North East Region
CONTACT US: Your North East Regional Council can be contacted at: NorthEastRegionalCouncil@rmt.org.uk And on our X (Twitter): @RMTNorthEast
END OUTSOURCING CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES
RMT has launched a new campaign to further the fight for insourcing of all rail workers, abolishing the two-tier system wherein many train operating companies pay dishonest agencies to hire anyone from cleaners, caterers and gateline staff to security guards and revenue protection officers under poorer pay and conditions than their directly employed counterparts.
The Labour government committed under manifesto promises to lead the “biggest wave of insourcing for a generation”, and RMT is holding their feet to the fire to make this become a reality.
Outsourcing has cost the taxpayer £400 million annually in profits leaking out of the rail industry, which could have amounted to a 3.8% fare cut for passengers. It also leads to systemic racism for the people most likely to be struggling in insecure, poorly-paid jobs on the railway
Directly employing staff rather than resorting to agencies improves safety on the railway, as outsourcing takes certain safety critical roles a step away from the actual working railway under the control of bosses whose priority lies with profit, not safety Insourcing the tens of thousand of agency workers employed on the railway will lead to a more engaged, better paid workforce.
With Great British Railways allegedly on the horizon claiming to bring unity to the disjointed railway, we cannot let our outsourced colleagues remain on the fringes.
The first step in RMT’s new campaign is to push the current Transport Minister, Heidi Alexander, to ensure that the Labour Party’s election promises are kept, at least in this area: please see the RMT website to find details on relevant petitions and Early Day Motions
CROSS COUNTRY IN DISPUTE
Members at Cross Country have been balloted for industrial action due to ongoing issues with the company. We are seeing unacceptable staffing levels and the targeting of specific grades, leading to the erosion of service standards. All of this is putting everyone ’ s job security at risk.
Despite reps meeting with Cross Country, the company continues to show total disregard for agreements and for job security.
We are balloting all Cross Country members for industrial action, both strike action and action short of a strike, including a ban on overtime and rest day working
CrossCountry has claimed that recruitment is now back at the ‘ proper ’ headcount level, but that’s just not true The introduction of the Voluntary Severance Scheme (VSS) was never discussed with RMT, let alone agreed There has been no consultation about the loss of staff and no effort to recruit back to pre-VSS levels. This is a clear breach of our procedural and recognition agreements and a direct attack on job security.
Diagrams have been lost without any consultation
Service levels have dropped
Rostering problems have increased
The working environment is becoming more hostile and unsustainable
One of the most damaging changes is Cross Country’s decision to scrap catering services on many long-distance journeys, including some that last up to five hours. Some trains will now:
Have no catering at all
Offer no first-class or standard-class service
Leave passengers without food or drink for their entire journey
This is a direct attack on the catering grade, but it also affects other grades and the passenger experience overall
To make matters worse, CrossCountry also plans to increase ‘ spare turn’ coverage, pulling people off trains that we were once diagrammed for and making them available as spare, supposedly to cover services that still have catering But this has major knockon effects - it confuses existing rosters and disrupts work/life balance, essentially turning those staff into casual workers.
Our RMT Company Council Staff reps told the company this isn’t workable and will breach roster parameters. Even management admitted this might happen, but they still pushed ahead.
Let’s be clear: this is not about saving money sensibly. This is about cutting corners, ignoring agreements, and treating staff as disposable. Passengers won’t see cheaper fares; they’ll just get a worse service. And workers across grades are being put under pressure.
We cannot stand by while CrossCountry rips up agreements, undermines jobs, and damages the quality of service.
On Thursday 19 June - Newcastle Rail and Catering Branch held a demo raising public awareness of the attacks to the catering service Passengers were appalled at these plans - so we have massive public support from those who will certainly vote with their feeet
The ballot opened Friday 6th June 2025 and will close on Tuesday 1st July 2025
Members and branch officials supporting Cross Country staff at the Newcastle demo on June 19th.
Stations Grade Conference in Lille
Members from York and District branch represented the region at this year ’ s Stations Grade conference held by RMT’s European Passenger Services branch in Lille, France
“There were talks from two members of the local branch of the French railway workers’ union CGT, as well as addresses from John Leach and the Railway Benevolent Fund,” reported delegate Laura Hester
“Thank you very much to the branch for supporting us to attend the conference; it was excellent and Lille is well worth a visit.”
Two motions were submitted to AGM from the conference, one regarding conference funding and the second regarding the escalation of assaults on station workers.
Any member can be nominated as a delegate at a conference - please see your branch secretary for information. Conferences are an ideal way into activism for anyone who is passionate but doesn’t know where to start: RMT holds conferences in Spring every year for each equality committee as well as each industrial sector. Please speak to branch or regional officials if interested in nomination for 2026.
BOB CROW WEEK 2025
One of the most important reasons to join a union is strength in numbers; that strength gives us the power to bargain and negotiate. Therefore on the anniversary of Bob Crow’s birthday every year, RMT activists take the time to make sure all workers employed in our relevant industries are reminded of our collective power, and encouraged to join us.
York and District Branch, Teesside Branch, and Newcastle Rail and Catering Branch, have all been particularly active in recruiting this year, with activists and officials out recruiting in workplaces from Malton to Berwick and everywhere in between.
PAY
Anumber of pay talks are currently ongoing in the North East, with various levels of news for members.
Members at Lumo voted overwhelmingly to accept the company ' s recent pay offer. Together we have achieved a 3.6% uplift for 2025-26 and RPI uplift for 2026/27. Crucially this offer came with no strings attached This is a great result for Lumo members who we recently achieved recognition for in their workplace
TPE, LNER and Northern are yet to make any formal offers, with talks ongoing.
Nearly 200 years ago, on 3rd August 1825, at least five people were shot dead by soldiers at North Sands, Sunderland
The massacre occurred during a strike by the Seamen’s Loyal Standard Association (S L S A ), an embryonic trade union Specifically, the 1825 strike was about offloading ballast at sea from unladen boats returning to the port The S L S A argued this was both dangerous, as the ships could capsize, and unfair because crews were not paid additional wages for this work
During the strike, members of the S.L.S.A. prevented ships from leaving port. On the day before the massacre, 2nd August 1825, attempts to negotiate a settlement collapsed. Striking seamen returned to the river on their small coble boats to prevent larger ships from sailing.
On the 3rd August, the ship owners decided it was time to break the strike. Several shipowners, nonunionised labour and special constables attempted to get several ships out to sea. Initially frustrated, they turned to John Davidson, a Bishop Wearmouth magistrate. Davidson was antagonistic to the S.L.S.A. following the outcome of the a controversial legal case, where he had lost £200 (approx. £24,000 equivalent today) in legal fees. At Sunderland harbour, Davidson boarded a steam packet. At least eight soldiers from the 3rd Light Dragoons, under command of Lieutenant Phillips, also sailed down the river before joining Davidson on the steam packet.
Striking seamen on the river retreated to the stony beach at North Sands. More than 100 people, including women and children, had gathered there by that time. As the steam packet ventured closer to the riverbank, some women in the crowd started throwing stones. Davidson consulted with Lieutenant Phillips, and the soldiers opened fire. According to a S.L.S.A letter dated 8th August 1825; soldiers fired into the crowd as if it were targeting practice Three died within an hour on the beach, and at least two others died within the next two days Six were seriously wounded, and the exact number of deaths may never be known Local people demanded an inquest verdict of murder for the dead, named as William Ayrd, Richard Wallace, John Dove[r], Ralph Hunter Creighton, and James Quigley, of whom the latter two, Creighton and Quigley, were bystanders But the inquests returned verdicts of ‘justifiable homicide’ for the first three deaths and ‘accidental death’ for Creighton
The funeral procession comprised 1,200 people. Mourners sang, wore black crepe and solemnly placed a British flag on the coffins. Criminal court cases followed in October 1825, and eight strikers were imprisoned. Further seamen strikes occurred in 1826 and 1831, but neither had such a bloody ending.
To mark the 200th anniversary of the North Sands massacre, on Sunday, 3rd August 2025, a remembrance procession will take place at 2 15pm from St Peter’s Church, Sunderland A commemorative wreath in remembrance of the dead will be placed at the location of the North Sands massacre (now St Peter’s Campus, University of Sunderland) There will be readings, singing, and the naming of the dead
All are welcome Please bring your Union banners The commemorations are being organised by Dave Allan, Sunderland TUC President, Mark Metcalf, a local campaigner, and Dr David Scott, from The Open University
REGIONAL CONTACTS
NERC CONTACTS
Jack Rawcliffe - Executive Member North East necnortheast@rmt.org.uk
Martin McCleary - Membership Secretary North Tel: 07711 570848 berwickrail@rmt.org.uk
Tim Butler - Membership Secretary South Tel: 07757 425859 yorkdistrict@rmt.org.uk
Jessica Robinson - Women’s Officer Tel: 07784 224412 jpleather89@gmail.com
Nathan Reynolds - Regional Council President Tel: 07922 020589 kopex@gmx.com
Connor Slomski - Regional Youth Officer Tel: 07468529849 slomskiconnor@gmail.com
We welcome contributions to this newsletter - if you would like to write an article, please contact any one of the officers above
BRANCH EMAILS
Bedlington: bedlington@rmt.org.uk
Berwick Rail: berwickrail@rmt.org.uk
Darlington No 1: darlington1@rmt org uk Hexham: hexhamrail@rmt.org.uk
Newcastle & Gateshead: newcastlegateshead@rmt.org.uk
Newcastle Rail & Catering: newcastlerailcatering@rmt.org.uk
North East Shipping: northeastshipping@rmt.org.uk
North York Moors: north.moorsRail@rmt.org.uk
Teesside: teesside@rmt.org.uk
York & District: yorkdistrict@rmt.org.uk
Branch meeting dates will be communicated in local depots - if you have any concerns, please contact your branch representative.
