The RMT, Britain’s main railway union, has been locked in struggle with the train operating companies (TOCs) since last summer, in a dispute over pay, pensions, jobs, and conditions.
This fight escalated recently with announcements from rail bosses of plans for wholesale ticket office closures.
If carried out, this would lead to thousands of job losses, and would make rail travel even more inaccessible for many.
This is the cold logic of capitalism. Never mind if a service actually does what it’s supposed to, so long as it makes a profit for the fat cats at the top!
Socialist Appeal activists across the country visited RMT picket lines during the union’s recent week of action, which saw walkouts on 20, 22, and 29 July.
Comrades found that, despite the difficulties, workers remain up for the fight. (See reports below.)
Indeed, these latest attacks from the bosses are causing RMT members to draw sharper and sharper conclusions.
As with other utilities, it is clear that privatisation has been a disaster for Britain’s railways – both for workers and passengers.
It is time to run the bosses off the rails. Only sustained militant action, as part of a struggle for nationalisation and workers’ control, can save our services.
Penzance
Cornwall comrades joined the RMT at their picket in Penzance to protest against pay cuts, ticket office closures, and layoffs.
Militancy amongst union members has skyrocketed. The desire for change was palpable, with a clear agreement that the fight had to continue.
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A significant number of workers told us that they wanted trade union leaders to escalate the strike.
Listening to workers’ concerns about the sector, the discussion led to conversations about workers’ control and the role of automation in the industry.
RMT members feel desperate, since they don’t see any help coming from either the Tories or a Starmer Labour government. Instead, many want to intensify the struggle.
It’s clear that this battle is far from over. Workers of the world, unite!
London
On Saturday 22 July, in howling winds and downpours of rain, comrades visited the RMT picket line outside Euston station.
Despite the inclement weather, and the long-running nature of this dispute, RMT members remained positive. After all, while the weather may have been hostile, the public has been extremely supportive.
Union activists were eager to discuss the immediate reasons behind the strike – from below-inflation pay offers, to office closures and job cuts, to deteriorating safety for staff and passengers.
But everyone was adamant that this was no longer simply an economic struggle between the TOCs and the workers. Behind the bosses, strikers said, the Tories are clearly pulling the strings.
The government is undoubtedly looking to break the back of the union – and, in turn, of the rest of the workers’ movement. This is evident from the way in which they have actively torpedoed negotiations, and attempted to bring in new draconian anti-strike legislation, explicitly targeted at the railway unions.
There is a great deal at stake in this battle. That is why the rest of the labour movement must offer their full support to RMT members in their struggle.
- Solidarity to the rail workers!
- Fight the anti-union laws!
- Nationalise the railways!
- Overthrow the bosses’ system!
Swansea
Socialist Appeal comrades attended the RMT picket line outside Swansea train station to show their solidarity.
The clear and overwhelming mood was one of determination. Strikers were quick to comment on rail bosses’ bonuses, which are given year on year without fail – yet there apparently isn’t the money to secure workers’ jobs or provide decent pay rises.
RMT members were also keen to point out that many of the companies involved in the dispute are still getting central government subsidies to keep them afloat amid strike action.
The limitations of a day of action here and a day there was also apparent. Members are looking for escalation, including week-long strikes, in order to move negotiations forward. Whatever tiredness there might be from such a long-running dispute clearly hasn’t impacted the strikers’ militancy.
Most on the picket line worked for Great Western Railways (GWR), as Transport for Wales (TFW) is managed by the local Welsh government and is not involved. A particular concern, we learned, was the proposed formation of a new rail franchise in the area, owned by – but distinct from – GWR.
It’s likely that GWR’s plan is to cynically split the workforce between these two services, so as to weaken any future strike action. But if these pickets are anything to go by, GWR are seriously underestimating workers’ ability to organise and fight back.
Swansea Socialist Appeal stands firmly with the rail workers. No to ticket office closures! Renationalise the railways under workers’ control! Workers of the world, unite!
Portsmouth
The picketers in Portsmouth told Socialist Appeal comrades that this has been a hard fight for them, and that they are feeling the effects. They also know, however, that the fight isn’t over yet.
@socialist_app supporters showing solidarity with @RMTunion picket line at Fratton Station earlier this morning pic.twitter.com/FzN3s5SnZS
— PipefitterUnion (@pipey81) July 29, 2023
Several workers mentioned that the RMT leadership are meeting to decide a plan of action.
The government, meanwhile, is still underwriting any losses made by the TOCs due to the strikes. This is a clear indication that the Tories want to use this dispute to crush the RMT.
No wonder workers feel cheated. They’re constantly told that there’s no cash to maintain jobs and fund real pay rises. Yet it seems there’s money when it comes to securing the bosses’ profits!
Everyone on the picket line was in favour of renationalisation. Everyone can see how the private profiteers have run the rail industry into the ground. And everyone understands that, as long as profit is the prime motive, things will always be this way.
Nobody was willing to back down. These workers – as with workers everywhere once they rise to their feet – are prepared to stick it out.
Determination like this is an inspiration to the whole labour movement; a display of the real power of our class when it starts moving.
Southampton
Along with other local activists, comrades from Southampton Socialist Appeal have been distributing #SaveTicketOffices leaflets produced by the RMT.
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Leafleting sessions have taken place outside Southampton Central station, culminating in the latest strike day Saturday 29 July. These have drawn in activists from various unions, such as Unite and the NEU.
In conversations with passengers, many have raised concerns about the closure of ticket offices. But there has also been an interest in the wider class struggle, and in the articles and analysis contained within the Socialist Appeal newspaper.
We have also been bringing other young people to these sessions – both to help provide solidarity, and to show how activists can support workers’ struggles.
