NETWORK RAIL AND SOUTH WEST TRAINS

TO: THE SECRETARY

ALL BRANCHES & REGIONAL COUNCILS

EXECUTIVE & HO OFFICERS

Circular No. NP/026/12

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

NETWORK RAIL AND SOUTH WEST TRAINS

I write to report on the meeting I attended with Network Rail yesterday. The company outlined their proposal that, as of the 1st April 2012, an alliance will be set up between Network Rail and South West Trains to make the infrastructure and TOCs work in better cooperation.                  

Of course this is McNulty being rolled out.  The company said the employees’ contract would not change and they have not got a safety case yet.  We demanded our representatives are fully consulted and their proposals are not rolled out until fully agreed. 

But quite clearly the foundations are being laid for one of these alliances because the South West Trains’ one is only a trial to be sold off completely to the private sector.                               

We stipulated our policy of full nationalisation but if we could not achieve that then Network Rail should be allowed to run a TOC.  This could then lay the foundations to run all TOCS eventually.      

Yours sincerely,

Bob Crow

General Secretary