Network Rail: renew the fight on jobs!

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It's good to see the union publish some research into the impacts of Network Rail's "Modernising Maintenance" restructure. The scheme is basically a bonfire of jobs, significantly reducing staffing levels and maintenance schedules.

96% of the workers interviewed in the RMT research says the scheme has not improved safety. 80% said staffing levels were a critical issue. 63% said they struggled to maintain healthy work/life balance. 85% reported increases in infrastructure faults.

If not addressed, these cuts will have an accelerating impact on worker and passenger safety.

RMT statements call on the new Labour government and Network Rail to reverse the cuts. That's a start, but what about mobilising our own strength as workers to press those demands? What about a campaign of demonstrations and, ultimately, industrial action?

RMT also rightly points out that "Modernising Maintenance" was "forced through without a union agreement". The dispute settlement we agreed to end the 2022-3 dispute "decoupled" the basic pay and conditions issues from acceptance of "Modernising Maintenance". We wrote at the time: "That concession is somewhat notional now, given Network Rail has effectively already begun to impose its cuts, with RMT reps engaging in local consultation over their implementation “under protest”."

We can't re-run the 2022-3 fight. What we can do is mobilise a renewed fight over the impacts of "Modernising Maintenance" now, and take action to demand a reversal of job cuts.