The Trade Union Congress, meeting this week in Liverpool, has unanimously passed an emergency motion opposing proposed ticket office closures.
As the passenger watchdogs consider the more than 680,000 responses to the public consultation (the largest number ever for a consultation of this kind), trade unions will ask to meet them before they conclude their deliberations on 31 October.
The TUC Congress resolution, proposed by RMT, also agreed to:
- lobby parliament to ensure that it debates the issue before 31 October
- consider possible legal challenges to the closures
- seek an urgent meeting with government to demand that the closures do not go ahead and that the other threats to rail workers' jobs and conditions which have prompted the current industrial disputes with the rail unions are also withdrawn.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The record response from the consultation and all the feedback we are getting shows that the public do not want ticket offices closed.
“They are vital service on our railways making them accessible to the vulnerable, elderly and disabled.
“We are going into the next phase of our campaign to get the government to stop rail operators forcing through 1000 ticket office closures and thousands of job losses leading to the de-staffing of our railway stations.
“Our union will fight these plans all the way and we will lobby Parliament before 31 October alongside other trade unions to ensure politicians exert the maximum pressure on the government to change course.”
The full text of the resolution passed is:
Congress notes the public consultation on proposals to close nearly every railway ticket office closed on 1st September and a statement issued by Labour Metro Mayors on 1st September stated their legal challenge against closures remains ongoing. On 4th September passenger watchdogs announced more than 680,000 responses had been received and as a result the passenger watchdogs decided to extend the period to consider the public responses to 31October. This was the largest ever response to a public consultation. Congress also notes on 7th September a public petition calling for a full parliamentary debate on the issue reached the required threshold.
Congress congratulates the rail unions, disabled people's campaigning organisations, the TUC, The Mirror newspaper, politicians, and all those who have assisted in mobilising this mass response, highlighting that cuts to ticket office and station staff will make our railways less accessible, safe and affordable.
In light of the new and urgent matters highlighted in the first paragraph of this motion Congress calls on the General Council to:
Seek an urgent meeting before 31 October with the passenger watchdogs to make the case to keep all rail ticket offices open.
Lobby parliament to ensure the parliamentary debates take place before 31st October.
Coordinate with affiliates to explore options for providing support to legal challenges to the closures.
Seek an urgent meeting with government demanding withdrawal of the closures and other threats to rail workers jobs and conditions which have caused the disputes with the rail unions.
