May 2013

INSIDEn Scandal of East Coast privatisationn Palestine, railways & justicen Thomas Cook closures update

The Light RailRevolution

2 May 2013

in this issue

Transport Salaried Staffs’Association

General Secretary: Manuel Cortes

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

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Vol 109/issue 1228

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4–10 News and campaignsu More franchising chaos

u Fair Fail campaign news

uThomas Cook update

u People’s Assembly Against Austerity

u TUC Women’s Conference

u Community Learning Festival success

11 General secretary: The Welfare State is the hallmark of a civilised society

12–15 Palestine – the struggle for justice

Tear gas fired byIsraeli troopsagainst ademonstration byPalestinian villagers,as witnessed by aTSSA delegation.

12-15

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rew

Wia

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TSSA Journal 3

editorial

Welcome to the Mayedition of TSSAJournal. We’ve got adiverse issuecovering everythingfrom the ongoingmess of railfranchising (p4) and the disgracefuldecision to re-privatise the East Coastroute (p16-17) through to the better newsabout the growth of light rail (p18-20). Wealso look at how light rail is being put tomore damaging uses – as part of Israel’sattempt to dominate the Palestinian WestBank, which it occupies (p12-15).

The news that the Department forTransport is extending most rail franchisesby as much as four years now opens up thepossibility discussed in this column severalissues ago. Many franchises that wouldhave been signed-off before the May 2015election are now due to being settled wellafter it. This means that unless theConservatives stage a major comeback,Labour will have a real chance to quitequickly reshape the industry. In what waythey might do this we don’t yet know, butthere are many positive signs coming fromtheir policy review. We’ll be keeping thepressure up to ensure the best possiblesettlement for those working in theindustry and to drive home the argumentamongst the public to reinforce our partypolitical work. We’ve got a range of plansin the run-up to the General Electionwhich we need members to be part of –see pages 5 and 7 and get involved.

It’s not just elections on a national scalethat will shape our future – several ofTSSA’s own leadership positions arecurrently being voted on. Do return yourballot papers by Tuesday 30 April for yourvote to count.

In a few weeks time we’ll also havedelegates from across Britain and Irelandmeeting in Glasgow for TSSA’s AnnualDelegate Conference. Do check out thelive blog that will be updated throughouteach day of Conference (12-15 May) atwww.tssa.org.uk/conferencelive to followall the latest developments.

Ben Soffa, editor

TSSA, fellow rail unionsand the TUC gather atEuston on the 50thanniversary of theBeeching cuts.

A new piece of publicart, Cloud: Meteorosby Studio Orta, hasbeen unveiled as thefirst installation inthe Terrace Wiresseries at St Pancras.

16–17 Christian Wolmar: East Coast – punished for doing too well

18–20 Paul Salveson: The Light Rail Revolution

21 Summer festivals: Join us at Tolpuddle and Glastonbury

22–23 Advice: Morrish solicitors and Helpdesk

24 TSSA Conference

4 May 2013

news

THE COST AND CHAOS fromthe franchising debaclecontinues to grow, withministers’ deciding to extendexisting franchises by as muchas four years. TOCs will be ableto request highly favourableterms, with no alternative bidstaking place. The previousfranchising timetable hasbeen all but ripped-up. Forexample, the Great Westernroute – for which bid werebeing taken last year when thescandal broke – will now notsee any new company takeover until 2016, despiteFirstGroup previously havingdeclined to take such anextension within the terms oftheir original franchise.

Virgin will now run theWest Coast service until atleast early 2017 – effectivelywinning a third of the 13 yearfranchise they’d originallybeen bidding for without

going through anycompetitive process.

In further evidence of thetotal failure of the ‘marketforces’ meant to forcecompanies to perform or losetheir contracts, LondonMidland, who had to delay orcancel almost 1,000 servicesin the final three months oflast year due to drivershortages have beenrewarded with a one year,nine month extension.

When asked about theLondon Midland disruption,attributed to theunattractive wages at thefirm, the Prime Minister hadspecifically warned that‘under the franchising systemif there’s unacceptableservice then action can betaken’ – in the event, theirfailure has been rewarded.

Greedy TOCs have beenkeen to use the ‘free’

extensions to win furtherconcessions from thegovernment. Knowing that iftheir demands aren’t met, theonly other option forministers will be to hand thefranchise over to thepublicly-owned DirectlyOperated Railways, manyfinance directors are said tofeel they have thegovernment over a barrel.

The seeming aversion tosurpluses being reinvested inthe railways rather than givento private shareholders isclear in the rush to re-privatise East Coast. Onlythree routes – EssexThameside (c2c),Thameslink/Southern and EastCoast are to be agreed beforethe next election, suggestingministers want to end theexistence of a commerciallysuccessful public-sector TOC

as soon as possible.Labour, who had

committed to keeping EastCoast in public hands as acomparator, condemned themove. Maria Eagle, Labour’sShadow Transport Secretarysaid ‘It is completely thewrong decision to focusobsessively on an unnecessaryprivatisation of InterCityservices on the East Coast.’

The perverse priority onselling off the East Coast wasunderlined yet further in anew report by the Office ofRail Regulation. The ‘GB railindustry financialinformation’ documentreveals that East Coast wasthe TOC least reliant onpublic funding – receivingjust 0.2 per cent of the total.The TOC which has receivedthe longest extension –South Eastern – receives 48 times as much.7

More cash for shareholders as franchises extended

The latest change to the Department for Transport’s franchising timetable. Essex Thameside,Thameslink and Great Northern will run until late 2014. Southern received no extension and willmerge with Thameslink in 2015. There is no change to Wales and Borders which expires in 2018.

TSSA Journal 5

news

THINK BACK TO 2003. Tenyears ago things were a littledifferent. ‘Where is the love?’by the Black Eyed Peas was thebiggest single of the year,topping the charts for sixweeks running. Perhaps moreimportantly, the invasion ofIraq was underway and theHuman Genome Project hadjust been completed.

And ‘Where is the love?’ is aquestion being asked bymillions of rail passengers, forwhom travel in 2003 was farcheaper than it is now. Railfares have been hiked abovethe rate of inflation every yearsince then, with thecumulative impact revealed bya recent report showing thetop-ten commutes whereseason ticket have risen most.

Perhaps unsurprisingly,they are all located in theSouth East. FareFail, thecampaign against high railfares backed by TSSA andothers, swung into action.Throughout the spring wehave visited each of these tenstations, alerting commutersto the shocking truth about

the cost of their journey intowork and back and explaininghow public ownership couldbring fares down.

At every station, we weregreeted by members of thepublic angry at thegovernment’s fares policy andsupportive of our efforts. Theresponse outside one station,was typical, says Chris Clark, aTSSA member who used hislinks with Labour Partymembers and others acrossthe region to build support: ‘Awoman walked past us andsaid ‘no thanks’ but once she’dbought her ticket, she was sooutraged by the price, shecame back and asked for oneof our postcards!’

Our actions won positivemedia coverage across theregion and highlighted thehypocritical stance of localMPs. Of the ten communitieswe visited, nine of their MPshad voted against a motion inParliament in January opposinghigher fares.

Chris added: ‘I’m proud tohave been part of the FareFailcampaign. It’s been fun as well

as successful, and now wehave a really good platform to build on. TSSA is doing theright thing, campaigning onissues like rising fares andcuts to station staffing thataffect the public. It’s good for the public to see us trade unionists campaigning

for something that’s good for them.

‘I think this kind ofcommunity campaigning isthe way forward. It’s the bestway for us to influence publicopinion and win support forchanges in policy on therailways.’ 7

Station name Fare rise % 2003 2013Sevenoaks 87 £1,660 £3,112Ashford International 80 £2,660 £4,780Bracknell 78 £2,228 £3,960Canterbury 78 £2,700 £4,812Tunbridge Wells 71 £2,412 £4,132Tonbridge 68 £2,240 £3,768Maidstone 68 £2,360 £3,960Gillingham 67 £2,204 £3,672Hastings 59 £2,880 £4,584Eastbourne 58 £2,720 £4,304

JOIN US ON Saturday 8 June for a day of learning and discussion on howto build winning movements for change. Practical sessions will includel Veteran community organiser from America and a former mentor ofBarrack Obama, Arnie Graf, discussing how we can organise ourcommunities.l Workshops on building alliances, organising your community and‘power mapping’l a session by the New Economics Foundation exploring why theausterity agenda is self-defeating

The day will also see the launch of TSSA’s political and communitystrategy in the run up to the next election. For more details, seewww.tssa.org.uk/politicalconference. 7

‘Top ten’ most expensive commutestargeted in fares campaign

Get involved in campaigning for better transport

Where fares have risen the most

6 May 2013

news

SINCE TAKING RESPONSIBILITYfor TSSA’s dealings withThomas Cook in January2011, I have never had theopportunity to discussprogressive changes forstaff, although I am close toattaining my diploma inregressive contracts andshop closures.

A succession of corporatefailures, many of them linkedto previous CEO MannyFontenla-Novoa’smisdirection of the firm, sawThomas Cook’s share price fallto an all time low of 11 pence,creating a series of knock-onfinancial problems.

New chief executiveHarriet Green, whoincidentally is expected toreceive two payments totallingaround half a million poundsthis year, has at least had theforesight to realise that if theway that Cook’s conductbusiness does not change,

then the company will be athing of the past. That said, Irather doubt I’d be paid half amillion pounds simply for doingwhat I am contracted to do.

Nevertheless they havenow taken the businessdecision to expand online,aspiring to become theleading online tour operatorwith a digital platform thatwill host a full portfolio ofdigital products and services.

What does this mean forthe staff in Thomas Cookretail stores? Well you tellme. Despite repeatedlypressing companyrepresentatives, I usuallyreceive a response that goessomething along the line of‘We can give no assurancesabout the future’.

As members in ThomasCook are seeing their termsand conditions eroded to helpcover the cost of the debt thebusiness has taken on, I wonder

to myself what the futureholds. Further erosion ofterms and conditions?Possible. Pay awards? Unlikely.So what will be the reward forhigh street staff for their partin helping the business turnaround? We’ll be pushinghard, but on the company’scurrent plans, the bottom lineis likely to be nothing.

Thomas Cook membersmust stick together. Membersdid not create this mess. Ifthey are guilty of anything, itis working harder for lessmoney under the auspices ofworsening contracts anddifficult performancetargets designed to rewardonly the minority with theopportunity to achieveextraordinary results.

It is terrible that it’s notpossible to give any greathope for the future, butmembers can rest assuredthat their trade union reps

and the full-time staff aredoing their best to make thisas painless as possible. Sadly,we have to work on the basisthat no position withinThomas Cook is entirely safeat this point in time.

On a final note, the realproblem with death by 1,000cuts is that you inevitablyneed a whole load of plastersto try to patch up the damage.Regrettably it is the ThomasCook staff who will pay for theplasters and much more.

The TSSA’s voice is only asstrong as its members. Wehave over 1,000 members inthe firm today. If we were todouble that figure, we’d havea stronger platform fromwhich to protect membersand defend against theassault on employees. Handthis article around the officeand get your colleagues tojoin the TSSA online atwww.tssa.org.uk/join. 7

Thomas Cook: resisting death by 1,000 cuts

Tony Wheeler writes: Asentence of ‘death by 1,000cuts’ was formerly a veryunpleasant fate whichoriginated in Imperial Chinaas a slow form of executionbefore being banned in1905. More than a centurylater it seems that ThomasCook are intent onreintroducing this form oftorture for theirbeleaguered employees.

WHILST CONSERVATIVE MINISTERS have been celebrating thepolicies which brought misery to countless communities in the1980s, their present-day cuts are getting deeper still. Thebedroom tax, curbs on in-work benefits, the sell-off of largeparts of the NHS, the list goes on and on.

At the same time, 13,000 millionaires are receiving a£100,000 tax break with the scrapping of the 50p top rate oftax. Osborne has also been arguing against a cap on bankers’bonuses in meetings with European finance ministers. It’s clearwhere the government’s priorities lie. How they think they canget away with saying ‘we’re all in it together’ is a mystery.

But resistance is erupting. Thousands protested against thebedroom tax at the start of April. Huge demonstrations have beenheld to save local hospitals, occupations have sprung up to savelibraries and there have been nationwide rallies against austerity.

Now we need to pull together all the community campaigns,trade unions, anti-cuts groups and the millions of individuals whoare affected by austerity into a single united mass movementthat can challenge the government’s austerity agenda.

Earlier this year trade union leaders, campaign groups, MPs,journalists and cultural figures put out a call for a ‘People’sAssembly Against Austerity’ to be held on Saturday 22 June atWestminster Central Hall. The signatories included ManuelCortes, Len McCluskey, John Pilger, Ken Loach, Caroline LucasMP, Owen Jones, Iain Banks and Tony Benn.

Since the initial call thousands of individuals and hundreds of

trade union branches and organisations have pledged support.The event looks set to be the biggest conference of the labourmovement for decades. Already over 1,400 people haveregistered, with still two months to go. Rallies are beingorganised in towns across the country, and the Assembly isbringing hundreds of new activists into activity.

The People’s Assembly is our opportunity to launch the kindof movement we need and set out an action plan that canmobilise millions, force an anti-austerity agenda into themainstream and get rid of this vicious government. Join usthere on 22 June. 7

For more information or to register for the People’s Assemblygo to www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk.

TSSA Journal 7

Pushing back against austerity: The People’s Assembly

Sam Fairbairn of the TSSA-backed People’s Assembly looks ahead to this summer’s major gathering of thousands oftrade unionists and other campaigners working to oppose the government’s damaging austerity programme.

WE ARE NOW two years outfrom the general election andpreparations are wellunderway to maximise theimpact that TSSA has onthose elections.

We have a strategy tomove our union’s policyforward – to secure acommitment to publicownership of rail – and tomake sure it is delivered byan incoming government.We’re also working to ensure

we have MPs from a morediverse range of backgrounds,who support trade unionsand indeed include TSSAmembers amongst theirnumber.

As a smaller union, TSSAneeds to be strategic. How dowe deploy our resources?How do we shift the terms ofdebate? How do wedemonstrate that Labour’sapproach to public transport,workplace rights and the cost

of rail fares can be decisive ifthey are to win in many ofthe marginal seats needed forthem to win the election?

Currently we areundertaking a detailedanalysis with the aim ofdrawing up a list of aroundten seats where rail andpublic transport are key ‘onthe ground’ issues, wherethere are significantnumbers of commuters,where we have members,

and where we havecandidates that support ourkey policies. Our communityorganising team will then bebuilding issue-basedcampaigns with membersand supporters in the targetseats we identify.

For more information orto get involved, contact TSSA’spolitical officer Sam Tarry viatarrys@tssa.org.uk or 020 7529 8019.

news

Winning for public ownership at the general election

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news

8 May 2013

www.fairshop.ie

THIS YEAR’S TUC Women’s conferencecovered many issues, from those arisingin workplaces or society at large, to issuesaffecting women in their unions. Despitethe membership of the trade unionmovement now being majority-female,the imbalance in many union structures,let alone wider society, means the eventremains vital in the fight for equality.

TSSA’s motion on changes toemployment law highlighted the latestattacks and planned attacks being carriedout by the government. TSSA’s delegate,Rebecca Barnes, proposed the motion,which was seconded by ASLEF and passedunanimously. Rebecca also spoke in thedebate on women and mental health. Shetold the TSSA Journal, ‘I shared my ownexperiences, particularly focusing on thestress issues that come with being themain carer of my four children as well asholding down a full-time job, working shifts,and dealing with post-natal mental illness.’

Rebecca was also invited to second themotion from TSSA’s maritime equivalent,Nautilus, on improving the representation

of women in male dominated industries.She said, ‘I spoke on the important role ofunions in these circumstances, wherewomen are more likely to be subjected togender bullying and harassment.’

Whilst there was general agreementon many issues, a debate on ‘the otherside of domestic violence’ saw strongarguments both for and against womenperpetrators being imprisoned ratherthan given some other form ofrehabilitation, taking into account theeffect this can have on children. Rebecca

reports, ‘This was a very lively debate withgreat arguments on both sides. It wasagreed that women in general are treatedmore harshly when found guilty ofdomestic violence than their malecounterparts and very often thisbehaviour is out of character and is theresult of years of suffering at the handsof an unreasonable partner.’ 7

To find out more about TSSA’s workfor gender equality, contact Women inFocus via www.tssa.org.uk/wif.

TSSA IN IRELAND is backing a campaignaiming to encourage the country’s800,000 trade unionists and consumersin general to shop with retailers thatrespect their workers.

Initiated by the trade union Mandate,the scheme certified employers whereworkers have the basic right to join a unionand where workplace representatives aregiven full collective bargaining rights.

Mandate’s general secretary, JohnDouglas, said, ‘The initial reaction to thecampaign from a number of the majorretailers has been fantastic. Alreadymany Fair Shop – nominated employers– seeing the value in the initiative –have been talking to Mandate aboutdeveloping brand awareness andpromoting joint actions.’ 7

To see the list of qualifying retailers,visit the website at www.fairshop.ie.

TUC Women’s conference backs TSSA call

‘Fair Shop’ campaign for ethical trading

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FOLLOWING ON FROM TSSA’s‘Making Learning Work’festival in Hackney, the union’slearning team is collaboratingwith the Workers’ EducationalAssociation to set up morelearning opportunities in theborough. The week-longfestival, supported by thenational Union Learning Fund,ran events, workshops andactivities focused on personaland professional developmentfor local workers, their friendsand the wider community inHackney. Supported by TSSAreps and activists, it receivedsupport from a wide-range of trade union members,community organisations and individuals.

‘It was a great week’, saidNgoma Bishop, a local poetand tutor who facilitated acreative writing session. Fromthe launch event to theclosing celebration I was

really pleased to connect withothers that were interested inlifelong learning.’

Over the course of a weeksome 200 people engaged invarious forms of learning.Taster sessions, workshopsand talks were wide-ranging:from African dance anddrumming to literacy andnumeracy classes, film-makingto creative writing, andfrom Black history to ways

parents can support theirchildren’s education.

There was a strong desirefor such learningopportunities to continuethroughout the year, which iswhy TSSA Learning willcontinue to work with locallearning providers and put onfurther events. The LearningTeam is particularly lookingfor Community LearningChampions to help take this

work forward. TSSA and WEAwill help develop thesevolunteers, offering trainingand other support. To launchthe initiative there will be anopen meeting in Hackney foranyone (a TSSA member ornot) interested in helping out.

Monica Gort, from theWorkers’ EducationalAssociation, said, ‘CommunityLearning Champions are a keypart of the TSSA project andvital to ensuring that thelearning offered is relevant andcovers what people want! We are really looking forwardto working with TSSA toextend educational provisionthroughout the localcommunity.’7

To find out more come tothe free Community learningopen evening on Wednesday 1 May at WEA, 96-100 CliftonStreet, London, EC2A 4TP.

TSSA Journal 9

learning

TSSA LEARNING’S FIRST course at the Crawley Amey hub hasbeen described as great fun and a tremendous success bycourse attendees.

Paul Messenger, Amey Lead Union Learning rep, conducteda survey at the company’s hubs at Gatwick, Chelmsford andBirmingham, with Spanish identified as a popular choice. Paulthen organised the 10-week lunchtime Beginners Spanishcourse with support from TSSA’s London South East andSussex and Gatwick branches.

The course covered basic greetings and essential holidayphrases. Amey consulting assistant engineer, KeweishaHussey, said, ‘I’ve found the course really interesting, coveringlots of helpful material. Now I’d like to do Level 2 Spanish!’

Course tutor Claire Marsden added, ‘The course has proveda huge success. At the same time, we have a lot of fun andhave made new friends and built cooperative workingrelationships with colleagues.’

Amey lead Union Learning rep, Paul Messenger, told the TSSAJournal, ‘The course has been a tremendous success and I planto run further computer and language classes very soon.’ 7

Would you like to run a similar course in your workplace?Contact TSSA national learning organiser Sal Morawetz viamorawetzs@tssa.org.uk or 0207 529 8049.

Reaching out to the communitythrough learning

Aprender Español en Amey, CrawleyLearning Spanish at Amey, Crawley

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Wales

10 May 2013

ALTHOUGH UNSEASONALBLIZZARDS wrought havocwith Welsh rail schedules,Alan Carter (Neath andSwansea Branch) and PaulJeffries (Arriva Trains Wales(South) Branch) survived aseven-hour journey torepresent TSSA in Llandudnofor Welsh Labour Conference.Following tremendoussuccesses in the 2011Assembly election and 2012council elections, delegatesassembled in good spirits,reinforced by the speechfrom Carwyn Jones, the FirstMinister of the UK’s onlyLabour government. Carwynreassured delegates thatWales would not only retain afully public sector NHS and a

comprehensive educationsystem, but would continueto do everything possible toameliorate the economicdamage being inflicted by Westminster.

Speaking to the TSSAJournal, TSSA delegate PaulJeffries said, ‘Edwina Hart AM– who had only just assumedresponsibility for transportpolicy – highlighted theeconomic boost that railelectrification will bring toSouth Wales, whilst theShadow Secretary of State,Owen Smith MP, talked of thegrowing momentum behindplans for a rail-based SouthEast Wales Metro. It was also great to hear the FirstMinister confirm that a deal

to nationalise CardiffInternational Airport wasclose’.

Conference condemnedfurther coalition attacks onemployment rights, whilstoverwhelmingly supportingthe principles of ethicalprocurement and a LivingWage. Carwyn and Owen bothreferred to the importance ofWelsh Labour’s links withaffiliated unions – the roots ofthe Labour Party.

Delegates heard how thepost-war consensusunderlying the social securitysystem was being dismantled,with Osborne’s so-called‘welfare reforms’ acting ascover for a further programmeof cuts, disproportionately

affecting the weakest insociety, whilst at the sametime the richest were toreceive a substantial tax cut.Conference unanimouslypassed a motion requiringWelsh Labour to co-ordinateaction by local authorities andthe trade unions to minimisetheir impacts on society.

Paul Jeffries added, ‘Oneother highlight was the visitof Ed Miliband, who – in arefreshing change from usualpractice – didn’t make aspeech, but simply tookquestions from the floor.Labour in the principality lookdetermined to fulfil thepromise of the conference’stheme – to be ‘Standing Upfor Wales’ ’. 7

Welsh Labour: clear red waterbetween Wales and Westminster

Wel

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Railway Employees Privilege Ticket AssociationAvailable to all in the transport industries, TSSA members, family and retiredstaff. REPTA offers many free, discounted and special rates, listed in our 80 page Yearbook.New for 2013: Membership discounts at National Railway Museum, freePersonal Accident cover for travel on public transport. Discount cinematickets and online rail ticket bookings continue.

£4.50 per year. Additional cards for family members £3.

Send cheques/POs to REPTA, 4 Brackmills Close,

Mansfield NG19 0PB. Tel: 01623 646789.

Include name, address, email and date

of birth for each + code ‘TSSA’ or

join at www.repta.co.uk.

TSSA Journal 11

general secretaryManuelCortes

com

men

tI have to admit that I’ve been watching the warof words being waged against our WelfareState and those on benefits with increasinganger. I have to declare an interest. In the early1990s, I was dismissed from the electronicsindustry for trying to organise a union withina US multinational. I then had, as they saw it,the temerity to go on television to expose theunion-bashing practices they were engaged in.Of course, many of you will appreciate thatthis happened at a time when working peoplelacked a statutory right to union recognition,blacklisting was legal and independent unionrepresentation at disciplinary and grievancehearings was at the whim of employers.Thankfully, much of this landscape is nowhistory, even though recently uncoveredevidence suggests that illegal blacklistingcontinues to blight the livelihoods of manytrade unionists and their families.

The long and short of this story is that havingpublicly exposed bad practices, I never returnedto a job within that industry. I was dependenton benefits for a considerable period of time. Ican assure you that I most certainly did not livethe life of luxury that so many right wingcommentators would have us believe. I did notstarve and had a roof over my head, but havingto buy a pair shoes or a winter coat became astruggle that could only happen after makingtough choices of what to go without. I shudderto think what it must be like now when somany on benefits have seen their paymentsdramatically cut.

I count myself incredibly fortunate – myunion’s intervention saw me receive a settlementthat eventually allowed me to go back touniversity, even if this took an awful long time tomaterialise. Thankfully, tuition fees back thenwere a tiny fraction of what people now have topay to continue their education. You know, Ihave always seen our Welfare State as thehallmark of what makes us a civilised society – itshould provide protection from the cradle to thegrave. It is an act of solidarity between people ofworking age and the retired, between the ablebodied and the disabled, between the healthy

‘I was on benefits

for a considerable

period. I most

certainly did not

live a life of

luxury.

Only 3 per cent

of welfare

spending goes on

unemployment

benefit.’

The Welfare State is the hallmark of a civilised society

and the sick, between the rich and the poor andbetween those in work and the unemployed.

The Liberal politician William Beveridgerightly declared in the 1940s that there were fivegiants that we needed to defeat: poverty, disease,ignorance, squalor and idleness. He proposedsetting up a Welfare State with social security, anational health service, free education, councilhousing and full employment to conquer theseills. Of course, it was left to Labour’s ClementAtlee to make this vision a reality. Somehow Ifear that Beveridge will be turning in his grave ashe sees his Liberal successors march hand inhand with Tories to destroy many of theremaining vestiges of his legacy. To be fair, theTories never wanted our Welfare State in the firstplace. The current economic crisis just providedthem with excellent cover to hammer more nailsinto its coffin.

Unfortunately, myths about welfare spendingabound – the reality is hardly ever told. Forexample, almost half of welfare spending (47 per cent) goes on pensions. A further 11 percent is used up by housing benefit with a largechunk of this going (to landlords) to provide forpeople in work whose wages are too low.Reintroducing rent controls and a programme ofcouncil house building could significantlyreduce this expenditure – never mind requiringcompanies to pay wages people can actually liveon. Only 3 per cent of welfare spending goes onunemployment benefit, whilst a far largeramount is used to top-up the low incomes ofmillions in work – in effect a subsidy to theprofits of employers.

Lastly, government figures show that only 0.7 per cent of the welfare budget is claimedfraudulently. Of course, we should have zerotolerance to this, but it reminds me that tens ofbillions are lost every year through tax dodgingat the other end of the scale – and successivegovernments have been, shall we say, somewhatreluctant to do much about it. I for one willcontinue to defend the civilised values that ourWelfare State underpins. I verymuch hope that you will join mein this!7

12 May 2013

Palestine

The denial of the basic rights of the Palestinian people – kept under military occupation for

decades – has been described as a sore on the conscience of the world. Earlier this year, TSSA

and Unite sent a joint delegation to Palestine – to observe, to offer solidarity and to develop

ways in which people in Britain can help them achieve the freedom they have long sought.

Palestine – the urgentstruggle for justiceThere are freedoms many of us take forgranted – to travel to nearby towns andcities, for our homes to be a place ofsafety or to be able to elect thegovernment that controls our freedoms.Yet in Palestine, multiple generationshave now grown up under Israeli

domination, with almost every aspect oftheir lives restricted by militaryoccupation, sieges, land seizures anddiscrimination.

65 years ago Israel came into being,with many Palestinians fleeing or beingpushed from their homes into

neighbouring countries and the areaswhich became known as the West Bankand Gaza Strip. Some Palestinians stayedand were eventually granted Israelicitizenship. Many who’d fled foundthemselves under Israeli militaryoccupation after the 1967 Six Day War,

Palestinians in the village of NabiSalih demonstrate against thetheft of their land by a nearbyIsraeli settlement, a year afterdemonstrator Mustafa Tamimiwas killed by Israeli troops. TSSA’sdelegation joined a similardemonstration a few weeks later.

Calum Toogood / Demotix

TSSA Journal 13

Palestine

in which Israel took control of the WestBank and Gaza.

For almost half a century now, theworld has tolerated this situation, withthe Palestinians being told for the lasttwenty years that they would ‘soon’ begranted an independent state of theirown. In reality, as members of thedelegation saw, the growth of Israelisettlements across much of the WestBank makes the chance of achieving a‘two state solution’ harder by the day.

Assistant general secretary Frank Wardtakes up the story. ‘We all knew we’d beasked questions when we flew into TelAviv, however we hadn’t realised that thesecurity services would be using profilingto identify whether we posed a ‘risk’before we arrived. One of the Unitedelegates was detained for over two hoursand was repeatedly questioned beforebeing allowed in.’

The group first travelled around theancient centre of Jerusalem and theeastern side of the city – occupied andannexed by Israel in 1967 – but whichmost of the world considers to be wherea Palestinian capital should emerge. In ameeting with the PLO’s NegotiationAffairs Department, the delegation learntthat the number of Israeli settlers in EastJerusalem had almost tripled in the lasttwenty years, with settlements beingstrategically sited to cut off Jerusalemfrom Bethlehem and the rest of the WestBank.

Jacqui Hall told TSSA Journal, ‘Given thiswas our first full day, what really struck mewas both the sheer beauty of the country,but also the enormous number of illegalsettlements built in the Palestinianterritories that everybody internationallyis turning a blind eye to.’

Returning to the Jerusalem’s Old City,the delegation visited the Church of theHoly Sepulcher, where Jesus is said to havebeen buried and the Western Wall, the siteholy to Judaism as the remains of thebiblical Temple. ‘It was humbling to seepeople of different religions and none at allpaying respects, but the whole experiencewas really overwhelmed by the securityarrangements which ensured everywherewas surrounded by armed troops.’

Frank told TSSA Journal, ‘We also metwith the United Nations Office for the Co-Ordination of Humanitarian Affairs who

told us about the situation in Gaza.’ WhilstIsrael withdrew its settlers several yearsago, it continues to control Gaza’s airspace,its access to the sea, defines land near thePalestinian side of the border as ‘off limits’and has imposed a near total closure of itsborder for several years.

The Gaza Strip is just 25 miles long by 5 miles wide, yet home to 1.7 millionPalestinians. Commenting on the siege ithas been placed under, even DavidCameron has said ‘Gaza cannot and mustnot be allowed to remain a prison camp’.Since 2007 over 2,500 Palestinians havebeen killed in Gaza whilst 58 Israelis havealso died.

Hebron – a city being strangledThe next day, the delegation visitedHebron, in the south of the West Bank. Thecity is home to 250,000 Palestinians andabout 800 Israeli settlers who live right inthe heart of the city in an area controlledby the Israeli military.

‘We walked through the shopping areaof the city and saw many of the 500 or soPalestinian-owned businesses that havebeen closed by military order because theywere near where settlers live. Many morehave moved away because of the rubbishand excrement being thrown down into

the street from the buildings above whichhave been taken over by settlers’ saidFrank. Palestinians have placed cages overthe street to try and provide someprotection from their neighbours.

Jacqui added, ‘The occupation has reallypulled Hebron apart, but it is amazing tosee the sheer determination of thePalestinians not to be brow beaten and thedogged way they go about their dailybusiness despite all the hurdles put in theirway.’

A member ofthe IsraelimilitarisedBorder Policemoving pastmembers ofthe delegationwhilstpatrollingJerusalem’sOld City.

The cage and sheets placed over themarket in Hebron to try and protectshoppers from detritus thrown down byIsraeli settlers who have taken over theupper floors of many buildings.

14 May 2013

Palestine

The call to boycott IsraelUnderlining why this is not a conflictbetween religions or ethnic groups, thedelegation then met some of the manyIsraeli Jews struggling for an end to theoccupation and for a just solution. TSSA’sreps discussed the situation with ‘Boycottfrom Within’ – Israeli supporters of thePalestinian-initiated call for aninternational campaign of boycott,divestment and sanctions (BDS) againstIsrael, similar to those applied againstapartheid South Africa.

The delegation later met thePalestinian BDS National Committee,which represents a coalition of hundredsof grass-roots groups. ‘The meeting withthe BNC was in many ways the mostproductive of the week as it involved around table discussion withrepresentatives of the variousorganisations genuinely engaged in anattempt to offer a peaceful solution thatwill ultimately force Israel to complywith international law and recognisePalestinian rights’ says Frank.

The TUC has called for members toboycott firms and organisationscomplicit with Israel's illegal occupation,settlements and wall and for the UKgovernment to ban the entry of all goodsproduced in illegal settlements. Evidencehas repeatedly shown many settlement-produced goods are falsely labeled ‘Madein Israel’, so often such a distinction canbe hard to make. Most supermarkets nowdon’t stock settlement goods, with theCo-Op refusing to trade with companieswhich base any of their operations insettlements. The BNC and manycampaigners say that as the problem lieswith Israel’s national government and not just the settlers, pressure for a justsolution should be built through a comprehensive boycott of all Israeli products.

Participant Al Stoten agrees: ‘When yousee the suffering of the Palestinian people

first-hand, it is obvious that the worldneeds to wake up and pay attention. Makeno mistake, apartheid is most definitelywith our brothers and sisters in theOccupied Palestinian Territories. I wouldcall on anyone with half an ounce of moralfibre to fully support the BDS movementin boycotting all products and companiesthat are profiting from the illegal violationof Palestinian freedom.‘

The struggle of Palestinian workersThe delegation met with Shaher Saed, theGeneral Secretary, PGFTU. Frank says, ‘Hetold us that the occupation severelylimits the economy, meaning mostPalestinians have to decide betweenworking in Israel, living in poverty oremigrating. Unemployment and povertyare rife and workers are treated verybadly at checkpoints with permits beingarbitrarily destroyed.’

The group also met with the ArabWorkers Union in Nazareth (northernIsrael), who focus on the rights of thefifth of Israeli workers who arePalestinian citizens of the state. Theysaid that as well as having to deal withthe impact of globalisation and thenormal attacks by government andemployers, by far their greatest challengewas dealing with racism against thePalestinian minority within Israel. In onesurvey 81 per cent said they would notemploy Palestinian workers.

The delegation meet with the Palestinian equivalent of the TUC – the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions. Back row, fromright: Al Stoten, Doug Blundell, Frank Ward, Colin Brazier, a PGFTU rep and Jacqui Hall.

TSSA Journal 15

Mass resistance met with militaryresponse Later in the week TSSA’s group visitedthe small village of Nabi Salih, home toaround 600 Palestinians. Each Friday, forover three years now, the villagers havetaken part in a demonstration to protestagainst the confiscation of their landsand the takeover of their spring by thenearby Israeli settlement. This involves ashort march from the Mosque towardsthe spring until they are blocked by theIsraeli army.

Frank reports, ‘The first thing wenoticed when we arrived mid-morningwas the smell of tear gas from theprevious Friday. We watched as the IsraeliArmy attempted to disperse the villagersby using tear gas, rubber bullets, soundgrenades and a vehicle spraying foulsmelling skunk water hundreds of feet.Some of the Palestinian youths respondby hurling stones in a ritual reminiscentof a modern day David v Goliath – with aslightly different outcome.’

‘The visit to Nabi Salih will live long inthe memory of the delegation, not simplybecause we were tear gassed and shot at,but also because of the strength anddignity of a villager we met. She had lost16 members of her family to thePalestinian struggle, but when asked if shehated Israelis, she explained to us thatthere was a time in her life when she maywell have hated her oppressors, howevershe had come to know and respect many

Israelis in recent years who had shownsolidarity with the Palestinian struggleand now considered them to be friends.What she now hated were the ideas thatcaused people to be oppressed.’

Taking action for Palestinian human rightsLondon Underground rep Doug Blundellrecalls a quote from Nelson Mandela: ‘Weknow too well that our freedom isincomplete without the freedom of thePalestinians’ and adds, ‘I kept on thinkingabout this quote during our visit and itwas all too visible: the checkpoints whichstopped Palestinians for hours, the meshthe Palestinians had to put up to stop thesettlers’ waste dropping on them, thetheft of land and homes; it is allreminiscent of the South African apartheidregime. And the world at large doesnothing. Let’s be amongst the people whoare trying to bring about a just peace.’

Britain and many other countriesallowed the injustices of South Africanapartheid to continue for decades untilmass popular pressure pushed them intoaction. Many Palestinians feel abandonedby governments who claim to defenduniversal human rights, but do little tobring about a solution which can deliverjustice for the Palestinians and a lastingpeace for Israelis. Weneed to be part ofbuilding thatpressure on our own government. 7

TSSA encourages members andbranches to join the Palestine SolidarityCampaign or to sign up to hear about allthe latest campaigns at www.palestinecampaign.org or by calling 020 7700 6192.

PSC and their dozens of local branchesarrange meetings, film showings, local andnational demonstrations as well ascampaigns to lobby Parliament andsupport the boycott of Israeli goods.

PSC can link TSSA branches with localcampaigners for joint actions in support ofPalestinian human rights, provide expertspeakers and provide details of other waysto get involved.

Palestine

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Whereas we often talk aboutrailways cementing links betweenplaces, this presumes they do soon the basis of equality. The flipside of this is the reshaping ofareas by rail and otherinfrastructure as part of a plan tosecure ownership of them.

TSSA members observed theoperation of the Jerusalem LightRailway, which is just such aproject. Specifically condemned bythe UN Human Rights Council, the9 mile line runs from WestJerusalem (in Israel) to illegalsettlements in the north east ofthe city.

TSSA’s 2011 conference agreedto boycott the Frenchmultinational Veolia, which, due tointernational pressure, has beentrying (unsuccessfully) to extricateitself from the operation of theline. Not only has the line’splacement been condemned, butthe recruitment for ticketinspectors stated the requirementfor Hebrew ‘at a mother tonguelevel’ and ‘full army service/civicservice’, clearly discriminatingagainst the recruitment fromPalestinians whose communitiesthe line runs through.

A railway builtto colonise

FutureTSSA’s Al Stoten suffering fromthe after-effects of tear gas afterobserving a demonstration in Nabi Salih.

Christian Wolmar

Rail privatisation was supposed to havetaken the politics out of the railways.Well, that was never going to happen,but the decision by Patrick McLoughlin,the Transport Secretary, to prioritise therefranchising of East Coast shows thatfor the government, politicalconsiderations still outweigh theefficient running of the railway.

There were numerous good reasonsnot to rush through the reprivatisationof East Coast, which has been run by thegovernment-owned Directly OperatedRailways since 2009. It was taken over byDOR because the previous incumbent,National Express, had thrown in thetowel, having overbid and found itselfcaught up in the 2008 downturn (andincidentally, complaining that it was notgetting enough in compensationbecause Network Rail was doing its jobtoo well!). Although the then TransportSecretary Lord Adonis said this was onlya temporary measure, the rebranding ofthe trains and the appointment ofexperienced rail managers suggestedthere would be no hurry to re-let the franchise.

Indeed, since the franchise has beenwell run – despite problems with thecatenary that clearly are no fault of theoperator – there was no urgent need tore-let it. There have been notableimprovements. The first class service hasbeen revamped and the food, as I foundon a recent trip from Edinburgh toLondon, is better than the rather meagrefare on offer on Virgin. Passengernumbers have increased steadily and thecompany has proved popular with staff.

Secondly, DOR has performed wellfinancially. Not only has it made a smallprofit (in truth a rather meaninglessnumber since it is subsidised through theblock payment made to Network Rail)which is reinvested into the railways, butit has paid more than £600m in premiumpayments in the past three years.

Moreover, there is an excellent reasonto keep a franchise in the public sector,

even for those extreme ideological neo-liberals. The cost of running trains is verydifficult to ascertain and having oneoperator to use as a benchmark would bevery helpful for the Department forTransport, especially in the light of itsrecent difficulties with the West Coastfranchise.

When I confronted Simon Burns, therail minister, on The Daily Politics Showwith the point that this was being donefor purely ideological reasons, heblustered that it was to give customers abetter deal and that Directly OperatedRailways (a name he could not actuallyremember as he kept getting it wrong)was not paying as much in premiumpayments as Great Western. That wasthe sort of nonsense that ministers arebriefed with by their civil servants andrepeat without understanding what theyare saying. In fact, it was a silly

There is an excellent reason to keep a franchise in the public sector, even for those extreme ideological neo-liberals: cost benchmarking.

16 May 2013

East Coast: punished fordoing too well

With most franchise decisions being

pushed back by years, Christian Wolmar

questions the government’s rush to

shuffle the pack yet again on the

one publicly-operated route.

comparison since GW has several timesmore passengers than East Coast and,indeed, has been in cap and collararrangements for some time, meaningmuch of the premium has had to be paidback to the company. And, of course, GWdid not go ahead with its three yearextension because it would haverequired the payment of premiums itcould not afford.

What makes the decision to rushthrough the East Coast deal all the moregalling is the fact that the Departmenthas no shortage of other franchises tocontend with. The government’sannouncement on franchising duringMarch (see page 5) resulted in thepostponement of most of the franchisebidding processes by several years – notjust months – because the Departmentcannot cope with the workload, giving theexisting operators extensions for whichthey will be in a strong position tonegotiate good deals. There is a backlogthat is having a damaging effect on theindustry, creating uncertainty andstopping investment. Yet, instead ofdrawing the obvious conclusion andrunning franchise competitions insituations where the alternative is toreward incumbents with long extensions,regardless of their performance, what dothey do? Rush ahead with the onefranchise that is functioning fine andwhich requires no negotiation since allthe money reverts to the Department.The only conclusion to be drawn is thatthe Department is driving through theEast Coast deal because ministers do notlike seeing a successful state ownedfranchise, especially given it would still bein state hands when Labour took over ifthey win the next election

The final reason why this is such a badidea is the effect on staff. A guard wroteto me – obviously anonymously –pointing out that the uncertainty that willbe created by this process willundoubtedly have a negative effect onpassengers. He said he will now be gettinghis fifth uniform in eight years and ‘Wewill now have two years of uncertainty till

the new incumbent takes over. Words onmaintaining service quality etc. will beissued, but the managers will be lookingto secure their futures.’ He added: ‘It’s allrather depressing. Political expediencygetting in the way of common sense. Itwill be ironic if a new government scrapsthis stupid, costly and inefficient franchisesystem leaving East Coast one of thefew franchises’.

Interestingly, a big hole has been blownin the argument about the governmentnot being able to take back franchisespermanently, an idea that hopefullyLabour will adopt when it finally comesout with a new policy on franchising. Atthe time of the takeover of the franchiseby DOR, Labour ministers were implyingthat it would have to be temporarybecause of EU rules. Then last year whenthe West Coast bidding process collapsedand Virgin was going to retain thefranchise temporarily, at first ministerssaid there would have to be a temporaryfranchise of a year, followed by an interimfranchise while the long term contractwas prepared for the permanent onewhich would have been let, probably, afterthe general election.

Lo and behold, that crazy idea soon

got forgotten and there proved to be noneed for an interim franchise. Instead,Virgin were given an extension on WestCoast until November 2014, but then inthe announcement on the franchisingtimetable in late March, Virgin weregiven a further extension to April 2017.Therefore, rather than ending lastDecember as it was supposed to, Virgin,without any competition, will havereceived an extra four and a half years –almost a third extra on their originaldeal signed back in 1997. No mention,here, of EU rules, tendering,competition, or accountability!

Indeed, the announcement on the newfranchising timetable represents the mostabject acceptance of the utter failure ofthe whole franchising concept since thesystem started in 1996. In fact, it seems toshow that the rules are pretty much‘make them up as you go along’. Let’shope Maria Eagle, the oppositiontransport spokeswoman, is watching.There’s a lot Labour can learn from thiscallous disregard for the normal rules.They should be thinking: if they can do it,why can’t we? 7

Christian Wolmar, who is seeking tobe the Labour candidate for London mayorin the 2016 election would welcomeinvitations to come to speak at branchmeetings and can be contacted through hiswebsite, www.wolmarforlondon.co.uk.

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The only conclusion is that ministers do not like seeing a successful state owned franchise.

Labour can learn from this callous disregard for the normalrules. They should be thinking: if they can do it, why can’t we?

TSSA Journal 17

Christian Wolmar

18 May 2013

Paul Salveson

Light rail is back in fashion, with a newsystem about to open in Edinburgh andmajor extensions forging ahead inseveral cities. Urban tram systems wereamong the greatest achievements of‘municipal socialism’ before the FirstWorld War, with many local authoritiesinvesting in state-of-the-art electrictramways which acted as the arteries ofurban expansion. It has to be said,however, that some of the early tramnetworks led to the decline of severalurban ‘heavy rail’ networks whichsuffered from poor penetration into citycentres, with dirty and unattractive steamtraction. For a while, it was the publicly-owned entrepreneurial municipaltramways which saw off private, under-invested urban rail networks.

Yet by the 1950s, as tram networkscame up for major renewal, all too manywere scrapped in favour of buses. Mostcontinental countries, even war-ravagedGermany, kept theirs and modernisedthem. It wasn’t until the late 1980s thatBritain saw a revival of interest in ‘light

rail’ with Manchester leading the way.Since then there has been an unevenexpansion, with Sheffield, Nottingham,Birmingham, Croydon and Edinburghdeveloping entirely new networks. Goodold Blackpool hung on to its trams and hasrecently renovated the system with newvehicles and improved infrastructure. Themost exciting developments are takingplace in the birthplace of Britain’s light railrenaissance, Manchester. Extensions areopening to Rochdale, Ashton-under-Lyneand south Manchester, with a link to theairport seen as a key objective for 2016.This will link in to the proposed HS2station, which will be located about 2kmbeyond the existing airport station.

Paul Rowen, former Rochdale MP andboard member of the Light Rail TransitAssociation is clear about the benefits. Hetold TSSA Journal ‘Trams are clean andgreen. At the same time trams bringabout economic regeneration – walkalong the main shopping area in Croydon:people now travel into the town to shoprather than go elsewhere. Just as

importantly, trams are popular with thepublic who prefer using them to buses.’.

Rochdale will be the appropriate venuefor this year’s national conference of theLight Rail Transit Association, bringinglight rail campaigners together to debatethe future of what was once seen as ‘thehumble tram’. My late friend Colin Wardhad a far better term for them –‘gondolas of the people’. What has thisform of transport got to offer?

Light rail is in a sense the little sister of‘heavy rail’ and some of the technology isshared – and we’ll look at hybrid ‘tram-trains’ later. It is not a ‘cheap’ optioncompared to other forms of urbantransport and the last twenty years haveseen a battle of ideas – and policy – overthe claims of light rail versus guidedbusways or just conventional buses withsome degree of enhanced traffic priority.It has been said that the Department forTransport has been innately hostile tolight rail and that every pound won forlight rail has been like drawing teeth.

There’s no doubt that light rail is, and

The Light Rail revolution

Trams and tram-trains look

set to play a growing role in

connecting many

communities. Paul Salveson

takes a look at how they’re

being integrated into heavy

rail networks in Europe and

asks whether that could be

mirrored in Britain.

TSSA Journal 19

Paul Salveson

always has been, political. The early tramnetworks were largely developed by localauthorities rather than private companies,the latter lacking the necessary capital toinvest in major infrastructure projectsthat were essentially local. An additionalbenefit of local government leadershipwas that the tram networks could gowhere there was a wider strategic need,be it housing or industry. That sameapproach continued in post-war Germany,the Netherlands and Austria. Light rail wasa tool of urban planning. Meanwhile in theUK, the very idea of public sector-ledstrategic urban planning had becomepolitically unacceptable by the Thatcherera. Yet the revival of light rail did notcome from thrusting privateentrepreneurs, but from the same kind ofbodies that promoted trams back in the1890s – local authorities, mostly in theshape of passenger transport executives.Light rail still embodies public sectordynamism and local enterprise, whichperhaps gives a clue as to why it isn’talways popular with some.

Ironically, a small number of someConservatives have been enthusiasticbackers of light rail at the local level –I should acknowledge the greatcontribution of the late Cllr Stanley King,staunch Conservative, tram fanatic andBradford city councillor. Good publictransport doesn’t have to be politicallycontentious. Usually, at the local level, itisn’t. And it has to be said that someearly schemes such as Manchester andCroydon were approved by Conservativegovernments. Labour’s John Prescott hadvisionary plans for several schemeswhich Alistair Darling scrapped becauseof cost. Let’s not repeat the samemistakes next time.

Driving urban developmentLight rail has the potential to act as acatalyst for major urban development andwe have already seen this along theoriginal Manchester ‘Metrolink’ corridorbetween Bury, Manchester city centreand Altrincham. Light rail can be a vitaltool in traffic management, if it is used asthe core element of wider strategies tominimise car access into city centres.Sheffield and Nottingham city centreshave been transformed throughintelligent traffic management strategies

based around tram priority. Part andparcel of this is having good park-and-rideat outlying stations and goodconnectivity with the heavy rail networkand bus services. And therein lies aproblem. In most other countries wherelight rail has experienced a revival, thereisn’t unbridled on-street competition. Theeconomics of light rail in the UK suffersbecause a commercial bus operator canundercut tram prices and make thebusiness case for light rail unviable. Andas a result, the prospects for getting goodquality urban transport, bringing widereconomic and social benefits to townsand cities, also suffers.

Tram-trains and integrationIf early trams undermined existingsuburban steam railways, the experience inrecent years has been more positive. HS2will be fed by light rail routes atManchester Airport and Toton (forNottingham). In most major Europeancities the tram connects into longerdistance and suburban rail networks at

major termini, usually with integrated localticketing systems making interchangeeven easier. Karlsruhe, Germany, took thisapproach a big step further by creating ahybrid between light and heavy rail: tram-train. Karlsruhe’s main station is about amile from the city centre, served byseveral local lines. Anyone going into thecity centre had to change. As some of theroutes were becoming run-down therewas an opportunity to better integratethem into the wider urban transportnetwork. Some of the outlying brancheswere converted to tram operation, butusing vehicles that could operate onconventional heavy-rail infrastructure aswell as street tramways. It has become ahuge success and more and more routeshave been converted for tram-trainoperation. An additional benefit has beento free up capacity at the main-line stationfor longer distance services. Similarschemes are now common across Europe.

The ‘tram-train’ concept has generatedconsiderable interest in the UK and thelast five years have seen the developmentof studies to test out the idea. Thatsounds long-winded, and it has been. Theoriginal idea of having a pilot on thePenistone Line between Huddersfield andSheffield was eventually dropped. TheDepartment for Transport, Network Railand Northern are pursuing an alternativepilot based on the Rotherham – Sheffieldcorridor, allowing tram-trains to rundirectly onto the Sheffield ‘Supertram’network. Part of the problem with thepilot project has been cost. The originalPenistone scheme assumed a fleet of justfive tram-tram sets which inevitably

The much delayed Edinburgh tram shouldstart to run within weeks, with a fulllaunch in summer 2014.

Manchester Metrolink’s new extensionsinclude rural areas, such as the village ofNewhey, served since February this year.

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Paul Salveson

made unit costs high. Yet tram-train hasgot potential in areas like Sheffield wherethe main station is distant from the citycentre. Transport for Greater Manchesteris exploring the potential of convertingsix heavy-rail lines to tram-trainoperation, allowing services from townssuch as Glossop, Wigan and Marple to geteasier and faster access into and acrossthe city centre.

Tram-train isn’t a universal panacea andup-front costs can be high, evencompared to conventional tram schemes.Up to now, the Greater Manchesterapproach has been to convert existingheavy-rail lines to light rail operation usingconventional trams, then using on-streetalignments to connect the network or togo beyond the former railway into theheart of a town or city centre. Lines closedby Beeching, such as East Didsbury, arebeing brought back into service. The mostrecent extension, to Rochdale, has beenalong the former heavy rail ‘Oldham Loop’from Manchester, with the final extensionfrom Rochdale railway station into thetown centre.

Edinburgh’s trams will finally startrunning this year whilst Nottingham ispushing ahead with extensions.

A growing network?It’s clear that light rail is good for townsand cities and more tram networks areneeded: London, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow,

Liverpool, Bristol and even smaller citiescould be suitable for light rail. Freiburg forexample, with a population of just over200,000, has an extensive modern tramnetwork like other German towns ofsimilar size. They don’t have a free-for-allwith de-regulated buses offering ‘choice’but they do have a fabulous integratedtransport network. Some of the challengeswe face are political and it is unnecessarilydifficult to develop light rail schemes inthe current environment. Maria Eagle’sproposals for ‘deregulation exemptionzones’ would be ideal in cities where lightrail is being developed, ensuring the bestpossible integration between bus, lightrail and heavy rail. It’s right that light railshould be promoted at the local level by

well-resourced transport authoritieswhich are in the public sector.

But you also need a supportivenational policy with dedicated resourceswithin the Department for Transportwhich can provide positive assistance,rather than discouragement. We need toget away from each city doing its ownthing and re-inventing wheels: the morestandardisation in technology the better.This means closer working between PTEsand transport authorities, the DfT anddevolved governments in Wales andScotland. An incoming LabourGovernment should set up an ‘UrbanTransport Challenge Fund’ which couldfund new light rail schemes and otherinnovative projects which help regenerateour cities.

A rolling programme of light railschemes across the UK will not just begood for urban connectivity andregeneration. It has the potential to begood for manufacturing. It’s mad thatwe have to buy all our equipment fromabroad. A condition of procurementpolicies must be that a large element ofthe vehicle and infrastructurecomponents should be manufacturedand assembled in the UK.

Finally, whilst most light rail networksin the UK are publicly-owned, operation islargely contracted to private operators,though not in every case. Now that tramshave returned to Rochdale, the birthplaceof the modern co-operative movement,might we look to a co-operative tramcompany, owned by its workers andpassengers, in the future? That would bereal community transport. 7

Blackpool’s network has been rebuilt with new track and level-floored vehicles offeringrapid accessible transport, in addition to summer ‘heritage’ services.

Last year saw over 204 million tram journeys – doubling since 1999.

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TSSA Journal 21

festivals

IN 1834 SIX farm labourers from Tolpuddle, Dorset, werearrested for taking an ‘illegal oath’. The real offence was daringto form a trade union to defend their livelihoods. To immensepopular outrage they were sentenced to seven yearstransportation to the penal colonies of Australia. A hugecampaign won them pardons and the Martyrs returned home.

Once again TSSA will be celebrating this historic episode inthe struggle for trade union rights at the 2013 TolpuddleFestival and Rally, from Friday 19 July to Sunday 21 July.

Known for its friendly atmosphere, the event will play host toa mixture of great music for all tastes (finishing off with BillyBragg), political debates, a wide choice of food and drink and akids’ area packed with fun. TSSA will be hosting a barbeque onthe Saturday night with all members welcome. 7

For more information see www.tssa.org.uk/tolpuddle.

HAVE YOU EVER looked at the latest festival line-upsand thought ‘I wish I could go, that looks awesome!’ butjust not been able to afford it? Well FutureTSSA mayjust be able to help, with many festival places availablefor free!

FutureTSSA are looking for members who are 27 orunder to come as volunteers to great festivals likeGlastonbury, Latitude, Leeds and Reading. You’ll receive afree pick-up from one of several UK-wide locations,secure camping with showers, two free meals per dayand a couple of beer tokens after every shift.

So what’s the catch? Well for all that, all you have todo is work a six hour shift behind a bar each day for theWorkers Beer Company. The company – run by theBattersea and Wandsworth trades council – will make apayment for every hour worked to FutureTSSA, allowingus to boost the development of young members, fundtraining events and socials. The rest of the time is yoursto do as you please,

Steven Neagle, a rep with East Coast told the TSSAJournal, ‘I did my first festival at 24 years old,volunteering through FutureTSSA at Latitude. I didn’tknow what to expect but after meeting up with fourother young members were taken directly by coach tothe festival. The atmosphere was amazing! I enjoyed it somuch I then volunteered for Leeds the same year – thatwas four years ago and I haven’t missed one since’.7

For more information, or to volunteer please contactFutureTSSA’s Al Stoten on 07428550601 oralexanderstoten@yahoo.co.uk.

Join us at TolpuddleFestival 2013

Glastonbury ticketswith FutureTSSA

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CorrectionDue to a production error, the article in the March issue ofTSSA Journal was incorrectly printed with lowercaserenderings of ‘Gypsy’ and ‘Traveller’. As with other ethnicgroups, the terms should have been capitalised. We apologisefor any offence caused.

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22 May 2013

TSSA personal injury service

“Now I can look forward to thefuture with a better quality of life”Stephen developedPneumonia and had to beadmitted to hospital. Tendays later he wasdischarged, despitefeeling no better.“Initially the doctors wereplanning to carry outfurther tests – but thesewere never done. I wasn’tcoping well at home andwhen I went back to thehospital, struggling tobreathe, I was againdischarged withouttreatment.”Three weeks later Stephencollapsed at home. Hewas rushed to hospitaland tests showed that hehad suffered a severestroke. Stephen nearlydied, and as a result, hewas left brain damagedand paralysed down hisleft side. If the initial testshad been undertakenwhen Stephen was firstadmitted to hospital,doctors would havediscovered an infectionon his heart which wouldhave been easily treated.“I spent 11 months invarious hospitals

undergoing rehabilitation.The severity of my injuriesleft me dependent onothers. I had to learn towalk again,” says Stephen.“We began to struggle athome. My wife did thebest she could to care forme but we had very littlehelp. The difficulty ofliving at home withinadequate support cameto a head when I fell andfractured my hip as I wasgetting up from a chairone day. I spent anothernine months in hospital.Any of the limitedmobility I had sopainstakingly worked toregain was lost – now Ican only walk a few steps.My home was no longersuitable: there was notenough room for awheelchair and I couldnot get upstairs. We hadto rent accommodation.”Stephen managed toreturn to work briefly, buthad to eventually retirebecause of the severity ofhis brain injury. One ofhis colleagues suggestedhe contact TSSA’s legal

experts, Morrish Solicitors,to bring about a medicalnegligence claim againstthe authority.“I was put in touch withJane at Morrish Solicitors,who used my case notesand expert evidence toestablish that I had aclaim. At first the authoritydenied they were at faultand it was only after Janefiled Court Proceedingsthat they admitted theyhad been negligent.” “Jane recoveredsubstantial compensationfor me, transforming ourlives. It has enabled me tobuy a new home adaptedfor disabled living. Aftermy stroke I had to makeweekly trips to acharitable centre for abath – now I have theright equipment toshower safely at homeand I have carers who canlook after me. I have awheelchair-adaptedvehicle and I can go onholiday with my familyagain. These may seemlike little things but theyhave made such a

difference to my life.”“I am very grateful to mySolicitor Jane who hasfought for justice for me. Iwould not have knownwhere to turn to get help.Thankfully TSSA hasfantastic lawyers.”

l Based on a real lifecase. Certain details havebeen altered to protect.Morrish Solicitors LLP

provides expert legaladvice for medicalnegligence cases,accidents and injuries toTSSA members and theirfamilies. Call the legaladvice helpline on 0800 093 0353.Morrish Solicitors is aLimited LiabilityPartnership and regulatedby the SolicitorsRegulation Authority.

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.

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TSSA Journal 23

helpdesk

Q. I am under redundancyconsultation and have been toldthat I might need to apply for analternative job that I don’t want. Isthis correct? Can I refuse to apply?

A. Your company’s consultationprocess should be meaningful andthere should be an agreedprocedure by which the selectionfor redundancy takes place. Theselection process must be fair, withcriteria that aren’t subjective. Youremployer should give everyone atrisk of redundancy the chance toapply for suitable alternative work,if such posts exist. You can onlyrefuse to take part if you havereasonable grounds to do so. If youunreasonably refuse to engage withthe selection process or reject anoffer of suitable alternativeemployment, you could jeopardiseyour entitlement to redundancy pay

Whether or not an alternativejob is suitable depends on thesimilarity to your current job interms of pay, terms and conditions,status, hours of work, location, jobdescription as well as the skills,abilities and experience needed todo the job. To refuse alternativework, you have to show there aresound justifiable reasons to do so.

There is no ‘one size fits all’solution to this situation, as it willdepend on both the suitability of thejob you are being offered and yourown personal circumstances. Themore similarities a job has to yourcurrent one, the easier it would befor your employer to show that youare acting unreasonably by refusingit, while the fewer similarities a jobhas to your current one, the harderit would be. 

There is a legal right to a fourweek trial period in which both

you and your employer can gaugethe suitability of the new post and you should ask your employerfor this if you are unsure of thenew role.

I would suggest that you askyour employer for as muchinformation as you can about thejob you are being asked to applyfor. You should then seek furtheradvice from your local rep or theHelpdesk on your options. 

Pushed out because ofillness?Q. I have suffered a debilitatingillness, but recently returned towork part-time. With the right jobI could probably work full-time,but the company have said it is upto me to find a new job within aspecified timeframe otherwise theywill get rid of me on grounds ofill health. Is the period they arequoting correct?

A. It seems like they are puttingunnecessary pressure on you, byplacing the burden on you to find anew role internally, when thelegislation clearly states it is their

responsibility to make reasonableadjustments. 

Your employer should start bylooking at reasonable adjustmentswhich would help you do yourexisting job on a full time basis or,if this is not possible, looking atredeployment options within thecompany. Your employer should beacting in a supportive way to re-introduce you to the workplace anddefinitely not adding to the alreadystressful situation by making youfearful of losing your job. 

Your employer is also putting thecart before the horse here as illhealth severance or ill healthretirement should be the last resortafter all attempts to make reasonableadjustments have failed and thepossibility of redeployment fullyexplored. 

There is no set time scale to thisprocess, but your employer musttake reasonable steps to exploreadjustments and any redeploymentoptions in order to comply withthe Equality Act 2010. Failure tofollow the correct process couldresult in a discrimination claimagainst the employer. 

If you have a question about your workplace rights, call our employment law specialists on 0800 3282673in the UK or 1800 805272 in the Republic of Ireland or email helpdesk@tssa.org.ukHours: Monday to Thursday 8am–6pm Friday 8am–5pm

0800 3282673/1800 805272

Redundancy: forced into an alternative job? UK

Republic of Ireland

Some employers seem to think they can ignore the Equality Act.

24 May 2013

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Follow TSSA conference online

Disability Working Group mini-conference

TSSA’S ANNUAL DELEGATE conference, which sets the union’s direction andholds the executive to account will take place between 12 and 15 May in Glasgow.Delegates from branches will gather for four days of debate and decision making.

Once again we’ll be ‘live blogging’ the event on the TSSA website, with textand photo updates throughout each day of debate. You’ll also be able to downloadthe daily edition of TSSA Journal produced during conference.

The local reception committee have organised a full programme of socialevents each evening for delegates, showcasing a fine selection of Scottish culture– from haggis to Rod Stewart! For details of conference motions and the socialprogramme, see www.tssa.org.uk/conference. 7

All TSSA members are invited to join theDisability Working Group’s mini-conference prior to TSSA annualconference.

The event aims to raise awareness ofissues that affect people withdisabilities in and outside theworkplace.

Saturday 11 May 1.30pm-6pm andSunday 12 May 9.30-1pm

Hilton Glasgow1 William Street Glasgow G3 8HT

Speakers include:l Citizens’ advice bureau adviser onhow to access your benefitsl Sarah Hughes – of TSSA’sneurodiversity teaml Paul Scholey – of Morrish Solicitors,on legal rights of disabled peoplel Barbra Farmer – Scottish DisabledWorkers Committee

Members are welcome on just one dayif they can’t attend on both Saturdayand Sunday. The venue is fullyaccessible. Refreshments will beavailable. Queries totssadwg@yahoo.co.uk. 7

tssa.org.uk/conferencelive

Your union – your choice:Use your vote for president and treasurerElections are under way for the positions of both president and treasurer of TSSA, with members inScotland also choosing their Executive Committee member. Ballots were distributed in early Apriland you have until noon on Tuesday 30 April for it to be received by the Independent Scrutineer.

Return your vote by 30 April