Received from: RMT
Congress is appalled that despite being praised as heroes during the pandemic, key workers are bearing the brunt of the government’s workplace austerity.
In rail there is an open-ended pay freeze, thousands of jobs under threat and attacks on conditions, whilst publicly subsidised privateers are making pre-pandemic levels of profits. The government’s proposed “Great British Railways” will perpetuate privatisation and attacks on pay.
In a similar way, bus companies are to pay huge dividends on the back of government support while services and jobs are threatened. On London Transport government insists on massive cuts, driverless trains and attacks on pensions. In the maritime and offshore sector the government is permitting a race to the bottom, even allowing anti-union operator Irish Ferries, who pay below the minimum wage, to begin operating from Dover.
Congress believes that when there are clear alternatives to austerity, including borrowing and investing to boost economic growth, the government’s betrayal of key workers is an ideologically driven false economy. This is confirmed by government’s refusal to take meaningful action against fire and rehire and their decision to enact legislation giving the Certification Officer more power to entrap and weaken unions.
Congress welcomes campaigning undertaken by the TUC and affiliates supporting key workers and calls on the General Council to:
i. seek to coordinate action, including industrial action, of affiliates fighting attacks
ii. lobby MPs, making the case for more decent, secure jobs, in contrast to the workplace levelling down being pursued by the government
iii. call a national protest highlighting this issue.
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
Amendment
In paragraph 5, sub-paragraph iii., delete “highlighting this issue” and replace with:
“that brings together affiliates and community organisations in order to recognise the wider role that key workers play in providing vital services to their communities.”
Communication Workers Union