50 MP’s have now signed Early Day Motion 174
RAIL UNION RMT today confirmed today that over 50 MP’s have now signed Early Day Motion 174 against cuts to rail jobs and services bound up in the Government’s proposals for the future of the Northern and Trans-Pennine Express franchises as the organisation gears up for the lobby of parliament on November 4th.
The union is continuing to hold a series of events across the area served by Northern and TPE aimed at persuading more MP’s to sign up to the EDM as the campaign of opposition gathers pace.
Last month RMT launched a new post card campaign pointing out to passengers that the shock abolition of a wide range of off-peak fares is a taste of what’s to come under the new Northern and Trans-Pennine Express franchises. The union has slammed the Government and Northern Rail for secretly colluding to axe off-peak fares, along with jobs and key services, purely in the name of private profit.
RMT has blasted the franchise moves as “a kick in the teeth for the travelling public and staff alike on Northern and Trans-Pennine Express franchises , reinforcing the importance of the community standing alongside rail workers in the fight to stop the destruction of rail services right across the North”.
On November 4th trade unionists from across the Northern and TPE, along with supporters from the community, will take their case against the franchise plans in a major lobby of parliament – details below.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“RMT is delighted that we now have more than 50 MP’s on board with our campaign to stop the attacks outlined in the Government and Rail North proposals for rail services that serve millions of people coast to coast, right across the North. We will be working flat out to get more signed up as we build for the major lobby of Parliament on the 4th November.
“The fight to stop the outrageous carve up of jobs and services under the Northern and TPE franchise plans is gathering pace by the day and is sending out the clearest possible message to the Government and Rail North that they need to scrap this attack on transport services. On November 4th we will be taking that message to the doorstep of the politicians who can halt this scandalous assault on the North in its tracks.
“Let’s not forget that the core of the Government’s future plans for Northern and TPE is to axe jobs, restrict services, throw the guards off the trains and jack up fares while capacity to meet surging rail demand in the area is left to stagnate. That attack on the fare-paying public has already begun with the abolition of a wide range of off-peak fares and only an all-out and coordinated fight can stop the savage assault on rail in the North.”