Rail union RMT has pledged to fight planned cuts to renewals work for Network Rail by contractor Carillion that the union says present a direct threat to both jobs and safety.
RMT was speaking out after it was presented with a consultation document from Carillion that ‘indicates possible job cuts and redundancies.’ RMT said ‘this alarming and deplorable proposal’ is a consequence of Network Rail’s cuts in its planned renewals programme.
According to the union, the planned cuts will mean the loss of skilled railway engineers’ jobs and will result in trains running on older, less safe, track. RMT’s national executive indicated any job cuts will be ‘fought vigorously’, adding: “Any attempt by Carillion to impose compulsory redundancies will lead to a dispute situation with the company and RMT is also wholly opposed to the jobs of permanent staff going while the company is using agency labour.”
Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: “The government and Network Rail have a duty to ensure that our railway is maintained and renewed to the modern and safe standard that the public and our economy needs and deserve.
“The announcement of cutbacks affecting Carillion and other infrastructure companies are a sure sign of cash and job cuts that will put at risk skilled jobs and also the modern, safe rail infrastructure we desperately need.”
He added: “RMT will not stand by and watch these jobs vanish and will campaign all the way politically and industrially to protect them.”
