Trade unionists and environmental campaigners are united in support of RMT rail workers on strike. There will be a demonstration to show support at Bristol Temple Meads at 12 midday on Saturday 25th June and we will be joining RMT strikers on picket lines from 6am at Bristol Temple Meads and Parkway stations on the 21st, 23rd and 25th June.

Demo info: https://m.facebook.com/events/s/bristol-stands-in-solidarity-w/1204535490359959/

Bristol Climate Justice Coalition statement in support of RMT rail workers strike

The government’s attack on rail workers’ pay, jobs and conditions is both an attack on workers rights and an action which further damages the environment, contravening the commitments it signed at COP26.

We stand with the RMT union in defence of its members and give full support to their industrial action. We oppose any attempt to make people pay the cost of a crisis not of their making.

We believe a victory for the RMT will give confidence to many others that we can stand up and stop the relentless attacks on our living standards as well as the government’s policies regarding climate change.

We believe workers and others should not suffer reduced living standards and redundancies.

We need a massive increase in cheap preferably free efficient public transport including the railways to enable people to move away from use of cars and fossil fuels. Year on year we see climate change reeking havoc on increasing numbers of the world’s population. Climate change is a major factor in the cost of food spiralling upwards. We need growth of our railway network and more jobs in the sector not cutting staff and services.

Running the rail service by private companies for  profit leads to fare rises often making the car a cheaper option for travel. We need an expansion of a  rail network under public ownership, run in the interests of people and the planet and not for the  profit of the few. A victory for the rail workers will be a victory for us all.

Signatures 

Hannah David – PCS SW Regional Secretary and chair of SW TUC

Jon Reddiford – North Somerset NEU and National Executive member

Salena Williams – Bristol Climate Justice Coalition convenor

PCS Efra South West branch

Tyrone Fall – Bath & North East Somerset NEU

Ian Watkins – Bristol Unison Branch climate officer

Jenn Forbes – CWU & UCU

Tony Staunton – Chair UCU SW RM branch, Campaign Against Climate Change

Bristol Extinction Rebellion Youth

Bristol IWW

Bristol Rising Tide

Stu Melvin – Unite

Gareth Lowe, Lead Officer for Environment, Unite South West

Chrissie Wilson – Unite community branch

Jane Parsons – Unison

Huw Williams – Bristol Climate Justice Coalition and Unison

Chris Roache – Unite

Anne Lemon – NEU and Stand up to Racism convenor

Tarisha Finnegan – Clarke, Bristol Airport Action Network

Lin Clarke – PCS ARMS branch