THE AGM of rail union RMT, meeting in Fort William this week, has endorsed plans for a massive national campaign, including a cross-industry strike ballot if necessary, to resist any attempts by the Government to roll out its McNulty Rail Review assault on Britain’s railways.

The union warns that McNulty would mean:

• Pay freezes and longer hours
• Inferior conditions for new entrants
• Cuts in infrastructure and signal workers
• Driver Only Operation
• De-staffing of stations and ticket offices
• Outsourcing of labour
• Attacks on railway pensions
• The breakup of Network Rail
• A further attack on the freight industry
• Reduced safety standards
• Increased fares
• Greater commercial freedom for the TOCs
• Threats to regional and rural lines

The approved conference report says that 'any attempts to attack the jobs, pay, conditions and safety of our members or free collective bargaining in the industry will be met by a ballot for industrial action.'

RMT has also vowed to work with other unions, passenger groups, politicians and local communities to build a mass-campaign of national resistance to McNulty.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: “McNulty would leave no rail worker and no section of our industry unscathed whether they work for the train operators, Network Rail or one of the many sub-contractors. Everyone has a stake in this campaign and, if the Government decide to push on with the plans, we are making it clear that every worker will be balloted for action right across the rail industry."

“Meanwhile we will be building a mass, national campaign against this all-out assault on our railways that will leave no stone unturned in the fight to stop us being dragged back to the days of Railtrack, Hatfield and Potters Bar while the private companies are locked in to gold-plated deals that leave them laughing all the way to the bank.”