RMT press releases

Poll of London Labour politicians finds overwhelming support to end privatisation of Tube cleaning in wake of COVID – 19 pandemic

In the week that London Mayor Sadiq Khan made a firm manifesto commitment to explore bringing the London Underground’s multi – million-pound cleaning contract in house, a new poll of London Labour councillors has found overwhelming support to end the privatisation of the tube cleaning when the current contract ends in 2022.

Shocking rise in hate crimes toward disabled people on the rail network shows we need more staff on stations and trains says RMT

The shocking rising level of hate crime toward disabled people travelling on Britain’s railways is a wake-up call to the industry to stop the cost-cutting that has emptied staff from trains and stations said RMT General Secretary Mick Cash today.

New figures published by the Department for Transport have shown that hate crimes toward disabled people traveling on the rail network have risen by 24% in the last three years. (1)

RMT’s Mick Cash says Shrewsbury pickets’ victory is a win for working people length and breadth of Britain
TRANSPORT UNION RMT has welcomed today's victory for the Shrewsbury 24 as a victory for working people the length and breadth of Britain which has only been achieved by the sheer resilience and determination of the pickets who refused to stop fighting for justice.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

RMT blasts latest government drip-feed deal as further blow for London’s Transport
Transport union RMT today slammed the government for imposing yet another short-term funding deal on Transport for London which continues to make vital support for public transport conditional on more damaging austerity attacks on workers.

The latest deal lasts until 18 May, meaning that TfL is in almost continuous negotiation and heroic keyworkers who have worked through the pandemic are left wondering about their future.

RMT welcomes London Travelwatch report but warns it will go nowhere without Government funding

RMT welcomes London Travelwatch report but warns it will go nowhere without Government funding

TRANSPORT UNION RMT welcomed the publication of London Travelwatch’s report into the future of public transport in the capital but warned that without a change of approach from Government toward TfL it will go nowhere.

As vaccine programme hits initial targets RMT calls for escalation of priority and protection for transport workers

With the news at the weekend that the initial phase of the COVID vaccination programme has hit its targets RMT called this morning for an escalation in priority for transport staff and other essential workers to ensure that those groups risking the highest levels of occupational exposure, and who are also pivotal to the route map out of the current lockdown, are properly protected. 

General Secretary Mick Cash said;

RMT blasts TfL for calling on staff in South African variant postcodes to come into work as normal.

RMT has written to TfL Commissioner Andy Byford condemning its guidance that workers in postcodes being targeted for surge testing aimed at bringing the South African variant of Covid19 to heel, should come into work as normal.

RMT on shocking new ONS figures on COVID mortality rates amongst bus and taxi drivers

Commenting on today’s ONS figures which showed that male bus and coach drivers and male taxi drivers are two of the occupational groups with high rates of Covid-19 deaths, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“ These figures are a tragic reminder of the risks faced by the UK’s frontline transport workers.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

“This Financial Sustainability Plan is a massive missed opportunity and a capitulation to Tory austerity. TfL could have used this moment to aggressively make the case for setting its funding on a completely new basis, recognising the failure of fare box model and making the case for public funding that recognises the public interest in London’s mass transit system.