Comprising of Motion 28 and amendment and Motion 29
Congress welcomes Labour’s commitment to transport polices that will benefit transport users and workers.
Congress welcomes the opportunity that has been presented for the future of public transport, specifically the rail network, following the Labour Party’s victory in the general election and their pledge to create Great British Railways (GBR).
Congress applauds this important first step but believes an extended review of the railways is needed, inclusive of rolling stock ownership/procurement and both open access and rail freight operations.
Congress is concerned however that there are vested interests seeking to dilute and delay these polices.
Congress notes that the privatised nature of the rail freight sector often leads to a ‘race to the bottom’ as companies bid against each other to win contracts. This along with the economic downturn and erosion of British industry, including the cancelation of infrastructure works, issues in the steel sector and the slowdown in construction has unfortunately seen redundancies in rail freight.
However, rail freight plays a vital role in decarbonisation and efforts to achieve net zero, whilst also currently contributing £2.45bn in economic benefits to the UK. There is an opportunity for rail freight to be central to Labour’s plans on construction, infrastructure, economic growth and decarbonisation. Labour intends to create a statutory duty on GBR to promote the use of rail freight, with an overall growth target set by the Secretary of State, this could inadvertently encourage poor employment practices with a greater race to the bottom and undercutting between rail freight bidders. Congress therefore agrees the General Council will work with affiliates to campaign to ensure the delivery of a progressive transport agenda.
This includes:
i. the implementation of Labour’s proposals to take the train operating companies into public ownership and integrate rail operations with infrastructure into Great British Railways (GBR), creating a single employer. Congress also agrees to campaign to ensure GBR moves to end outsourcing, absorbs open access operations and rail freight, ends the profiteering of the rolling stock leasing companies and develops publicly owned rolling stock ownership and manufacturing
ii. public ownership and publicly controlled buses. Congress also agrees to campaign to ensure there is sufficient ring-fenced funding for local authorities to deliver this policy and reverse service cuts throughout the country
iii. increased funding for rail, metro bus and ferry networks, given Labour’s welcome acknowledgment that every pound spent on rail can create £2.50 in economic benefits and Labour’s commitment to set targets for modal shift to lower emissions from transport
iv. following the P&O Ferries scandal, implementation of Labour’s commitment to a mandatory seafarer’s charter in the ferry sector and also campaign for other measure to protect and improve maritime jobs, conditions and skills
v. establish a national maritime training organisation to centralise the training of all UK maritime professionals, whilst introducing 100 per cent SMarT funding for all UK rating and officer training and work to deliver the recommendations, in full, as provided by the Maritime Skills Commission.
Congress calls on the General Council to lobby the UK government for the expansion of publicly owned rail freight services eventually resulting in a fully renationalised rail freight sector.
Congress agrees to campaign for the full implementation of the New Deal within the public transport, maritime and offshore sector, including ending outsourcing and extending collective bargaining.
Mover: National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
Seconder: Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
Supporter: Nautilus International