive effect: they have forced Labour's leaders into their first firm political pledge appearing to offer renationalisation when John Prescott promised "To ensure a publicly owned, publicly accountable railway."
Not only socialists but millions of rail users will welcome this policy, but some might ask if it makes sense for the railways, why not renationalise other privatised services and utilities? And if Labour is to fight the election committed to public ownerEDITORIALS Prescott: mixed signals ship of a key industry, why bother scrapping Clause IV?
Just because a policy is mad, doesn't mean Tony Blair won't go for it, either!
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No.76. 21 January 1995, Page 4 MINUTES before the Eastern National bus arrives, a TGWU one pulls up. This happens dozens of times a day.
It is the latest tactic in the continuing dispute between Eastern National and the 105 busworkers that the company sacked in Chelmsford in November.
On January 4 Bill Morris was once more in Chelmsford to launch the free minibus service driven by sacked drivers on some of the local routes.
Talks between Bill Morris and Orbell (Eastern National Managing Director) took place on the same day but did not produce any shift in Eastern National's position.
While Morris was clearly angry with the company's continued refusal to re-instate the sacked workers, and also with the company's statement that the financing of the minibus service was a mis-use of union funds, he told the local press that he would not be calling for a national strike across the bus industry Here lies the nub of the current problem for the sacked workers. Their union is giving some support and the alternative bus service has certainly upset Orbell. However, this in itself will not force the company to back down.
Orbell is also clearly sensitive to how the union has drawn attention to Eastern National's position as a subsidiary of the Badgerline group.
Here lies the key to victory -solidarity action by T&G members throughout Badgerline. Ideally this would be extended throughout the industry to force Eastern National to re-instate the 105 sacked workers.
The T&G nationally should also call and properly mobilise for another Saturday demonstration which would provide the numbers necessary to close down Chelmsford depot.
Money and messages of support will also help maintain the morale of busworkers. Socialist Outlook readers should ensure individual sacked workers are invited to their workplaces, colleges, union and ward branch meetings to talk about the dispute and help build solidarity action. • Messages of support, requests for speakers and donations can be sent to: Roger Welch, Chelmsford TUC, 87 Mildmay Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 ODR. Tel. 0245 -263727.
Cheques should be made payable to TGWU (Chelmsford Bus Drivers Support Fund).