This month's ballot for industrial action over pay is the last chance for unified action on the rail before privatisation. Rail workers must vote for action.
There have been 20,000 jobs lost on the railways in the last three years. BR boasts of its substantial savings" in its salarv bill as a result.
British Rail has offered a three per cent pay rise - less than the cost of living increase over the past twelve months. RMT and drivers' union ASLEF be broken down bit by bit. are balloting their members This is a deliberate strategy with a view to a series of one to put an end to the potential day strikes. They have widened collective strength of rail worktheir ballots to include London ers. Underground. There are three aspects.
There has been a very posi- • The franchising of BR's tive response so far - there is public face - the trains for exreal anger over the offer. The ample. This will particularly afcoincidence of RMT and fect drivers, guards, platform ASLEF ballots needs to be built staff, ticket collectors and upon by coordinating future other station staff. activities. There is now a high • The 'classical' privatisalikelihood of action. tion scheme of Railtrack.
The unique nature of the • The contracting out of privatisation process makes areas, including such things as for special difficulties in organ- mending and maintenance of ising. Unlike British Telecom's track. This is already happenone giant sell-off, the rail is to ing, having the effect of fragmenting workers forced to relate to various different employers.
Like other unions the RMT is having to come to terms with big changes in the way it operates. There has been a running battle between activists and the full-time officials over this question for a number of years. The fall in members means there is less room for manoeuvre for the full-timers.
The core of the left on the executive is now beginning to elaborate a strategy for how the union should be run. Nevertheless, the present organisational crisis in the union has Call to action: RMT leader Jimmy Knapp led to a sense of crisis among many of the activists.
The staff union TSSA has ended hopes of three-way unity over the proposed action by sending its pay dispute to arbitration.
The arbitration will not be binding on the employers however, because it is at the
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 86, June 24 1995 Page 3 TUT