RMT has condemned as “short-sighted” plans by Network Rail to cut nearly five hundred jobs in the Track Renewal Service (TRS).
The union has described the moved as “the latest act of the slash and burn culture developing within the rail infrastructure company”. The High Output Renewals Team uses specialised in-house on-track machinery.
RMT also argues that these job losses come in the context of huge cuts in government funding for Control Period 7, which will lead to a decline in track renewal work for the next five years. In cutting the funding, the government has gone against the advice of the Office for Rail and Road that Network Rail increase spending on renewals by £600 million.
Earlier this year, RMT settled its dispute with Network Rail over pay and jobs, and has not yet indicated whether it will take industrial action against this round of job cuts.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that outsourcing the work would be part of the managed decline of the industry: “These cuts represent further significant Network Rail cutbacks at a time when the industry needs to be developing its skill base not outsourcing the work to privateers.
“We have seen the impact of de-skilling and outsourcing on our railway network, a decline in safety and an increase in profiteering which combine to create a deadly concoction for workers and passengers alike.”
To comment and analyse; it would be really helpful if the ..“short-sighted” plans by Network Rail to cut nearly five hundred jobs in the Track Renewal Service (TRS).” were available somewhere on-line.
Keep this in-house and not privert hands you see if a senior manager think its a good idea or a MP has a hand in it to get the contract and then the firm go bust owling lots and we have to bailout them
Profit is always first seemingly with any company safety second
Outsourcing to private bodies is NOT the way to carry out such important work – they are only interested in their own profit margins, and not providing long term service to an important national system.
Matt dont be a plonker
HS2 was out sourced to private companies and look at the massive profiteering there. Network Rail is going the same way which in tge long run will see increases, above inflation, of Rail prices for years to come
So how does Network Rail justify it? Automation? Work already done? Would not trust what RMT says as they live in the 70’s. I hope automation as rail industry needs as much of this as possible.
Get the facts before commenting please otherwise you look foolish