14.09.12
RMT to ballot over West Coast franchise ‘fiasco’
Rail union RMT is preparing for an industrial action ballot over the award of the West Coast franchise, as the Government waits to hear if Virgin Trains will be awarded a judicial review of the contract.
The DfT is preparing to take over the franchise via Directly Operated Railways if the dispute is not settled before December 9, but new transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has defended the department’s actions over the bid.
The RMT says the ongoing confusion means workers have no idea if their jobs or terms and conditions are safe.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “The fiasco over the award of the West Coast franchise has left both staff and the travelling public without a clue as to who will be running this key transport artery in little more than ten weeks time.
“It is still not out of the question that there will be no one to run it if the Government don’t stop messing about and accept that, with the clock ticking down, they need to get on with the public sector option as a matter of urgency or risk a total meltdown.
“Transfer of staff and operations cannot be done overnight and with DOR on the East Coast tried and tested it is simply the Government’s entrenched opposition to public control, even though it is now supported by 70% of the British people, that is stopping them getting on with this logical and urgent option for the West Coast route.”
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