National Executive, personal capacity) EVEN BEFORE the General Election it was obvious to most rail workers that New Labour was not going to be rushing to renationalise the railways.
But frustration lack of progress has now turned to anger at John Prescott's announcement that the government will be privatising most of London Underground.
To add insult to injury, his plans are deliberately focussed on attacking his fellow trade union members in the RMT. Indeed, at his "behest LUL management have drawn up their strategy for the privatisation which has as its first stage, plans to smash the RMT organisation on LUL, which they admit is the only force trying to stop Prescott's plan.
The RMT is to respond in kind. At a mass rally on April Jimmy Knapp will announce that all LUL members will be balloted during May for industrial action against (the effects of privatisation.
To rub home the message LUL Northern Line Guards will be holding their third day of industrial action the following day, in furtherance of their dispute over the introduction of One Person Operation.
On the main rail network things go from bad to worse. Whilst a small handful of ex-BR managers are becoming overnight millionaires, the full weight of privatisation is falling on passengers and rail workers alike. As services deteriorate rail workers are facing pay cuts, job losses and the imposition of worse conditions. It is becoming evident that whilst there are some winners, some other rail companies are close to financial collapse. In particular, for rail infrastructure workers (track and signal maintenance etc), this has meant increased uncertainty as contracts pass hands between different companies.
The RMT answer has been to present a single national claim to all the infrastructure companies, demanding a major restructuring of terms and conditions on our terms, alongside a significant pay increase.
Faced with little serious response from the companies, ballots are now to take place in all eleven key companies across the country. Along with LUL, June could now see effectively a nation-wide rail dispute. As an indication of the workers' mood signal maintenance workers at Euston are set to start action on May I on a week long stoppage over local issues.
And on South West Trains, Guards are being balloted over the introduction of Driver Only Operation. With around jobs threatened RMT members are in no mood to allow the management to roll over them. A series of mass meetings have been held and the Guards are determined that they will protect their jobs, taking whatever action is necessary.
Having had the industrial agenda set for them over recent years by government attacks, core rail workers are now saying enough is enough and trying to respond with their own demands. The task facing the Letting train crews take the strain: Prescott RMT is how to unify this broad feeling and shape it into a forceful campaign of action over the summer. The rally and lobby of parliament on April 30 is only the first step in this campaign.