As the issue of rail safety is raised in the light of the fire-fighters dispute, other fears over safety are leading to the possibility of a national rail dispute.
Train safety should be paramount - but in the interests of profit, train operating companies have tried to downplay the safety role of the guard, at the same time loading more responsibility on train drivers.
Railway Safety, custodians of the railway Rule Book have been complicit in changing rules to allow this to happen.
For years RMT train crew have been campaigning against these changes. We had successful ballots for industrial action last year. This forced the train operating companies and Railway Safety to agree to implement the findings of an independent assessment of proposals by the RMT to reaffirm the guards' safety role.
But when the assessment came down in favour of the RMT plan, Railway Safety reneged on their deal.
Now is the time to act. The union is demanding agreement on six key points of operational safety where the Rules have been relaxed in recent years. We want to see the Rules returned to a position where safety comes first and short cuts in the interests of profit are done away with.
Despite the dificulties caused by Labour's anti-union laws - the train operating companies (TOCs) claim our dispute is with Railway Safety, which does not employ us - we are confident that a legal dispute exists with every TOC.
A meeting of all RMT train crew company reps last month endorsed a plan for industrial action. The argument is being taken up in every depot.
We hope to start balloting as soon as possible. And then to move to nationally co-ordinated action in every TOC as a matter of urgency.
Only then will the TOCs realise: we will protect our members - our lives are more important than their profits! ... London Bus workers marched through the capital on Greg Tucker ticket is well-founded". tence". speeding gers any danger". my downgrading,