The Socialist 25 May 2011

Unite to stop the cuts

National shop stewards conference - Unite to stop the cuts

As the cost of living soars...: 'We are going to fight back'!

An offer we must refuse

Why Liverpool needs a needs budget

Showing an alternative to cuts in Dorset

Battling to defend the NHS

NHS demo in London needs to be a step towards united national strike action

Unison leaders failing to adopt the demands of health workers

Challenging Tories' plans to kill our health service

PCS conference: developing strategies for struggle

UCU facing battles on all fronts

Southampton city council workers strike

Three day strike to stop redundancies at Sheffield College

Firefighters discuss strategy to fight cuts

Workplace news in brief

"We are London Met Uni, not EasyMet"

Atos Origin - profiting from pain

'Slutwalk' protests: Women reject sexism

Slave labour schemes must be resisted

Leadership failed print workers in vital battle

Review: The street that cut everything

McNulty's railway report: not 'value for money'!

Care homes privatisation hits the elderly

News in brief

Eyewitness report: Mass youth protests in Spain

Ireland: 'Reclaim the unions'

Greece: Resist bosses' agenda and the far right

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Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/672/12099

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McNulty's railway report: not 'value for money'!

Steve Hedley

RMT London regional organiser

National Shop Stewards Network national conference 2010, Steve Hedley, London Regional Secretary, RMT, photo Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)

Sir Roy McNulty's railway 'value for money' report, commissioned by the government, seems to blame and penalise workers for the failed privatisation policies of successive Tory and Labour governments.

The disastrous privatisation of British Rail resulted in worse employment conditions and cost three times as much to run as the nationalised British Rail.

The subsequent public-private partnerships (PPPs) on London Underground, shamefully the brain child of the Labour Party, were equally disastrous. Having pillaged the industry, private conglomerates Tubelines and Metronet fled when pickings weren't so rich, leaving the tax payer to pick up a bill of £billions.

It beggars belief that McNulty expects the commuter and worker to pay for the failed policies of private greed. More jobs cuts, worse services and still further cuts in safety will result unless unions and commuters unite to kick out the McNulty report and demand full renationalisation of the whole rail network under democratic public control.

The gauntlet has been thrown down; together we must pick it up and meet this challenge head on.

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