Dear Brother/Sister
Solidarity with the RMT; Support the rail strikes
The FBU Executive Council recently discussed the imminent strikes called by the RMT on National Rail and on London Underground (currently 21, 23 and 25 June). These actions are being called because of attacks on rail workers including:
- Attacks on Railway Pension Scheme and LUL pension scheme and the pension rights of RMT members
- The threat to thousands of jobs across the rail network
- Threats to terms and conditions by changing contracts for new workers
- Attacks on pay
These attacks are driven by political decisions made by the Westminster Tory government. They will all be familiar to FBU members. We have faced our own onslaught from employers, government and Chief Fire Officers on similar issues. We are now seeing a growing onslaught on the RMT from government and in the media. Again, firefighters have faced similar attacks and criticism when we have stood up for our pay, conditions and service, including by taking strike action or other forms of industrial action. FBU members will also be familiar with the other threat which the Westminster government now makes against the RMT – changes to safety regulations so as to allow the use of agency workers to break rail strikes. In the fire and rescue service we have also seen dangerous, expensive and half-baked models to bring in agency strike breakers against FBU members. We have opposed this in our own industry; we oppose it on the railways.
Support the strikes; support the picket lines
The Executive Council calls on all FBU members to support the RMT in its campaign and in its strikes.
All branches and brigade committees are urged;
- to visit and support RMT picket lines
- to invite RMT strikers to address branches and brigade, regional and sectional committees
- to raise funds for support for strikers as necessary.
A victory for the RMT will be a victory for all workers and for all trade unions. It will help us all in the fight to stop the government-driven race to the bottom on pay and working conditions. Working people should not pay the economic price for Covid while corporations make record profits and billionaires grow richer each year. Stand with rail workers; stand with the RMT.
Yours in unity.
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
