Solidarity with RMT

Eastbourne Trades Council send solidarity again to Eastbourne RMT members taking action to retain a safety-critical staff member on all rail services. It is a strike for jobs, for disabled passengers' rights, for safety of all passengers- and all trades unionists should support it!

Make sure that you are armed with the facts regarding this dispute!  Download:

Southern Rail Driver Only Operation Dispute- THE FACTS

GTR Dispute- THE FACTS

The Safety Critical Role of the Guard: A dossier on the Dangers of  Driver Only Operation

Not about pay- about SAFETY!

ASLEF members are to be balloted for strike action on Southern Rail – just as RMT members announced a new strike date on the same company.

Responding to Southern Rail’s comments about the union’s ballot for industrial action ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan said:

"It is no surprise that the management of Britain’s worst performing train company is disingenuous and deceitful when it comes to industrial relations and the honouring of ...agreements." Mick added, "our ballot reflects a complete loss of faith and trust in Southern Rail as the company has shown no respect for agreements we spent years negotiating. We are balloting because of the company’s inept attempt to conflate pay and changes to working practices."   He concluded, "I again give notice to the government and the rail industry that if any train driver is verbally abused, threatened or attacked as a result of the lies peddled by Southern Rail, we reserve the right to do whatever is necessary to protect our members, on Southern or nationally."

Keep up to date with the latest on the dispute from ASLEF at http://www.aslef.org.uk/

RMT confirmed that guards and drivers on Southern Rail will strike again for 24 hours between 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Monday 10th July 2017 in the on-going disputes over the safety impact of the extension of Driver Only Operation and the removal of guards from services.

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said:

“RMT members on Southern Rail have been fighting for safety and access for well over a year now.   The franchise continues to lurch from crisis to crisis as the real impact of hacking back on safety and access hits home. We have seen absolute chaos at Victoria and East Croydon this week in the hot weather which has reinforced the need for safety critical staff on our trains and platforms. The Government cannot spin their way out of this chaotic situation which is wholly of their making.   It is now down to Southern/GTR, and the contract holders in the minority Government, to face up to their responsibilities and engage in genuine and serious talks that address our issues.” 

Next Trades Council Meeting: January 17th

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 17th January, 7.30pm at the View Hotel (formerly known as the Unite/T&G Eastbourne Centre), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of any new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting (November) and matters arising.
4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer (apologies given, report sent)
5. RAIL CAMPAIGNS: Update on RMT, ASLEF and TSSA action and campaigns; ticket office action and linking to Action for Rail campaigning.
5. RECLAIM MAY DAY update on planning and grant application.
6. Ongoing Union Campaigns- all delegates are invited to update on their unions' current local and
national campaigning.
7. 2017 AGM: To include proposals for guest speaker and nomination for the Len Caine Memorial
Award.
8. Any other business

End the Rail Rip Off

On 1st January 2017, the government will announce a further rise in rail fares for UK train passengers. It’s the Christmas present no one asked for – rather than giving us the gift of proper investment in rail infrastructure and full public ownership, yet again passengers are paying more but getting less.

While fares keep rising, cuts to services and staffing are taking place across the network – with more ticket offices closing, removal of guards from trains, extension of driver only operations and fewer staff at stations to provide help when we need it.

Action for Rail is organising a day of action on Tuesday, 3rd January 2017. We are calling for a publicly owned railway with affordable fares to end this #RailRipOff. 

Eastbourne Trade Unionists will be joining with our friends from Eastbourne Labour Party at Eastbourne Rail Station first thing in the morning to support the campaign.

Eastbourne Labour Party's Jake Lambert (also a delegate to the Trades Council from the East Sussex NUT union) has consistently called for Southern to be stripped of the franchise.

Public ownership of rail could deliver cheaper fares. If the lines up for renewal this parliament were taken back into public ownership, that could save around £1.5bn – which could fund a 10 per cent cut in season tickets and other regulated fares from 2017. A third (£520m) of this £1.5bn saving would come from recouping the money private train companies pay in dividends to their shareholders.

Find out more about the Action for Rail campaign by clicking here.

Solidarity with ASLEF and RMT

Eastbourne Trade Unionists have stood foursquare behind our colleagues in the RMT and now ASLEF in defending proper services on our local railway.  The campaign to keep a safety-qualified guard on EVERY train is not about money or a reluctance to "modernise", it is about high quality and safe travel, it is about ensuring the safety of all passengers, especially disabled and vulnerable passengers.

Many Eastbourne people have shown their support on the picket lines at Eastbourne Station in recent weeks (as well as objecting to Southern's latest plans to close Eastbourne Ticket Office!)

Today, ASLEF took place in much publicised talks at the conciliation service ACAS. In an extraordinary move, however, the employer refused to admit the RMT into the talks. How can anyone suggest that Southern/GTR are serious about ending the dispute?

RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash said:
“Southern Rail were fully aware last night that I would be attending the talks this morning at ACAS alongside our ASLEF colleagues.

“This morning, on arrival for the talks, I was told that I would not allowed to take part by representatives from the company.

“RMT is furious at the complete contempt that has been shown to us by Southern Rail this morning which leaves us in a state of limbo when we should all be around the table thrashing out the issues that have led to the current action.

“Our members were expecting discussions to take place today and instead we have had the door slammed in our faces. That is no way to rebuild the confidence of the workforce in the Southern management and the talks process and it is no way to reach a solution which is what the public are crying out for.

“I will now be reporting back to RMT’s executive on these developments.”

RMT fight for jobs and safety

RMT members in Eastbourne have maintained their fight for jobs and safety, against plans by failing rail operating company GoVia to remove properly trained conductors from local services.

Many local trade unionists and others, including the Eastbourne People's Assembly took solidarity greetings to Eastbourne RMT members on the picket lines.

RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash, took the fight to the TUC Congress in Brighton earlier this month with a scathing attack on the company and its cheerleaders in Parliament. In a scathing attack on Govia Thameslink, and their cheerleaders in Government, he said:

"We are facing the most concerted attack on rail workers and passengers in living memory. The government and train operators have declared war on the rail unions and they don’t give a damn if passengers are collateral damage

"How else can we explain the scandal that is GTR southern, the worse performing train company in the country? "Rammed out, late, expensive and so unpopular that passenger protests in Tory shires are a regular event. So toxic that even Tory MPs have called for the service to be nationalised. So corrupt that Southern were given the green light by Government to tear up the franchise agreement and create chaos by cancelling 350 trains a day.

"So rotten that instead of taking responsibility they have taken out adverts in newspapers attacking their own staff and telling lies about staff sickness, So despicable that even the rail minister resigned in shame."

Cash launched an attack on the Government announcing a £20 million taxpayer bail-out of the Sou‎thern operation just 24 hours before the parent company confirmed profits of £100 million.

"We don’t want politicians playing politics with our bus and rail industry. We don’t what half measures. We want a national, integrated transport system and we want all our buses and railway under public ownership."

RMT are proudly affiliated to the Eastbourne Trades Council. Come along to the next meeting for updates on the campaign.

Next Trades Council Meeting: 27th September

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 27th September, 7.30pm at the View Hotel (formerly known as the Unite/T&G Eastbourne Centre), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of any new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting (August) and matters arising. 
4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer
5. NHS Campaigns Focus:  To include GMB Passenger Transport situation, Junior Doctors' Action and DGH Update.  A speaker from the GMB and/or BMA may be able to report (awaiting confirmation)
6. Any other Union and related campaigns, including Rail campaigns.
7. Any other business

The bar will be open afterwards !

Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 2nd August

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 2nd August, 7.30pm at the View Hotel (formerly known as the Unite/T&G Eastbourne Centre), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting (June) and matters arising. 
4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer
5. Action for Rail day of Action 19th August:  to agree plans for the day, and also get updates on current RMT dispute with Southern.  
6. Any other Union and related campaigns, to include Education White Paper and Junior Doctors Campaign, plus any additional campaigns reported on by those present
7. Any other business

The bar will be open afterwards !

Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 24th May

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 24th May, 7.30pm at the View Hotel (formerly known as the Unite/T&G Eastbourne Centre), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous ordinary meeting (January) and matters arising. 
4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer
5. Campaigns Reports:  To include Rail Dispute update, Education White Paper and Junior Doctors Campaign, plus any additional campaigning for the Summer
6. Report from  East Sussex County Association of Trades Councils
7. Any other business

The bar will be open afterwards !

URGENT: Say NO to cuts at Eastbourne Rail Station

The TSSA and RMT are campaigning to save the opening times of Eastbourne ticket office.

Eastbourne railway station have displayed posters advising that they plan to reduce the ticket office hours and introduce a Station Host. It can be:

* Agreed that the station should be staffed from first to last service 7 days a week.
* Agreed that It would be nice to be met by a Station Host.
* Agreed that the ticket office should be staffed at peaked times
* Agreed that the railway station facilities should be available at all times

However, it cannot be agreed that the closure of the ticket office, which frequently has long queues, is a way forward to improve my customer service.
* The ticket machines do not provide all the tickets and services I need
* The Ticket machine does not advise the best tickets to purchase best route to take
 * Elderly and physically restricted people will have problems using the machines or seeking help
* The ticket hall will become more congested with people crowding around the gates and machines.
* The reduction in staff will also result in a reduction in the customer service provided

The opinion formed is, more staff are required, not only on the station but also in the ticket office

To register your concerns please email, by the 14 March:

GTR_Consultation@transportfocus.org.uk   With 'Eastbourne Railway Station' as the subject.

Please have your say, to keep services at Eastbourne Station !

End the Rail Rip-Off

Rail fares are going up again from January. UK commuters are spending up to 6x as much of their salary on rail fares than passengers using publicly owned railways in France, Germany, Italy and Spain – according to new research published by the Action for Rail campaign today. We have the most expensive commuter fares in Europe, yet our trains are often over-crowded, late and under-staffed.

New polling carried out for Action for Rail by YouGov (2015) also shows that

61% say that UK train services are bad value for money

62% think that fares would be cheaper if train companies weren’t trying to make a profit

62% support bringing train companies back into public ownership.

It’s time to end this rail rip off!

Take action now: email your MP and ask him/her to support a publicly owned railway that puts people before profits bit.ly/221PqbI 

Regional Events and Actions

The following events and campaigns around the region may be of interest to Eastbourne Trade Unionists who want to get involved, attend or just show solidarity !

MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES

Unite Against Fascism public meeting "Don't let the racists divide us" London Monday 3 June 7pm with Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ava Vidal comedian, Owen Jones author, Daniel Trilling New Statesman.

National Pensioners Convention Greater London Region 10th Anniversary Celebrations Saturday 10 August 1.30 with Banner Theatre cabaret, Megan Dobney SERTUC, Dot Gibson NPC call barrytodman@tiscali.co.uk 020 8668 2840 for details or e-mail here.

NUJ open meeting (but must register) "Turning the page on media sexism" Wednesday 26 June 6pm NUJ HQ London with Joan Smith, Reni Eddo Lodge and Object contact Lena Calvert lenac@nuj.org.uk

Supporting Confronting the Climate Crisis conference Saturday 8 June London with Manuel Cortez TSSA, Chris Baugh PCS, Graham Peterson UCU http://climatetradeunion.eventbrite.com/ 

Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign AGM and Solidarity Day Saturday 13 July London http://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/events/index.htm 

TSSA "Organising for better transport" strategy launch London Saturday 8 June 11am https://www.tssa.org.uk/en/campaigns/community-organising/political-conference.cfm 

DEMONSTRATIONS AND LOBBIES

Unite Against Fascism demonstration "Don't let the racists divide us" Woolwich Saturday 1 June 12 noon http://uaf.org.uk/2013/05/dont-let-the-racists-divide-us-unity-demonstration/

London Hazards Centre national H&S lobby Tuesday 11 June 1pm http://www.lhc.org.uk/http:/www.lhc.org.uk/national-health-safety-lobby-of-parliament-11th-june


TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS

SERTUC hosting national seminar "Reaching Out - organising new workplaces" with Carl Roper TUC national organiser Thursday 4 July 10am to 1pm Congress House, for more details contact Darren Lewis dlewis@tuc.org.uk

SERTUC Health & Safety Reps Seminar "The Healthy Workplace" note the date now: Thursday 31 October Congress House 10am, more details in due course sertucevents@tuc.org.uk  

SERTUC trade union education courses http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/sites/default/files/FINAL%20SE%20Courses%20SEPT%202013-JULY%202014%20v5.pdf or tucedse@tuc.org.uk

Annual General Meeting: February 19th

The AGM of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 19th February 2013, at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (formerly T&G) , Grand Parade, Eastbourne.

All local trade unionists (including retired trade unionists) are invited, although only delegates from affiliated unions may stand as officers or vote on financial or policy matters.

A G E N D A

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Minutes of the AGM from February 2012
3. Adoption of Rules for 2013 (proposal is same as for 2012) and new affiliates.
4. Officers' Reports and Accounts
5. Election of Officers for 2013

a) Chair
b) Vice Chair
c) Secretary
d) Treasurer
e) Additional non-officer members of the Executive Committee, if required

6. Guest Speaker: Garry Hassell from Action for Rail.

7. Pattern of meetings for 2012
8. Campaign Contacts for 2012
9. Presentation of the Len Caine Award to Gordon Dyer

 

Trades Council Meeting: November 13th

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 13th November, at 7.30pm, at the Unite Eastbourne Centre, Grand Parade, Eastbourne.

 

Our guest speaker is Garry Hassell from the RMT, who will be speaking about the Action for Rail campaign, which is supported by RMT, Aslef, TSSA and Unite. The campaign seeks to make the case for a publicly owned rail system run for people not profit. You can read more about the campaign at their website here: http://actionforrail.org/

 

All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting, which will also discuss other business, including the next steps following the well-attended 20th October march, and other local campaigns.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

4. Guest Speaker: Garry Hassell, Action for Rail/ RMT

5. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer
6. Any other Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.
8. Any other business.

Defend Concessionary Coach Travel

At the Comprehensive Spending Review the Government announced its intention to withdraw the Coach Concessionary Travel scheme from the end of October this year. (The equivalent scheme in Scotland - which provides free, not half price coach travel, will remain.) The scheme provides half price coach travel for disabled people and those over 60 within England and Wales.

Trade Unionists are concerned that the extra cost now involved in coach travel will deter people from travelling. The reduction in passengers could trigger the removal of local coach services and the opportunity to travel from a small community and visit friends / family will be removed.

TSSA delegate to Eastbourne Trades Council, Michael Litchfield has been lobbying Stephen Lloyd MP, urging him to encourage the Department of Transport to work with the coach industry to fully understand and reduce the impact the removal of the Coach Concessionary Travel scheme will have on the elderly, disabled and small communities. Local Trade Unionists are encouraged to add their voices to the campaign. You can download a model letter by clicking here.

Bombardier: The Impact in East Sussex

We now know the full impact of the Government's disastrous decision to award the contract for building the new fleet of Thameslink Trains to Siemens in Germany, instead of the UK Bombardier plant, potentially spelling the end of train manufacturing in Britain.

Tens of thousands of supply chain jobs in nearly every constituency in the country will be affected. According to research from the RMT Union, East Sussex firms in the Bombardier supply chain include:

Longsite Management and Logistics of East Dean, Tuthill Controls Group in Hailsham Southdowns Environmental Consultants in Lewes, and Deutche UK in Hastings.

On top of the thousands of job losses we now know that that nearly 250 apprenticeships and engineering jobs for new graduates from the Bombardier “Centre of Excellence” will be lost if the government fails to reverse the decision to send the Thameslink fleet contract overseas. With nearly a million young people out of work, kicking the legs from under a skills and training Centre of Excellence is a further major blow to youth employment.

We have also learnt from parliamentary answers that more accountants than engineers advised the Government on the contract. Of the nine government officials involved in the project only two had an engineering background.

It was also shown that the government spent ten times as much for advice from lawyers and accountants than engineers. It is shameful that the procurement exercise has been dominated by accountants and management consultants on fat fees while the skills , and engineering excellence of Bombardier at Derby has been totally ignored.

Please support the Parliamentary Rally and briefing to save Bombardier jobs on Wednesday 12th October, 12.30pm, at Committee Room 10, House of Commons, London.

Support the Rally to save Bombardier Jobs

Bombardier trade unions are urging support for the Parliamentary rally to save Bombardier jobs on Wednesday 12th October, Committee Room 10, House of Commons, London.

At the Parliamentary Transport Committee on 7th September both the Secretary of State for Transport and representative of the European Commission admitted it was legally possible to reverse the decision to award the Thameslink trains contract to Siemens of Germany.

Last week the TUC unanimously agreed to back the campaign and there is now overwhelming political, media and popular support for the government to reverse their disastrous decision.

And we know if it is allowed to go ahead the impact of the government’s decision will go beyond Derby. Tens of thousands of supply chain jobs in nearly every constituency in the country will be affected.

That is why every single MP in the country has been invited to the rally on 12th October to hear how the threat to Bombardier in Derby could also threaten the livelihoods of their constituents.

Answers to a parliamentary question from John McDonnell MP last week have further demonstrated the scandalous nature of the government decision. Ministers have admitted that almost £20m has been spent on consultants to provide advice on a process that could spell the end of UK train manufacturing

Please support the rally on 12th October and ask your MP to attend. Please also ask your MP to sign the parliamentary motion tabled by Chris Williamson MP. You can check if your MP has signed by clicking here

The contract is still at preferred bidder stage. There is still time to reverse this decision. Please support the rally on 12th October