March 2015

INSIDEn Michael Dugher interviewedn Equal pay in Network Railn New TSSA legal services

Election 2015:Labour’s plan for our railways

2 March 2015

in this issue

Transport Salaried Staffs’Association

General Secretary: Manuel Cortes

Joining TSSA T: 020 7529 8048F: 020 7383 0656E: join@tssa.org.uk

Your membership detailsT: 020 7529 8048E: details@tssa.org.uk

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@TSSAunionfacebook.com/TSSAunion

TSSA JournalEditor: Ben SoffaE: journal@tssa.org.ukT: 020 7529 8055M: 07809 583020

General queries (London office) T: 020 7387 2101F: 020 7383 0656E: enquiries@tssa.org.uk

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TSSA Journal is published by TSSA, Walkden House10 Melton Street London NW1 2EJ

Design and production: Linda Mugridgelinda.mugridge@virginmedia.com

Views published in the Journal arenot necessarily those of TSSA.

TSSA Journal is printed by TU Ink onLeipa Ultra Silk comprised of 100 per cent post-consumer waste. Thepolythene wrapper is oxo-degradable.

Vol 111/issue 1234

Standing up to TfL over attackson pay and pensions.8

Rod Leon

4–9News and campaignsu Franchising – the beginning of the end?

u Non-profit operator planned for Wales

u Union rights under threat in Great Western

u CalMac – for communities or just for profit?

u Standing up to TfL’s attacks

u Get involved ... and change the government

10 Lessons from the Underground

11Winning clear and equal pay for Network Rail managers

12 President: Improving our democracy

13 General secretary: A Labour government to rebuild Britain

14–15Michael Dugher: A better railway under Labour

16–17 Election 2015: Changing Britain for the better

18–19 Introducing TSSA Legal Services

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TSSA Journal 3

editorial

Welcome to thelatest edition of theTSSA Journal. Withthe UK generalelection just weeksaway, it is impossibleto understate justhow widely felt itsimpact will be. There are only twocontenders to form the next government:Labour or the Conservatives. Everythingelse flows from that.

A victory for the Tories will unleash anew clampdown on our rights at work,with the Tories pledging to put yet morehurdles in the way of workers seeking toassert our rights. It will also emboldenemployers to drive down wage settlementsand further degrade terms and conditions.A ‘business as usual’ approach to therailways will see us locked into longfranchises, shutting off the possibility ofany real change for years to come.

On the other hand, a Labour victory willmake a huge difference, both on therailways and to the public services we relyupon more widely. As we report on page 4,Labour’s shadow transport secretary,interviewed on pages 14-15, has beenclearer than ever before about scrappingthe current franchising system. Ourcampaigning work has played a large partin changing Labour’s view – work that willneed to continue into what we hope willbe a radical, reforming Labour government.We have no illusions that a Labourgovernment will wave a magic wand andall will be well with the world, but thecurrent Labour team have learnt thelessons from the past and offer a far betterway forward for Britain.

As we mentioned in the most recentJournal, we’re in the process of movingtowards providing an increasing amountof our news online, allowing us to offermuch more timely information than theprinted Journal ever could. This meansthat our printed editions will now be anannual affair, looking at some of thebiggest issues we all face.

In the meantime, if you’re online, pleasedo make sure that we have your emailaddress and that you follow us on socialmedia. I hope you enjoy this edition.

Ben Soffa, editor

We marched for the alternative lastOctober, now it’s nearly time to vote for it,electing a Labour government in May.13

BarmouthBridge in NorthWales. TheWelsh Labourgovernmenthave announcedplans for a not-for-dividendrail operator.

20–21World War One: Our story

22 Greece: Standing up to austerity

23 Get involved in your union

24 Stand Up to Racism and Fascism

4 March 2015

news

ALMOST 20 YEARS on from the award ofthe first rail franchises, could the processbe on its way out? Labour’s ShadowTransport Secretary, Michael Dugher, iscertainly clear: “I’m adamant aboutputting the whole franchising system, asit stands today, in the bin”. The ShadowMinister, interviewed on pages 14-15,recently remarked “privatisation was adisaster for the railways” cruciallyadding that “the public sector will berunning sections of our rail network assoon as we can do that”.

However, none of this had stoppedthe stripping of money from the systemin the form of profit. The latest figuresfrom the Office of Rail Regulation showthat despite public subsidy to the tuneof £3.8bn in the last year, train operatingcompanies paid out £183m in dividendsto shareholders – in almost all cases

representing a fake profit abstractedfrom public funds.

There are only two companies whogave back more to the public coffersthan they took in subsidies. One ofthose was East Coast, who made a netcontribution of £23m to the UKgovernment in 2013/14.

This ‘danger of a good example’ of apublicly-owned, popular and successfulTOC could not be allowed to persist, withConservative ministers riding roughshodover popular opinion and re-letting thefranchise to private owners in November.The 90 per cent Stagecoach-ownedVirgin Trains East Coast ensures one setof owners now have a monopoly overLondon-Scotland routes, againundermining the competition whichunderpinned the original case for thecreation of dozens of TOCs.7

EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALFEES were introduced by theTory-led government in July2013 and, at least for non-union members, have had adevastating impact on accessto workplace justice. Ourrights at work are only everas strong as our ability to seethem enforced, but theintroduction of fees, whichcan run to £1,200 even beforelawyers are engaged, hasseen a 64 per cent drop in thenumber of cases submitted.

For more complex areaslike sex discrimination thefall has been even moreprofound, with casesdropping from approximately22,000 to 4,000 a year – an80 per cent reduction.

One of the manyadvantages of TSSA

membership is that we willcover your tribunal fees in allsituations where we thinkyour case has at least a 50per cent chance of success,as well as providing advice onyour claim and full legalsupport throughout thecourse of the proceedings.

The fees system has beendescribed as a victory forBritain’s bad bosses, allowingthem to get away withharassment and abuse ofworkers, especially wherethey know an employee isnot a member of a unionthat will cover the chargesfor legal action.

The TUC’s Frances O’Gradyhas said “Tribunal fees arepricing workers out of justiceand have created a barrier tobasic rights at work. The

government has put Britainin a race to the bottom thatis creating an economybased on zero-hours jobs andzero-rights for workers.”

Labour have committed to

“abolish the current system,reform the employmenttribunals and put in place anew system which ensures allworkers have proper accessto justice”.7

Justice denied by employment tribunal fees

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Franchising – the beginning of the end?Labour say franchising will go ‘in the bin’

TSSA Journal 5

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Cameron hammers 100,000 rail workers’ pensionsDAVID CAMERON HAS beenaccused of conducting a raidon railway pensions withmore than 100,000 staff andpensioners set to lose out asa result of the proposals putforward by the Tory-Lib Demcoalition.

“The government, onceagain, is raiding workers’pensions to fund tax cuts forthe rich,” said the generalsecretaries of TSSA, ASLEF,RMT and Unite in a jointstatement.

As part of its austerityagenda, the government isproposing wide rangingchanges to the state pension– and not just to the age ofretirement. This time DavidCameron and GeorgeOsborne are picking thepockets of the occupationalpension schemes. Thegovernment has passedlegislation that ends pensioncontracting out from 6 April2016, when the new singletier state pension comes into

operation. Where schemessuch as the Railway PensionScheme are currentlycontracted out, this willmean an increase in bothemployers’ and members’National Insurancecontributions from that date.

The Tories have given theemployers a statutoryoverride to simply dip intoworkers’ occupationalpension schemes to pay theincreased National Insurancebill – without reference to

the pension schemes’trustees or rules. By allowingthe full cost to come fromwhat are workers’ deferredearnings, they are protectingthe rail companies’ profits atthe expense of theworkforce.

Union leaders pledged“We are not going to standidly by and watch ourpensions being plundered tofund their private profits.”Further action in this area isexpected soon. 7

Non-profit operatorplanned for Wales

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT’Sministerfor transport has announced plans tocreate an alternative to private railoperators, ready to take over serviceswhen the Wales and Borders franchiseexpires in three years time.

The current contract was awarded bythe UK government, but futuredecisions on the franchise will bedevolved to Cardiff, where the minister,former Wales TUC chair Edwina Hart,takes a very different view.

She told TSSA Journal, “After thetransfer of powers over the franchise tothe Welsh government were agreed, Iannounced the establishment of a notfor dividend, wholly owned subsidiarycompany of the Welsh government as apart of our plans to deliver a moreeffective integrated transport system inWales.

“The company will provide advice ondriving forward projects such as theSouth East Wales Metro, Valleys Linesmodernisation and electrification, andon procuring the next Wales andBorders franchise. It will examine the

feasibility of the next franchise beingrun on a not-for-dividend basis.” Sheadds, “I am keen that the views of Welshrailway workers and the industry ingeneral are heard as we develop theseprojects, which are vital for Wales’future economic prosperity.”

The pledge fulfills a commitmentgiven in Welsh Labour’s manifesto forthe current Assembly term to “examinethe feasibility of the Wales and Bordersrail franchise being run on a not-for-dividend basis, such as Glas Cymru”.Glas Cymru is the widely commendednot-for-dividend company set up toown Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, a uniquearrangement in the UK water ‘market’.

This would not be the only area oftransport policy where the WelshLabour government has been expandingpublic ownership. In 2013 the ministersbrought Cardiff Airport back into publichands at a cost of £52 million, seeingthe strategic importance of transportinvestment for Wales’ economy.

Welsh Tories decried the move onrail ownership, seemingly suggesting

the private multinationals were beingoppressed. Conservative shadowtransport minister Byron Davies saidthat “preventing private businessesfrom running Welsh” was “anotherexample of Labour’s ideological aversionto the private sector”.

Whatever the attacks, Welshministers are clearly aware of theoverwhelming public sentiment, despitebeing somewhat constrained by therange of powers that are beingdevolved. The BBC report that EdwinaHart acknowledged that“Nationalisation of the railways isprobably what the public would like, butthat gift isn’t with me.” 7

WelshgovernmenttransportministerEdwina Hart

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6 March 2015

MPS HAVE JOINED with unions fromacross the world to support TSSA’scampaign to protect trade union rights inFirst Great Western (FGW).

In November the employer gave noticeto TSSA that they intended to scrap theircollective bargaining agreement formanagers from May this year. Thatagreement gives FGW managers the rightto have their pay and contractual termsand conditions negotiated collectivelythrough TSSA. It also allows TSSAmembers who are FGW managers to electreps to be consulted on issues such asstaff reorganisations, redundancies andcompany policies.

FGW’s Managing Director MarkHopwood personally signed up to theagreement in 2009, so it is particularlysurprising to see him reversingsomething which is his own policy. Thatagreement only came about following alengthy campaign by TSSA to win unionrecognition for managers in the firstplace, during which TSSA had todemonstrate high membership and levelsof support amongst FGW managers.

TSSA members at FGW and theirsupporters have been gathering apetition to the company as well as

bombarding Mark Hopwood and the FirstGroup’s Chief Executive Tim O’Toole withemail messages.

Supporters have also been using themodel letter on TSSA’s website to asktheir MPs for support. Swansea West MPGeraint Davies has tabled an Early DayMotion in Parliament that has alreadybeen signed by 20 MPs, calling for urgenttalks between FGW and TSSA.

TSSA reps, assisted by full-time staff,have systematically spoken by phone toas many FGW members as possible toexplain the issues and galvanise support.Members have responded very positively,with no support whatsoever for thecompany’s position.

Since the 2009 recognition agreement,TSSA reps have been able to ensure that

managers received the same pay rises asthe other staff, won rights to additionalpayments over Christmas and Boxing Day,protected staff through multiplereorganisations and persuaded thecompany to examine the issue ofexcessive working hours and workloads. Itis beyond doubt that managers havehugely benefitted hugely from havingTSSA reps being able to fight their corner.

TSSA representatives have beenparticularly concerned that FGW wants toweaken the union in order to pave theway for managers to be used as strikebreakers when other grades are takingindustrial action.

FGW has made it clear that they intendto replace the right to be represented byan independent trade union with tame‘forums’ that will have no clout, and noability to influence events.

TSSA welcomed an approach fromACAS to try to find a way through thedifferences between the union and FGW,but the company has set its face againstACAS involvement. 7

To join the letter writing campaigns toMPs and the company, please visitwww.tssa.org.uk/fgw.

THE GENERAL ELECTION isabout who the nextgovernment will be for – withthe Tories it’s all about themand their millionaire friends,but a Labour government willfight for a better life for youand your family.

I will be out over the nextthree months, making the

case across London andnationwide – I hope you willjoin me.

But we also can’t lose sightof what happens after theelection. Over the summerLabour will choose itscandidate to be Mayor ofLondon and TSSA memberscan play a vital role in thatdecision.

Last year, trade unionrepresentatives and Labourmembers came together togive trade unionists theopportunity to put theirissues further up the LabourParty agenda by creating a

new type of relationship called‘Affiliated Supporters’.

All TSSA members canbecome affiliated supportersat absolutely no cost. Thoseaffiliated supporters who livein London will then be able tochoose Labour’s next mayoralcandidate. That means thatpotentially thousands ofLondon Underground and TfLworkers can have a say overthe person we hope will go onto become their next boss.

This gives you a uniqueopportunity to vote for theperson who you think will dothe most to protect your pay,

your job, your rights and makelife better for you and yourfamily.

Members of TSSA elsewherein Britain can also sign up andtake this opportunity to havea greater say in the future ofthe Labour Party.

So, sign up today and getyour colleagues and friends tosign up too. Help us win inMay, help us choose our nextcandidate for mayor and helpus make Britain a fairer homefor us all.

All you need to do is visitsupport.labour.org.uk and putin your details. 7

Union rights under threat in Great Western

Mark Hopwood signing the recognitionagreement he now wants to tear up.

Affiliate to Labour and pick your next boss

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TSSA Journal 7

news

A UNIQUELY SCOTTISH brand,Caledonian MacBrayne has served thepeople of the Clyde and Western Islessince 1851 as well as being central toScotland’s leisure and tourism industry.

But in the year 2000, the ScottishExecutive (now Government) made theunprecedented decision to put CalMacferry services out to tender.

The SNP government, who areCalMac’s sole shareholder, carriedforward this policy which coulddramatically affect not only the Scottishisland communities who are completelydependent on these services, but thejobs of a highly skilled workforce bothaboard and on shore.

TSSA along with our sister unions havelong campaigned under the auspices ofthe Scottish TUC to halt the privatisationof CalMac. Successive Scottishgovernments have all denied that thedecision to privatise has anything to dowith the supposed ‘efficiencies’ createdby competition, but instead blame aclause within European Unioncompetition law, which they claimcompels them to sell CalMac.

The STUC and the ferry unions havealways maintained a robust argumentagainst that flawed reasoning. ProminentScottish academics have backed this

reasoning by declaring that as essential‘lifeline services’ for 22 islandcommunities, the Scottish governmentis not compelled to use a rigorousinterpretation of EU procurement law toforce through the sell-off.

Also the EU’s 2009 decision that theScottish government’s subsidies toCalMac were lawful, again begs thequestion of why is it ‘necessary’ toprivatise the service.

Despite the unions raising theseissues in the Scottish Parliament onnumerous occasions, the campaignagainst privatisation has so far provedunsuccessful. There have though beenmany victories along the way that haveput down a marker as to how difficultany further attacks of Scottish transportservices would be. The first time theScottish Executive ever lost a vote in thereconvened Scottish Parliament was onthis issue in 2004, in great part due totrade union influence and without ourcampaigning, the service would almostcertainly have been put out to tenderthe best part of a decade ago, in 2007.

Changes we have won have ensured a significant number of safeguards have been included in the tenderspecification – on job security as well as terms and conditions.

Campaigning has also ensured theretention of all western CalMac servicesas a unified whole. Despite a very realthreat to break up the ferry services intoindividual routes, the Scottish TransportMinister reaffirmed to the unions the

Scottish government’s commitment toretaining a single ‘bundle’ of routes forfuture tenders. A postponement of thesecond tender until 2016 has also givenmuch-needed time to address keyissues, mainly in relation to pensions – a process that is still ongoing.

So the jewel in the crown of Scottishtourism and the only public transportfor islanders wanting to reach themainland is once again up for grabs.

Caledonian MacBrayne can bid for thebusiness they currently operate, butthey are likely to be competing againstsome of the dreaded privateers, withSerco already running routes to theNorthern Isles. Some measure expertisein terms of profits made forshareholders, whereas others look to thewealth of experience of the workforceand a priceless empathetic view ofisland community life.

TSSA members who work forCaledonian MacBrayne are enduring aperiod of uncertainly as they watchnumerous consultants work amongthem, with new ticketing and IT systemsfitted, bought and paid for by taxpayers.Is this million pound expense meant tohelp CalMac win the tender, or are theyprimarily an incentive for the privateersto take over pre-paid equipment on thecheap? Only the winner of the tenderwill determine the answer. 7

The jewel in the crown of Scottish

tourism is once again up for grabs.

Changes we have won will

significantly safeguard jobs,

terms and conditions.

Despite a vigorous and long-running campaign, members at the lifeline ferry service facea very real threat of being tendered out to a private contractor, reports Doug Blundell.

CalMac – for communities or just for profit?

CC BY NC SA Joe Dunckley

8 March 2015

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A BITTER, 18 MONTH long dispute withTransport for London (Surface Transport &Specialist Services) has continued into2015. Driven by the Tory-led government’sattacks on the public sector, the situationhas been worsened by a lack of emotionalintelligence in the TfL boardroom.

TSSA members took part in three one-day strikes and have continuouslyrefused to work overtime, participate inperformance reviews or to volunteer asTravel Ambassadors since spring 2014.

The dispute centres around TfL plansto replace consolidated, pensionable,negotiated pay rises with a discretionary,non-pensionable and non-negotiatedbonus scheme, the misnamed ‘Pay forPerformance’ or PfP system.

PfP at TfL means pay freezes,reduction of the employer’s pensioncontributions and less ability for theunion to collectively bargain on behalf ofour members.

Not content with this assault on pay,TfL bosses simultaneously announced thatthey were reducing all pay bands, meaninglower pay for new starters and preventingpay progression for existing staff.

TSSA is by far the largest union withinthe non-operational staff affected bythese cuts and our fantastic team of repsimmediately began to mobilise.

Over the first month we held over 20 workplace meetings, listening to theviews of hundreds of members. TSSAlearning reps organised very popular‘knowledge lunches’ – short seminarswith experts examining the pension andequal pay implications in more detail.

We began to issue a monthlynewsletter, distributed by reps and laymembers outside offices, showing avisible presence and reaching out tonon-members. More people began tojoin the union. Members began to getmore involved.

The TSSA reps gave up their eveningsto run a phone bank, calling membersdirectly to discuss the dispute and

determine if there was support forindustrial action. Our members showedtheir anger through the ballot, with 80 per cent in favour of striking and 90 per cent in favour of action short of strike.

The TfL Central branch reached outfor support from London Assemblymembers and non-executive TfL boardmembers. The London Assembly Labourgroup, led by the valiant Val Shawcrosshave been tireless in their support forTfL staff, both in public and behind thescenes. And we have had support fromcommunity groups such as DisabledPeople Against the Cuts and others.

We were also able to form a tradeunion alliance with PCS, RMT and Uniteunder the banner of TfL Unions Together.Activists set up a Facebook page andTwitter account to spread the word andwe participated in the UK-wide publicsector strikes last June, marching underour joint banner, side by side with fire-fighters, nurses and teachers.

Three strikes and nine months later,we are still fighting hard against TfL’s

iniquitous and politically motivatedplans. The employer’s tactics have beento refuse negotiations, refuse ACASconciliation and impose their planswithout reference to the views orconcerns of the staff.

Unsurprisingly, morale is at rockbottom, productivity is falling fast andgoodwill is virtually non-existent. All thespirit of the Olympics has been wasted byTfL through its arrogant and unfairtreatment of a loyal and hard-workingstaff. And they said that PfP wassupposed to improve staff performance!

Far from weakening, TSSA membershipat TfL has continued to grow, with moreactive members than ever before. Wecontinue to push on fair pay, job securityand the stress created by ever-greatercuts to staff.

But, with the government, mayor andemployer lined up against us, we knowthat we need to become even stronger toresist both this current threat and thefuture attacks even now being planned inWhitehall. Most importantly, we need agovernment and a mayor that puts theneeds of transport workers and transportusers ahead of those of big business.

Together we bargain. Divided we beg.The fight goes on. 7

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Far from weakening, TSSA membership at TfL has continued to grow,

with more active members than ever before.

Three strikes and nine months later, we are still fighting hard against

TfL’s iniquitous and politically motivated plans.

Standing up to TfL’s attacks

TSSA Journal 9

campaigning

THE 2015 GENERAL election will be themost important vote since 1997. Theconsequences of another five years ofTory misrule are stark – the end of theNHS as we know it, financial marketsand bankers still a law unto themselvesand rapidly growing inequality as thevery rich take an ever larger share ofnational income.

The Conservative leadership haveexplicitly pledged to conduct furtherattacks on workplace rights, with turnoutthresholds meaning that even a 100 percent vote in favour of strike action couldbe nullified if others have failed to voteeither way. Private rail franchising willcontinue apace, closing off publicownership for another generation.

This election will be a battle of people-power versus money. The Tories haveamassed a war chest of £78m fromcorporate and individual donors. To putthis in context, the Conservatives spent£16.6m during the last election comparedto Labour’s £8m.

Despite the Tory attempt to ‘buy’ the

election, Labour have maintained a narrowbut consistent lead in the polls, and have asignificantly more advanced ‘groundoperation’ of doorstep canvassing. Theseconversations and other local activitycould be key to overcoming the Tories’ bigspending power.

Therefore TSSA has launched anambitious programme of activity to helpmembers make a difference. We’refocusing our major efforts on key seatswhere we already have a strong allyserving in Parliament, or where thecandidate is amongst the many goodpeople we want to see joining them. All arecommitted champions of ordinary workingpeople and have a good track record ofcampaigning for workplace rights and forthe public ownership of our railways.

Get involvedTSSA members can play a key role in thiselection – and we want you to be part ofthat. Whether that is at a local level whereyou live or further afield at one of ourregional campaign days, it’s easy to get

involved. TSSA’s political officer can helpput you in touch with the right people inyour own town or city to find out moreabout helping out. There’s many ways tohelp, from stuffing envelopes and goingdoor-to-door, to getting involved onlinethrough the Unions Together social mediaaction team at www.unionstogether.org.uk.

There are also weekly opportunities tojoin other TSSA members to campaignacross the country, meeting other unionactivists, MPs and candidates, or evenhave them come to visit you andcolleagues in your workplace so they canhear your views directly.

Please sign up to help TSSA play itspart in this crucial election. We are able tosupport members wishing to participate, andwill provide travel expenses, accommodationand food during the weekends activities.For more information please contact TSSAPolitical Officer Sam Tarry viatarrys@tssa.org.uk or 07850 793 971, oryou can see full details and sign up atwww.tssa.org.uk/generalelection.

Get involved… and change the government

The Tories have all the money they could wish for, but grassroots campaigning can secure the election of a governmentthat serves ordinary working people.

Katy Clark, MP forNorth Ayrshire andArran“I’ve been proud tosupport TSSA’scampaigns inParliament andbeyond. As amember of theTSSA Group ofMPs, we’ve beenstrongly pushingthe case for publicownership withinthe Labour Party.”

Chris Clark,candidate forSevenoaks and TSSA executivecommittee member“Campaigning anddoing casework as acouncillor andcandidate is likebeing a workplacerep or a branchorganisingsecretary. I’ve foundbeing a member ofTSSA wins respect,and there’s lots ofcommon ground.The party and theunions are onemovement.”

Nancy Platts,candidate forBrighton Kemptown“As a current TSSAmember and aformer full-timeofficial, I’ve beenworking to promotethe interests ofTSSA members formany years. Withyour help, I hope toreplace Kemptown’sTory MP and be ableto carry on thiswork in Parliament.”

Adrian Heald,candidate for Creweand Nantwich“I’ve been workingclosely with TSSAfor over two yearsnow – we’ve heldcommunityorganisingworkshops togetherand campaign ontransport issuesthat affect Creweand Nantwich –from HS2 andrenewing thestation to bus routeconnectivity.”

Clive Lewis,candidate forNorwich South“I've campaignedwith TSSA oneverything from theextortionate railfare rip offs throughto calling for publicownership of ourrailways. Thedemand for publiclyowned rail goes tothe very heart ofour collectivebeliefs. Democraticand public control ofour wider economyis essential if we’reto close theinequality gap.”

Cat Smith,candidate forLancaster andFleetwood“I’ve alwayssupported publicownership of ourrailways, but TSSAhave made sureI’ve got all thefacts to supportthe case. TheTories only wonthis seat by 333votes last time, sohaving TSSAmembers join ourcampaign teamcould make all thedifference.”

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London Underground

THIS TIME NEXT year, unless there aremajor political changes, there will not beany ticket offices left at LondonUnderground stations. There will be moretrains running, but fewer staff on stations.

Fewer staff to help passengers, fewerstaff to ensure safety and fewer staff todeal with emergencies. This is the newoperating model envisaged by the Toriesand their allies in big business.

When Boris announced the closure ofthe booking offices, he simultaneouslyannounced that the ‘night tube’ would beintroduced. Johnson knew that publicanger at cuts to valued services wouldlose him popularity, so he tried to burythe bad news behind the so-called ‘good-news story’ of night running. Thefuture of Britain’s railways has alwaysbeen a political issue, but never more sothan today. And our politicians arevulnerable to public pressure!

At TSSA, we need to learn the lessonsfrom the London Underground experience:we must work hard to build strongcommunity alliances to protect andexpand the rail services that our societyand economy need so badly. If we wait forthe government, TOCs or Network Rail tostart building, we will not succeed.

TSSA’s Better Rail campaign hashighlighted an opportunity to fight cutsbased on passenger needs – the deliveryof a quality public service.

But make no mistake, smart cards andcontactless technology are coming to arailway near you. It is still up for grabswhether this means massive LU-style jobcuts, or if excellent customer service,rather than simply the number of bookingoffice transactions, is regarded as themark of success.

What do passengers want from their

railway? Reliability? Friendly,knowledgeable customer-facing staff?Fair fares? These are all things that wewant too.

At London Underground, TSSA wasable to persuade the employer thatspecific skills were still required andparticular jobs could not be done awaywith all together. This meant that wewere able to protect salaries and avoidthe need for staff to be assessed fornew roles.

But, we were only able to make thiscase based on the flexibility and multi-skilling of the workforce: LU ticket officestaff were already able to undertakegateline, train despatch and generalstation duties. And we still needed toback up our case with industrial action.

London Underground’s operational andcapital expenditure budgets are supposedlyring-fenced to prevent Peter from beingrobbed to pay Paul but, in reality, theoperational budget is raided time and

again, taking money from staff andservice delivery to prop up infrastructure.

Current DfT policy is for funding ofessential improvements to come fromcutting operational spending. Capitalprojects, which provide a great source ofprofit for Tory donors in the constructionindustry, are already eating into budgetsthat ensure safety and quality of service.

Labour have committed to takingsections of the railways back into thepublic sector if they win the GeneralElection, but this can only be a start. Wethen need to use this power to create atransport system that is sustainable andvertically integrated, with quality jobsdelivering a quality public service.

The truth is that we need to buildcoalitions to fight for public transport inLondon and nationally. It is just tooimportant to be left to the whims of cityfinanciers and dodgy governments. TheLU experience demonstrates that such analliance takes time to build and cannotjust be magicked into existence once thecuts start falling.

So we need to start now. Our BetterRail and Better London Transportcampaigns provide the framework todevelop coalitions. TSSA is transformingour staff structure to deliver morecampaigns and projects. How can youhelp be part of creating this strongervoice for the sake of all our futures? 7

Lessons from the Underground

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Labour’s Sadiq Khan and Assembly members supporting our Underground campaign.

Negotiations protected manystaff, but still needed to bebacked up with industrial action.

10 March 2015

TSSA Journal 11

news

THE VEIL IS about to be lifted on howmangers’ pay is assessed in Network Rail,correcting a situation that has beenunclear since the railways were privatised.

A new managerial pay structure willsoon be introduced that will be bothopen and transparent. For the first timemanagers will know how their paycompares with similar roles, whydifferences exist and how they canchallenge the assessment of their role inthe new pay structure.

The Transparent Pay project began in2012 after the annual pay reviewhighlighted that NR had significantinconsistencies in the way it rewardedstaff and risked falling foul of the equalpay legislation. This requires men andwomen doing the same work, or work ofequal value, to receive equivalent pay.

A joint working group that includesNR Rewards and Benefits specialists andsenior TSSA representatives workedtogether to understand, design anddevelop a pay structure that dealt withthe issues of inequalities and the lack oftransparency. The challenges were manyand various, but as a result ofconstructive discussions a final structurehas now been developed. At an earlystage both sides agreed key objectivesto ensure the new structure was:l Transparentl Simple in designl Fair to all those affected by it l Compliant with the Equality andHuman Rights Commission’s equal pay guidelines.

The collaborative way of working hasbrought many benefits to both NR andTSSA members. The employer took themomentous decision to allow two TSSAlay representatives, Jacqui Hall and DavidNorthey to be seconded full time to theproject. There has also been greateropenness, resulting in much more honestconversations and TSSA being involved inall aspects of decision making.

This type of close working is a newdeparture in management/union relationsin Network Rail and shows that progress onthese complex issues is possible througheach party listening to the reasonedarguments put by the other side.

The new structure covers only NR’sbands 1-4 management employees on aspecific type of employment contract –a role clarity contract. Each of the fourbands will be split into three pay ranges,determined by the skills and depth ofknowledge required for the role, andtaking into account external labourmarket pressures. This market influencewill have in important impact in paygoing forward, with the railway businessentering a period of high demand forkey resources – staff included.

TSSA rep David Northey says, “Beingpart of the project from the verybeginning has brought great benefits toboth parties and has greatly increasedthe confidence and trust in therelationships between union and

management. For the first time in manyyears, we’ve been singing from the samehymn sheet.”

Our other rep Jacqui Hall adds,“Transparent Pay delivers a pay structurethat is open and visible to all employees.For the first time employees will knowwhat the pay range is for their role andif necessary be able to challenge thatdecision. People will be paid for the jobthey do – not who or what they are. Thisis the beginning a change process, adrawing of a line in the sand and thecompany moving forward”.

This project has always been seen as ajourney and it doesn’t stop when thesystem is introduced. There will beongoing monitoring of the pay rangesto make sure they remain competitive,equality proofed and that the newstructure remains fit for a modernapproach to management remuneration.TSSA will continue to work closely withNR through every twist and turn on that journey.7

Winning clear and equal pay for Network Rail managers

Katy Downes from Network Rail’s Rewards and Benefits (left), working with TSSA reps David Northey and Jacqui Hall.

president

I IMAGINE MANY of you will be unawareof the democratic structures that makeup our union. Every member is organisedinto a branch and all branches areorganised into a division. All office-holdersand bodies, including the president,general secretary and the executivecommittee are all ultimately accountable

to our annual conference, the supremedecision making body of the union.

Yet hand on heart, I could not say Ibelieve the current democratic structuresare serving us well. Branches continue toclose due to lack of activity or through afailure to find officers. Other have littlecontact with the workplace and whenthey fail to meet regularly, become lessand less reflective of the workplace. Thepurpose of branches is to organisemembers in the workplace and to be themost local level of our union’s democracy.In some of the more successful branches,they serve as a great place for workplacereps to meet, to discuss issues andcompare casework as they look to serveyou, the wider membership as a whole.But sadly there are too few where thisworks well.

The primary purpose of divisionalcouncils is to organise branches in theirarea and help those that are strugglingcome back up to speed. As branchescontinue to close, we also need to look atdivisional councils and question thepurpose they serve.

Ultimately, as branches elect delegatesto our conference, where we areunrepresentative at a branch level, thismeans we elect a conference that doesnot reflect the membership as a whole.

So if things are so bad, why have wenot looked at this before? Well, we did.Moves were made to address thesequestions about 10 years back, but I thinkwe now need a radical rethink.

So what to do? Well my own thoughtsare that to solve a problem, you need toidentify the root cause, which,confusingly in this case, are the branches.The structure that most branches followis for a few people to meet, often in apub, away from the workplace. Now, thismay work for some, but if you have eightpeople meet in a pub and then walk awayand do nothing, can you honestly say you

have an active branch? Maybe theproblem is the way we hold branchmeetings in the first place. Are the rulestoo prescriptive? Do we need to meetface to face? Are branches and the peoplerunning them clear of their objectives? Ifpeople do meet, is there an issue with thevenue? First and foremost all meetingsshould be accessible to all, maybe that’san issue. Many working people, especiallywomen, may have issues with childcare.These are all things to be taken intoconsideration.

I think we need to approach this withan open mind. ‘Virtual meetings’,meetings by forum, or rep-only meetingsoutside of branch structures are all thingsto think about. Could developing theMyTSSA area of the website or a fargreater use of social media also be part ofthe solution?

I am actually a staunch believer in thebranch structure and am seeking tostrengthen, not dismantle it. However itwould be foolish not to try andmodernise. I think well-organisedmembers are vital, firstly for industrialstrength, which in turn will aidrecruitment and retention of members –vital if we are to build on the good workwe have done on reducing our deficit.

But I don’t claim to be the font of allwisdom, which is why I’m asking for yourideas. What would encourage you to getinvolved in the democratic structures ofyour union? What are the barriers youface and what do you think we can do toovercome them? Please visitwww.tssa.org.uk/tellmick and we’ll get thediscussion rolling. 7

TSSA President Mick Carney wants to hear your views on how we can build a more representative, participatory union.

Improving our democracy

What would encourage you to get

involved in the democratic structures

of your union?

Hand on heart, I could not say the

current democratic structures are

serving us well.

12 March 2015

TSSA Journal 13

general secretary

ManuelCortes

commen

tThe coming UK general election is probablythe most important for a generation. TheTories have promised to reduce publicspending to a level not seen since the 1930s ifthey win. Of course our NHS, which absorbsaround 6.5 per cent of our GDP, wasn’taround then. Neither were many of the publicservices that we rely upon. Even the Liberalsdon’t agree with this, although these days, it ishard to believe anything they say. As many ofyou know, I have consistently argued that theeconomic crisis is being used as cover forthose who want to destroy the gains thatordinary people have made since WW2. If youare one of the many millionaires in theCabinet, what is there not to like about this?More tax cuts for the rich, funded by thedestruction of our social fabric, is simplymusic to their ears. Sadly, the rest of us willpay a very heavy price.

We urgently need a change of direction. Wemust reverse the obscene concentration of wealth.In recent decades, the 1 per cent has prosperedat the expense of the rest of society – a directresult of neoliberal economic policies, whichhave made deregulation, privatisation andattacks on workers rights and our welfare statetheir prime objective. To achieve this we mustrecalibrate our tax system to ensure it becomestruly progressive, financial regulation needs tobe toughened, tax dodging and evasion mustend and we must put to rest the folly of austerity.We also need to rebuild our manufacturing base.We produce far too little and import far toomuch. Investing in the 21st century technologies,which will help eliminate carbon emissions, willrebalance our economy by creating well-paidhighly skilled manufacturing jobs.

Vitally, public ownership also needs to bepart of the strategy. Since 2007, in the mostsuccessful economy in Europe, Germany, over100 energy concessions have been taken intopublic ownership. Even in the US, water isincreasingly being taken back into public hands.Of course, no country has sunk to our level ofstupidity when running their railways. Opinionpolls repeatedly tell us that, like you, the British

We must reverse

the obscene

concentration

of wealth in the

hands of the

1 per cent.

Labour’s

offering is a

definite break

from the New

Labour mantra,

which saw the

private sector

as key.

A Labour government to rebuild Britainpeople are sick of being continuously ripped-offby ruthless privateers. They rightly want to seeour railways taken back into public ownership.Sadly, far too many among our political classappear way, way behind the curve. Theypromote the so-called ‘virtues’ of neoliberalismeven though this allowed the City to unleash aneconomic catastrophe. As the general electionlooms, you would be right to ask what our Partyis saying about this damaging economicconsensus. Labour has promised to:l Bring sections of our railways under publiccontrol whilst scrapping the current franchisingprocess;l Increase expenditure on our NHS, protect thefunding of our kids’ education and stop anyreturn to 1930s levels of public spending;l Put in place a modern industrial strategywhich will see vast numbers of apprentices andcreate a million green jobs;l Get tough with tax dodgers and hedge fundmanagers, tighten bank regulation, reinstate 50 per cent income tax for those with thebroadest shoulders whilst introducing a 10p ratefor the lowest paid;l Build more council and affordable homes,end abuses by private landlords and introduce amansions tax for homes worth over £2m;l End rip-offs, from energy prices to bankcharges, andl Promote the living wage, increase theminimum wage and end exploitative zero-hourcontracts.

This is far from an exhaustive list, but itsignals a definite break from the New Labourmantra, which saw deference to markets andthe private sector as key. Never again I say! Just like in the 1930s, austerity has failed. Fordecades thereafter, it was largely avoided. Likethen, we must call time on the failedneoliberal experiment. As a socialist, I wouldlove Labour to move even faster away fromthis damaging dogma. However, our Party isheading in the right direction. That is why theywill definitely get my vote. I very much hopethey’ll get yours too!7

There are only two real possibilities: Tories cutting Britain back to the bone, or a Labour administration that will governin the interests of the majority, writes Manuel Cortes, our general secretary.

14 March 2015

Michael Dugher

We’ve seen our fair share of transportministers and their opposition shadowministers in recent years. Some, likeAndrew Adonis, have clearly held a realinterest in the railways, whilst for others,it’s been ‘just another job’, pending thenext Cabinet reshuffle.

What makes Labour’s Michael Dugherunique, at least in recent times, is that hisknowledge of the railway industry – andindeed of TSSA – doesn’t just come fromreading a few briefings, but has beenabsorbed over decades as part of a truerailway family.

“I grew up in a pit village in SouthYorkshire, about ten miles away fromwhere I now represent in Parliament.Round there your dad was either a mineror a railwayman out of Doncaster. Bothmy dad’s grandfathers were on therailways: one was the chief clerk atDoncaster while the other worked in thewagon shops where he was branchsecretary of what was the largest NURbranch in the country. Other than hisNational Service, my own grandfatherworked his whole career on the railways.He was chairman of TSSA’s DoncasterProfessional and Technical Staffs’ branch.My dad was also a big TSSA man and a rep

for a while – he started as a clerk andthen transferred to the civil engineeringside, ending up with Balfour Beatty afterprivatisation.”

But it’s not just family history that willkeep Michael grounded – he’ll also be sureto hear the views of rail workers whenhe’s with family: “Both my brother and mybrothers-in-law work in rail engineering inDoncaster. I was practically the only onein the family who wasn’t part of therailway in one way or another – until EdMiliband asked me to be his shadowtransport secretary last November.”

It was a big sign of confidence inMichael, handing him the task ofshadowing a major spending departmentfor the first time. MP for Barnsley Eastsince 2010, the former full-time unionofficial and ministerial adviser has been inthe Shadow Cabinet since 2011, first in across-departmental coordinating rolethen as Shadow Minister for the CabinetOffice. He relishes the challenge: “I was

never a romantic about the railways, butI’ve a huge affection for them. I’mdetermined that we drive through somebig changes as I’m convinced we can dobetter than this. I also think the peoplewho work in the industry deserve betterthan this.”

‘Privatisation was a disaster’So what difference would a Labourgovernment make to the railways? “Weneed some big changes. The government’sview is that all you need is investment –now I’m totally committed to that long-term investment, but I also think youneed fundamental structural changebecause I don’t believe how the railwaysare organised at the moment is fit for purpose.

“Privatisation was a disaster. It’sunraveled and led to huge problems,which have been dealt with in apiecemeal way – like how Railtrackbecame Network Rail. There aren’t manybenefits to being in opposition, but it’sallowed us to step back and take a hardlook at things. It’s clear we need bigreforms.

“I want to see a public sector operatorable to take on and challenge the private

Michael Dugher: A betterrailway under Labour

Labour’s shadow secretary of

state for transport tells

Ben Soffa of his plans for the

biggest change to the

structure railway since

privatisation – and what a

Labour government would

mean for TSSA members.

“The truth is that the franchising model as it stands has got to go.”

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TSSA Journal 15

Michael Dugher

train operating companies. Thegovernment wouldn’t even allow DirectlyOperated Railways, who’d done anexcellent job on East Coast, to bid for thecontract. Why? Because they were Britishand owned by the state. They’re happy forforeign nationalised bodies to come andbid. That shows the nonsense of thegovernment’s position.

“The truth is that the franchisingmodel as it stands today has got to go.We’ll have a speedy review in the firsthundred days after the election toreview franchising and get somethingthat is fit for purpose. I want TSSA toplay a part in that review as I thinkyou’ve got a lot to offer.”

Rapid action neededWith the exception of Thamselink andEast Coast, almost all major franchises inEngland and Wales expire over the nextfew years. Whoever is transport secretarycome May will get to shape the industryfor decades to come. First in the currenttimetable are new franchises for Northernand TransPennine, due to be awarded inOctober this year. Would those be a goodplace for a public operator to start?

“Well that’s going to be high up in thein-tray of the new Secretary of State –that’s for sure! We’ve been clear thefranchising review will happen as soon aswe’re elected. I’m keenly aware of theissues surrounding Northern, but I wantto do something that delivers realimprovements there. I’ve got nothingagainst Pacers – but that’s as long as Isee them in the National RailwayMuseum in York, not rocking up toBarnsley Interchange.’

Passenger and worker voiceMichael Dugher also wants todemocratise the way a few bosses of theprivate firms currently dominate thedirection of the whole industry. “If youlook at how the railways are run, you havethe Rail Delivery Group – basically anindustry stitch-up of Network Rail and theprivate companies. It’s our money and ourrailways and the only people who have novoice in the running of the railways arethe passengers. We’ve said you need anew strategic body to run the railwaysand that’s got to include a strongpassenger voice.”

And a worker voice as well? “I’m opento that. I think there needs to be muchmore employee and union engagement.Who better to listen to than the peopleworking at the sharp end – people withday-to-day direct experience of whatworks and what doesn’t. We shouldn’t becoy about using the huge untappedpotential for expertise amongst theworkforce and unions.”

Rail essential for jobs and growthThere’s going to be huge competitionwithin government over where limitedfunds get spent, so will rail still get theinvestment it needs to cope withstrongly growing demand?

“The railways are going to be afundamental part of the next Labourgovernment’s commitment toinfrastructure. It’s essential in terms ofdriving jobs and growth in every cornerof the country. Money will be tight, butthere’s still a lot of money for rail and Ithink it could be spent more wisely. Justlook at the money that was wasted onthe West Coast fiasco, and on the otherhand, at the sums that were returned tothe exchequer when the public sectorwas running the East Coast. I think wecan get better value for money, as well asa better railway with the changes wewant to see.”

A big choice in May With just a couple of months until theelection, Dugher outlines how theoutcome will send our rights at work inone of two very different directions:“We’ve got big plans, in terms of gettingrid of exploitative zero-hours contracts,doing something about low pay,championing the skills agenda as well asvocational learning.

“What you’ve seen under thisgovernment has been a consistentdenigration of the trade unions. It’s notjust that the language ministers’ use issabre rattling, it’s the threat to createturnout thresholds for industrial actionballots. I’d like to see how many ministersget 40 per cent of their total potentialelectorate voting for them. It’s totalhypocrisy from the Conservatives.”

So what changes will a vote for aLabour government bring to TSSAmembers?

“We’ll start with tackling the cost-of-living crisis that’s engulfing most families.This is the first time since the 1920swhere people are worse off at the end ofa parliament than the beginning. Onaverage, families are £1,600 a year worseoff under David Cameron, whilst at thesame time millionaires and hedge fundshave had a tax cut.

“There’s a fundamental unfairness insociety – we need an economy thatdelivers for working people again,whether that’s freezing energy bills,raising the minimum wage, expandingreal apprenticeships or the 10p startingrate of tax that will cut taxes for 24 million working people.

“TSSA members, like most people, carepassionately about the National HealthService and they know the clear andpresent danger that the Conservativesand Lib Dems pose to our NHS. That’s whyour plan to save the health servicethrough funding from a levy on tobaccofirms and the mansion tax is somethingthat widely resonates.”

There’s huge promise in what Michaelsays, but he’s also fully aware that theseare pledges TSSA will look to hold him to:“Having looked at the union over anumber of years, I think TSSA underManuel’s leadership has become a greatcampaigning union and long may thatcontinue! We won’t always agree, butthere’s a lot of credit due to TSSA in theway that you’ve become a realcampaigning force.

“If you’re committed to the railways, inmy role you can do a lot worse thanasking people who work in the industrywhat they think. That’s not a bad thingfor any new transport secretary to do andthat’s exactly what I’ll do.”7

“I want TSSA to play a part. I think you’ve got a lot to offer.”

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16 March 2015

general election

Whatever the precise details in May, thegeneral election will result in one of twooutcomes – a country led by Labour oranother five years of the Tories. TheConservatives remain hopeful that withtheir allies owning most of the press,they can steal a last minute victory andmaybe even win an outright majority. Thelast five years have seen a Torygovernment with its sharpest cornersslightly softened by the Lib Dems. Withsome anti-Tory voters thinking ofbacking a range of parties, just thinkwhat a re-elected Conservativegovernment would do if they won fullcontrol of the Commons.

We all have choices to make – firstly,not to stay out of the fight altogether.It’s no surprise that many people feelWestminster politics has nothing to dowith their lives, but whenever we’remaddened by unfairness or let down by apublic service, the answer is that,collectively, we can actually dosomething about it. Shockingly, over 15million people failed to use their vote atthe last election – more than thenumbers who voted for any single party.There is a real choice at this election,with the parties offering very different

visions of Britain – now more so than atany time since the 1990s.

David Cameron was elected promising“there will be no top down reorganisationof the health service” and telling votersthat any minister who proposed “front-line reductions” would have to “go awayand think again”. But after five years, weknow that billions have been wasted inreorganising the NHS and our frontlineservices severely cut back. Averagehousehold wages have fallen by £1,600 ayear whilst Britain’s richest 1 per centnow own as much as the bottom 55 percent. Surely we deserve better than this?

A Labour Party changed for the betterSince Ed Miliband’s election as Labourleader, TSSA and the other Labour-affiliatedtrade unions have been building towardsthe most radical Labour electionmanifesto in a generation.

The approach has marked a hugechange from the New Labour years. Nolonger are our calls for policies to helpordinary working people seen throughthe prism of what Rupert Murdoch wouldsay. For all the media-generated talk of‘weak’ Miliband, he has stood up to someof the most powerful interests in the

country in a way that no recent partyleader has. Taking on the media overphone hacking, the City over tax dodgingand the energy companies over obsceneprofits shows that Labour are a changedparty, with a leader who will stand up forordinary working people.

TSSA’s executive committee, leadinglay members and full-time officials haveall been in regular contact with thosedeveloping Labour’s plans forgovernment. These discussions have beenmeaningful and constructive, resulting inreal change, both on the big issues and inthe details. We have brought our real-lifeexperiences in the rail and transportsector to bear, for example sharing howTSSA has uncovered shocking practiceswhich need outlawing, or tackled unequalpay by working collaboratively withemployers. It’s no coincidence that ourindustrial expertise has helped shapeLabour’s thinking about how our railwayscan once again be run for the benefit ofcitizens, not shareholders. The fact thatshadow transport secretary MichaelDugher is now happy to declare that“privatisation was a disaster” and saysthat franchising as we know it has to go,shows just how far we’ve come.

Election 2015: ChangingBritain for the better

In just a few weeks the UK

goes to the polls in what

looks to be the most closely

fought election in years. We

can stick with the present

government, or look to

Labour to deliver a very

different vision of society.

What happens really is down

to each and every one of us.

What choice will you make?

TSSA Journal 17

general election

Workers in Parliament, not rule byelitesTSSA has also been greatly involved in thepainstaking work of building towards agroup of future Labour MPs who willreflect the concerns of ordinary workingmen and women. We have worked withand helped support dozens of Labour andtrade union activists who have now goneon to be selected to stand for Parliament.We will continue to back them, and all whosupport our union’s key policies and values,right through to election day and beyond.

We can proudly say that there are moretrade unionists and more candidatescommitted to public ownership of ourrailways running for Labour in winnableseats than at any time in recent decades.We should be proud of the role TSSA hasplayed in helping ensure ordinary workingpeople will have MPs that look, sound, andunderstand ordinary peoples’ lives –because they have lived those lives, anddone those jobs too.

We have not been afraid to speak outwhen Labour falls short, successfullyraising our issues and campaigns in thenational press. TSSA members can’t affordany more false promises, but the fact thatwe have campaigned shoulder-to-shoulderwith successive Labour shadow transportsecretaries on issues like the sell-off of

East Coast has made opposition toprivatisation the ‘new normal’ for many inthe Labour leadership.

A ‘Manifesto for Change’TSSA has played a significant role insecuring a real ‘Manifesto for Change’that will deliver for our members andother workers. In contrast the Tories havepledged to clamp down on workplacerights even further, introducing turnoutqualifications for industrial action ballotsto be valid. Unsurprisingly there are nosuch restrictions on the new publicelections they have introduced,permitting just 10 per cent of voters topick one recently elected Police andCrime Commissioner who controls abudget of half a billion pounds.

Labour have committed to a raft ofnew measures to bring about workplacefairness. They will reform theemployment tribunal system, introducinga system where fees no longer stoppeople asserting their rights. Newlegislation will tackle gender inequalityby requiring large companies to publishtheir gender pay gap. Labour will alsoreinstate protection from third partyharassment into the Equality Act toensure that people are protected from allharassment and bullying at work,

whether by their employer or others,such as passengers.

Electing a Labour government wouldalso mean every firm that gets a majorgovernment contract would have to offerhigh-quality apprenticeships, building ahigher-skill, higher wage economy. Labourwill ban exploitative zero hours contractswhich keep employees guessing from dayto day whether they will have work or not.An enquiry would be launched into theblacklisting of people for their unionactivities and there would be properrecompense for people who havecontracted asbestos-related diseases as aresult of their work.

Only one of two parties can lead agovernment come May – Labour or theConservatives. A Labour victory is far froma forgone conclusion, so looking to somesmaller party to ‘improve’ a Labour-ledgovernment may have the result of theirbeing no Labour government at all. A radical,reforming Labour government will shapeBritain’s direction for many years to come.But this will only come about if each of us,our friends, families and colleagues get outthere and play our part by voting for it. 7

For more on Labour’s ‘Manifesto forChange’ seewww.unionstogether.org.uk/change

Top ten Labour policies1) Freeze energy bills until 2017 whilst reforming the

broken gas and electricity markets.2) A 10p starting rate of tax that will cut taxes for 24 million

workers. Reverse the Tories’ tax cut for millionaires.3) A Mansion Tax on homes over £2m to help train 20,000

more nurses, 8,000 more GPs and 5,000 new home-careworkers.

4) Repeal the unfair Bedroom Tax. Help people get on to thehousing ladder by building 200,000 homes a year by 2020.

5) Scrap rail franchising, bring in a public operator to run lines.6) 25 hours free childcare a week for three and four year olds,

helping parents get back to work.7) Stop the creeping privatisation of the NHS by repealing

the Tories’ Health and Social Care Act.8) Boost wages by offering tax breaks to firms who pay the

living wage. Increase the minimum wage to £8 an hour.9) Guarantee apprenticeship place for every able school

leaver by 2020. 33,000 apprenticeships to be delivered byHS2 construction.

10) Guarantee a GPs appointment within 48 hours byreversing the Tory decision to cut funding to practices.

i

18 March 2015

legal help

Having already recovered £35.5 millionfor members over the last decade, TSSA’spartnership with Morrish is nowexpanding to offer you an even broaderrange of legal services.

As well as our established union-funded work in employment law andpersonal injury, we are now workingtogether to offer private legal assistance,supporting you in many areas of life.

TSSA Legal Services, in partnershipwith Morrish Solicitors, can now help withconveyancing, family and matrimoniallaw, wills, probate and services related toelderly clients such as power of attorneyor determining care costs.

TSSA Legal Services is a newlyexpanded collaboration between yourunion and Morrish Solicitors LLP. As TSSAis now a full partner in Morrish’sbusiness, not only can you use theseservices knowing you are using a highlyexperienced and trusted firm, but that aproportion of the fees payable on yourprivate legal case will help contributetowards funding TSSA’s wider work indefence of your rights. TSSA members

will also receive a 10 per cent discounton the standard fees for all conveyancing,family and matrimonial law work andreduced rates in other areas.

To find out more about how TSSA LegalServices can help you, call 033 3344 9600or visit www.morrishsolicitors.com/tssa.

Injury claims – the benefits of being a TSSA memberClaims Management companies continueto advertise on TV offering ‘no win, nofee’ help, but sadly the days are gonewhere ‘no win, no fee’ also means ‘no feeto pay if you win’.

If you sustained injuries in anaccident and you were awarded £10,000compensation, how much of thatcompensation would you expect toreceive? £10,000? Or would £6,000 beenough?

The government recently introducedchanges to the way that personal injuryclaims can be funded. If your claim issuccessful, the losing defendant nolonger has to pay all your legal costs, butonly a contribution towards them.

As a result of this change mostsolicitors who deal with personal injurycases now fund these claims by keepingup to 40 per cent of your compensation.This is a perfectly legitimate way tocover the shortfall in costs, but may notbe what you would hope would happen.

This is not the case if you are amember of TSSA and you pursue yourcase through your union legal firm,Morrish Solicitors LLP. Morrish will notdeduct a penny from your compensationif your claim is successful. In other words,a compensation award of £10,000 reallydoes mean £10,000.

It goes without saying that Morrishwill provide an efficient, friendly service,too – they have been TSSA’s preferredproviders for over ten years, helping alarge number of members.

So, before you chose your solicitor askyourself the question – how much ofyour compensation do you want toreceive, 100 per cent or 60 per cent? Whyshare the compensation awarded to youwhen your union membership entitlesyou to so much more.

£1 millionawarded to 510 membersdue to personal injuryin the last four years

£1.5 millionawarded to 189 members in respect of employmentrights in just the last year

Introducing TSSA Legal Services

TSSA Journal 19

legal help

A TSSA MEMBER who was injured in aroad traffic accident has been awarded£62,500 compensation with the help ofMorrish Solicitors.

The member, from South Yorkshire, wascycling home from work in 2008, when hewas involved in an accident with an HGV,causing him to be knocked into the road.

Emergency services were called andthe member taken to the hospital wherehe underwent treatment for shock andsoft tissue injuries to his head, neck, rightshoulder, back and right hand.

Investigations proved that thedefendant, who was travelling in theopposite direction, was making a rightturn across the member’s path. The driverclaimed that he did not see our memberuntil it was too late. There was a failure ofbasic road safety on the defendant’sbehalf, as he did not observe the presence,position and direction of the member.

An initial 50/50 offer on liability wasput forward by the defendant’s insurers,which was rejected. They eventuallyadmitted liability in full.

Along with the soft tissue damage, themember later developed tinnitus,headaches and suffered psychologicalinjury, which required extensivecounselling. This resulted in the memberhaving to take weeks off of work andrequiring care and assistance which wasprovided by members of his family.

Morrish Solicitors initially obtainedmedical evidence from a consultant inAccident and Emergency Medicine andconsultant neurologist who confirmedthat the member’s physical injuries andsymptoms were as a result of theaccident. A consultant psychologist waslater instructed, who confirmed that hewas suffering from Post Traumatic StressDisorder and would require ongoingtreatment.

Court proceedings were issued as thedefendant was not prepared to fund thecost of the member’s ongoing medicaltreatment, even though liability for theaccident was admitted.

An initial settlement offer was put

forward for £16,000, followed by a furtheroffer of £27,500 weeks later. This wasfinally increased at a joint settlementmeeting to a full and final settlement of£62,500. This was inclusive of the member’sfinancial losses suffered as a result of theaccident and the claim for injury.

The TSSA member said, “The individualsolicitors worked extremely hard and in amost professional way giving meoutstanding guidance and support, whichhelped me through this most traumatictime in my life. I need to thank them verymuch. Please accept my sincerest thanksand wholehearted appreciation for all oftheir hard work throughout my claim for compensation.”7

ACCIDENTS AT WORK ACCIDENTS OUTSIDE WORK ASSAULTS ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS SLIPS OR TRIPS OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE

TSSA Personal Injury ServicesFree to Members & their families

0800 093 0353

Accidents do not happen- they are caused!

As a member of the TSSA, should either you or your immediate family suffer injurythrough someone else’s negligence, you will be entitled to FREE legal advice andrepresentation from our specialist personal injury lawyers Morrish Solicitors LLP. No money will be deducted from any compensation recovered and no charge will bemade to you or your family for the advice and representation you receive.If you’d like to find out more, call us today and we will look after you.

TSSA member injured in road traffic accident awarded£62,500 compensation

A TSSA member who wasinjured in a road trafficaccident has been awarded£62,500 compensationwith the help of MorrishSolicitors.

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20 March 2015

WWI

The war beginsThe working class movements of Europehad been aware of the danger of war inEurope for some years before 1914,holding international peace conferences.In country after country, labourmovements declared how their unitywould not be broken by a war betweenthe rulings classes of their states, whichwas not a dispute between workers.

Yet this unity was quick to dissolve.Within months of the outbreak of thewar, the leaderships of many socialist andlabour movements committed to fightuntil victory was achieved. This, too, wasthe position of the Railway Clerks’Association (RCA).

The Labour Party gave immediatesupport to the government’s declarationof war and its General Secretary, J Ramsay MacDonald, who opposed thewar, resigned. In 1915 a coalitiongovernment was established and apolitical truce was agreed between theConservative, Labour and Liberal parties.The Independent Labour Party (ILP)opposed both the war and the politicaltruce, whilst the British Socialist Partywas divided. The Irish Parliamentsupported the war and Nationalist MPstook part in recruitment campaigns; Sinn

Féin chose neutrality. Both James Larkinand James Connolly opposed the war asdid most Irish-based trade unions.

Within days of the declaration of war,the general secretary of the RCA,Alexander Walkden was meeting withMinisters and writing to the railwaycompanies for assurances that memberswho volunteered for the armed forceswould be reinstated upon their return.

Members enlistIn the first week of the war, AlexanderWalkden was elected to help lead thenational recruitment campaign of thehastily established War EmergencyWorkers’ National Committee. On 29 August 1914 he sent a circular to allRCA branches appealing for recruits. Thishad a positive effect and by October1914, over 1,500 RCA members had joinedup. One of these was Jack Simpson whoenlisted as a clerk in the Army ServiceCorps. Following a few weeks training, hewas sent to France where he was killed on5 November – the first of many RCAmembers to lose their lives in the “war toend all wars”.

Within the first two weeks of the warover 27,000 railway workers had eitherbeen called up or had volunteered. So

popular was the recruitment campaignthat the government-establishedRailway Executive Committee (REC)became concerned about the efficiencyof the railway system. By 1915 over72,000 railwaymen had volunteered, andthe demand for additional recruits wassuch that the mass employment ofwomen on railway work now became aserious option.

The Association also had somesympathy for those who objected tocompulsory military service on grounds ofdeep moral conviction. William Stott, whobecame general secretary of the RCA in1936, wrote in the Association’s journal,The Railway Clerk, “Many of thoseconscientious objectors are among thebest workers in the Labour and TradeUnion Movement, and some are in theRCA.” One of these was Jim Haworth, whobecame president of the Association in1953. Haworth suffered considerablehardship for his convictions and spentthree years, including his 21st birthday, in prison.

During the war the RCA, through itsbranches, endeavoured to maintaincontact with members on active service,and many appreciated receiving copies ofThe Railway Clerk. The EC agreed that

Much has been written recently about the First World War –

its causes, devastating death toll and its long-lasting

impacts. This article describes the role played by members of

the forerunner of TSSA – the Railway Clerks’ Association –

during that horrific period.

Abridged from a much more comprehensive history of our

union in the war, written by our historian, Malcolm Wallace,

this article looks at the huge change the war brought to our

union, its members and the railways.

World War One:Our story

n For the full version of this article, please visit www.tssa.org.uk/1914

TSSA Journal 21

WWI

those who were serving in the forceswould be exempt from payingmembership fees, but when two womenwho were serving with the Women’sArmy Auxiliary Corps applied for the sameconditions in 1917, exemption wasdenied, as they had resigned just prior tojoining the services. Eventually it wasagreed that they, too, would have thesame terms of membership as men.

Even though the RCA was a staunchsupporter of the recruitment campaign,like many other trade unions it had adeep aversion to conscription; when theMilitary Service Bill was discussed inParliament the RCA indicated itsopposition. Many feared it would beextended to industry and used to crushtrade unionism.

Nowhere was the introduction ofconscription opposed more vehementlythan in Ireland where a General Strike wascalled, with a leading RCA member, W B McMahon, chairman of thecommittee of rail workers. Two othermembers of the RCA prominent in itswork were William Davin and EamonnO’Carroll, both of whom were later electedto the Irish Parliament. This was the firststrike in which a significant number ofRCA members had participated and theend result was that Ireland remained theonly unconscripted country in Europe.

State control of the railwaysSince 1896 the TUC had repeatedly calledfor the railways to be nationalised. Beforethe war, the Railway NationalisationSociety, led by our then general secretarybrought together a broad alliance insupport of this goal.

In 1914, Walkden presented the TUC’scase to the Prime Minister Herbert Asquith,who merely reiterated the government’sdecision to appoint a Royal Commissionto examine the issue. Whatever may havebeen the outcome of that had the warnot intervened, the importance of therailway was evident when at midnight onthe day war was declared, the governmentplaced the railway companies under statecontrol. This was to continue until 1921,but in practice, there was little or nointerference in the internal administrationof the railways.

The RCA wanted more than statecontrol and at the 1916 TUC, Walkden

called on the government to nationalisethe system and for trade unionists toshare in its management.

RecognitionThrough the early years of the war, theRCA had made repeated representationsto the REC to little effect. Signs of changecame in 1917 when the government,concerned at growing industrial unrest,appointed a Commission to investigate.Despite a favourable report, thegovernment refused to act. Undergrowing pressure, the employers agreedto limited recognition of the Association,excluding supervisory grades. The ECrefused to accept this, but the companiesdid all they could to undermine theAssociation’s membership amongststationmasters and supervisors,establishing and facilitating rival bodies.

By 1919 anger was rising. A rally of RCAmembers in London was joined by over4,000, with an overflow meeting nearby.Even then, hundreds had to be refusedentry. By the time 430 delegates assembledin February 1919, there was little doubt inthe minds of the EC that they had strongbacking for strike action. A strike was setfor 18.00 hours on 4 February 1919.

Committees were formed to coordinateactivity, and although many were nervousof the decision to strike, with somecalling for a ballot of the membership,when the time came the overwhelmingmajority were clearly willing to respond.Three hours before the strike was due tocommence, the RCA was invited to meetrepresentatives of the War Cabinet. At thatmeeting an agreement was reachedgranting full recognition to theAssociation, subject to arrangementsbeing made for ensuring the autonomy ofsupervisory members which thegovernment considered necessary topreserve “discipline and safety.”

For the first time in its history, theRailway Clerks’ Association had formallysigned an agreement with the employers.Recognition had been achieved! Afterachieving victory, Walkden sent atelegram to every branch appraising themof the agreement. Most received theinformation before 18.00 hours but somebranches in the North-East of England,Scotland and Ireland failed to hear in timeand came out on strike as soon as thedeadline was reached.

The cost of warThe cost of the war to the nation wasenormous. Every city, town and villagewas affected. The scale of slaughter onthe battlefield was horrific. Altogether184,475 railway workers joined the forces.A total of 88,000 railway clerks were onactive service, including 16,826 membersof the RCA. Of the 21,522 railway workerswho lost their lives, at least 1,457 weremembers of the Association.

No fewer than 5,296 railway workersreceived medals for courageous conduct;six were awarded the Victoria Cross, twoof whom were members of the RCA. Thesewere Lance Corporal J A Christie, aged 22,who had previously worked in the parcelsoffice at Euston and was a member of theEast London Branch, and Lance CorporalCharles Graham Robertson. 7

In memory of all railway workers whogave their lives during the war monumentswere erected in stations throughout thelength and breadth of the system. Thefirst to be unveiled was at Nitshill Station,Scotland; this was erected by railwaycomrades in memory of Sergeant JohnMeikle VC and Military Medallist, a formerclerk who enlisted in the SeaforthHighlanders on 8 February 1915 and waskilled in action on 20 July, 1918. They willnever be forgotten.

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John Meikle and thememorial erected byhis railway comrades.

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22 March 2015

Greece

I WAS RECENTLY in Athens during theGreek election. This was a very calm affairand a far cry from some of my earliervisits when mass confrontations andstrikes were the order of the day asinhumane austerity measures rained onits people. Then, there was anger anddesperation in equal measure. This timeround, the air was filled with optimismand hope was palpable. Let’s face it,Greek voters produced the biggestpolitical earthquake in the history of theEuropean Union. Hope most definitelytrumped fear. Gone are the barricadesthat police erected around Athens toprotect politicians from their people.Greeks now demonstrate in support oftheir government.

Europe’s elite are reeling and growingincreasing fearful of a domino effect.Uppermost in their minds is the torturousquestion of whether Spain could be nextas a general election looms there. If theyare looking for a culprit, they need lookno further than themselves. Whathappened in Greece was manufactured bythe political and financial elites of Europe.A humanitarian and social crisis wasunleashed. To quote Naomi Klein, the

‘shock doctrine’ was inflicted on Greeksociety. That is why Greeks at firstvaliantly resisted and then voted forchange. The numbers are sadly startlingly:GDP has shrunk by 25 per cent since mid-2008, 26 per cent are unemployed risingto over 60 per cent among the young,more than 23 per cent of Greeks are‘officially’ living in poverty although thereal number is far higher with 27 per centno longer having access to healthcare.Yet, far from reducing the debt, austerityhas made it skyrocket from around 120per cent of GDP to almost 175 per centby the end of 2014. Just like in the UK andelsewhere in Europe, ordinary people aresick to their back teeth of paying for acrisis that wasn’t of their making. That iswhy the new Greek government’s call foran end to austerity chimes incrediblystrongly way, way beyond its shores.

There is a growing global consensusthat irrespective of what additionalsufferings are imposed on its people, thesums involved mean that Greece wouldnever fully be able to repay this debt. Thatis why ordinary people placed their hopeson the change of economic direction thatSyriza offered.

Make no mistake, what’s happening inGreece has global repercussions as thefuture of the ideology which gave birth toausterity is on trial. That is why I am veryproud to have joined with people fromacross the world – representing anti-austerity protesters, trade unions and

progressive political parties – in supportof Syriza. Our ruling elites are incrediblyfearful that the neoliberal ‘economicconsensus’, which has allowed the 1 percent to prosper at our expense, may beabout to fracture. The gauntlet has beenthrown down. European social democraticand socialist parties face a stark choice;risk being pulverised or move on fromfailed neoliberalism. Labour ought to takenote. The Syriza government carries thehopes and aspirations of the global 99 percent – we must offer our full solidarityand support! 7

60 per cent of the young are

unemployed and 27 per cent of

people no longer have access to

healthcare

The future of the ideology which

gave birth to austerity is on trial

Our general secretary Manuel Cortes, who is also the president of the Greece Solidarity Campaign, reports on theelection of the anti-austerity government lead by Syriza.

Alexis Tsipras, leader of Syriza,whose election will have animpact well beyond theborders of Greece.

The Greece Solidarity Campaign is anindependent non-party politicalcampaign, established in response toan appeal by Tony Benn in 2012 forsolidarity with the Greek resistance toausterity. To find our more or to getinvolved see www.greecesolidarity.org.

Greece: Standing up to austerity

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TSSA Journal 23

get involved

Upcoming TSSA electionsTSSA Conference2015TSSA’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE is thesupreme governing body of the union,held every year, in May or June. Thisyear, Conference will be held inEastbourne from Saturday 16 toMonday 18 May.

Every branch is entitled to send atleast one delegate to Conference andto submit two motions andamendments for debate.

TSSA’s policies are determined byAnnual Conference, and are bindingon all members and officials. AnnualConference provides a firm democraticframework for the Association, and allmembers can participate in thisdemocracy through their branch.

You’ll be able to keep up to datewith the happenings at conferenceusing the regularly updated blog,linked to from www.tssa.org.uk/conference. 7

Member up for National Diversity AwardA TSSA REP has been nominated for theNational Diversity Awards 2015 – aprestigious black tie event whichcelebrates the excellence achievementsof grass-root communities that tackleissues in today’s society. Member DavidBrady is up for the ‘Positive Role ModelAward – Disability’. You can help byvoting for him at http://bit.ly/votedbrady.

David writes:“I’m a union learning representative for

the TSSA Union, where I am also aneurodiversity champion and anaccredited HDQ screener (for hiddendisabilities). I have screened a lot ofpeople at my work and have helped to setin place the adjustments they need tomake their time at work possible. I have

also done a presentation to the ExecutiveTeam to try and get them further onboard to allow us to become a fullneurodiverse company.

“I won The Outstanding AchievementAward 2013 from The British DyslexiaAssociation.

“I work as a Revenue ProtectionInspector on the railway where I havebeen for over ten years!

“At the age of 17 I found out I haddyslexia, which I haven't let hold meback. I have developed copingstrategies to enable me to live a happyand productive life. Behind me I have avery supportive wife, step-son anddaughter who enable me to give mytime to help and support my unionmembers and fellow employees withthe struggles neurodiverse conditionscan cause within the workingenvironment.” 7

Please support our member by votingat http://bit.ly/votedbrady.

MyTSSAPersonalised news and information

Manage your membership

Are all your membership details up to date?Log on at www.tssa.org.uk/myTSSA and click

‘My Membership’

MEMBERS WILL SHORTLY have thechance to determine who will serve asTSSA president and treasurer for the nexttwo years as well as getting to electExecutive Committee members torepresent three of TSSA’s geographicaldivisions: Anglia and London North East,the Midlands and Wales and Western.

Nominations for all positions close on28 February, just after the TSSA Journalgoes to print. If multiple candidates havebeen validly nominated an electionprocess will commence and allappropriate members written to. Updatesin relation to this will be posted towww.tssa.org.uk/elections.

TSSA conference delegates will alsoelect three delegates to the TUCCongress, the same number to LabourParty conference and Labour’s women’sconference, four to the Women’s TUC. Sixdelegates to TUC Black Workers’conference were elected unopposed

whilst nominations have been re-openedfor TUC Disabled Workers’, LGBT andYoung Workers’ conferences. Sixmembers are standing for the four placeson TSSA’s standing orders committeewhilst two election scrutineers have beenelected unopposed.

Full details of all nominations can beseen in the final pages of the preliminaryconference agenda at www.tssa.org.uk/conference. 7

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24 March 2015

anti-racism

THE HORRIFIC ATTACKS in Copenhagen,Chapel Hill and Paris underline how it isabsolutely essential to unite ourcommunities against all hatred,Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, racism andfascism. Unity is not only the cornerstoneof the anti-racist and trade unionmovements, but the most effective wayto defeat the narrative of terrorism, andto prevent scapegoating and reprisalsagainst any community. This was theeffective response of London after the 7 July bombings and of the Norwegiangovernment after the murderous fascistattacks of Anders Breivik.

The importance of unity at these timescould not be more apparent; in the daysafter the shootings in Paris, UKIP

attempted to blame immigration, diversity‘'fifth column’ for the attacks.#KillAllMuslims trended worldwide onTwitter without an international outcryand the media and some politiciansperpetuated the idea that the Muslimcommunity in general was to blame.

The flip side of this was that the shootingof three young Muslim people in ChapelHill, North Carolina, received nothing likethe wall-to-wall coverage that the horrificattacks in Europe quite rightly received.Inevitably, the beneficiaries of this hostileclimate are groups like France’s FrontNational, the racist Hungarian party Jobbikand fascist groups that exploit division andwhip up hatred against the Muslim, Jewish,Roma, Migrant and LGBT communities.

However, there is an effective response.Unions are a key component of the fightagainst racism and fascism because theycelebrate the diversity of society that isreflected in the modern workforce. Peopleof all ethnicities, of all faiths and none, ofwhatever gender or sexual orientation, findequality and empowerment in the unionmovement. Trade unionists have historicallyled the campaigns to challenge the farright, and challenge racism in all its forms.

Last year, 10,000 people joined the‘Stand Up to Racism and Fascism’demonstration on UN Anti-Racism Day.This date commemorates the anniversaryof the Sharpeville Massacre, when police inapartheid South Africa murdered 69unarmed protesters. Last year’sdemonstration was a powerful and vibrant

display of unity from across manycommunities, mixing Roma and Bulgarianflags with trade union banners and sambabands. Demonstrations took place acrossEurope in response to a call from Athensfor a response to the violent fascists ofGolden Dawn. This year, cities across theworld will be joining in, with renownedcivil rights leader Rev. Al Sharptonpledging to call a demonstration in the USas part of the campaign to oppose theracist policing faced by black communities.

Now, in the middle of an electioncampaign dominated by scapegoating anda dangerous rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, a broad display of unity againstracism is needed more than ever.

On Saturday 21 March, this year’s UNAnti-Racism Day demonstration called byStand up to Racism is our best opportunityto send the message that our diversesociety is to be celebrated, that there is noplace for Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism,racism or fascism and that immigrants arenot to blame for the country’s economicproblems or low wages. 7

Stand Up to Racism and Fascism

Show our unity and join thedemonstration against those whoseek to divide our communitieswith racist hatred, says Stand Upto Racism’s Dennis Fernando.

No vote, no voiceAre you sure you’re registered to vote?Changes to the voter registration systemmean that over a million people will bedenied access to what should be theirballot paper. Make sure you’re not one ofthem, especially if you have movedhome recently. Register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Stand up to racism

and fascism

Saturday 21 March 2015

March and rally organised by

Stand Up To Racism

Assemble 12 noon at the BBC,

Portland Place, London W1A 1AA

(tube: Oxford Circus) followed by

a rally in Trafalgar Square

UN Anti-Racism Day:

unite against racism, Islamophobia,

anti-Semitism and fascism

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info@standuptoracism.org.uk

@antiracismday

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