In the final stage of a two-year battle since he was kicked out of his job as a driver, our comrade Greg Tucker has now been reinstated by his company, South West Trains. Monday saw Greg resume his post as a driver!
Greg was a Socialist Alliance candidate in the 2001 General Election. During the campaign Greg's role in organising strikes on SWT and sup..... three thousand train guards have gone on strike to defend rail amounts to the most effective rail strike since privatisation. Greg Tucker, National Train Crew the RMT explains the porting striking postal workers and college lecturers had been front-page news in the Evening Standard. Returning to work two days later he was immediately victimised and downgraded to the post of ticket collector.
After a long campaign that included a series of strikes last year, Greg won his case at an Employment Tribunal. Rejecting spurious safety claims by down in our favour Railway Safety has refused to abide by its findings.
The RMT has been reasonable all along -we have tried to go through the cumbersome procedures laid down to change the Rules. But when it comes down to it Railway Safety is just a mouthpiece for the operating companies who want to get rid of guards. We have been forced to take action to protect our safety and the safety of passengers.
The strength of our case is shown by the • • • • fact that eight companies have already indicated they agree with us and have accepted our proposals.
The other companies are clearty looking for a fight. They are using managers with only a few days training to try to replace our strikers. They are working over twelve SWT management the Tribunal found that Greg had never placed passengers in any danger - rather he was victimised solely because of his trade union activities. They ruled that. "senior management engaged in a concerted manoeuvre" to remove a thorn in their side.
Now SWT have been forced to give Greg his original job back - on his what further action to take. We will be demanding that no later decision is taken to end the dispute without our full involvement and approval.
Rail privatisation has been an absolute disaster for everyone - except the rail company shareholders. They have made it clear that they will protect their profits ahead of protecting passengers' and workers' lives. We have made it clear that safety must come first.
•• John Lister In the teeth of mounting parliamentary terms. Greg commented, "It is not every day that a union activist is successfully reinstated like this. My victory is down to the support I received from my work colleagues, from the RMT, the SA and other activists".
"For instance in France rail workers from the CGT and SUD Rail were mobilised in my support by Rail Rouge, the LCR rail fraction." from the sale of Trust property assets, Medical secretaries fight for upgrading: but will Foundation hospitals be able to tear up NHS terms and conditions to compete in Milburn's new market?
pital in Stockholm was privatised by its