RMT motion seeks Grayling resignation

The RMT union has tabled a motion at this year’s Trades Union Congress in September, calling for Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling to resign.

The union made the announcement on July 29, the day Northern reintroduced around 75% of the trains that it had cancelled following the disastrous May 20 timetable launch (RAIL 854).

The motion states: “Congress believes the collapse of Carillion, a major rail contractor; the failure of Virgin/Stagecoach on the East Coast Line; the rail timetable chaos (which also led to increased threat of assaults against rail workers); the cancellation of rail electrification projects; and loss of skilled rail jobs has shown again that the privatisation and fragmentation of our railways and public services has been an abject failure.

“Even though these rail policy disasters have taken place under Chris Grayling he has refused to take any responsibility and Congress supports the growing calls for Chris Grayling to resign.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “In any normal political circumstances Chris Grayling would have been long gone, but in these days of crisis Government he is clinging to the wreckage of our transport services like a rat clinging to the deck of a sinking ship.”