10 May 2022 Ticket offices are under threat – rail industry plans threaten over 1000 ticket offices with closure Dear Colleague, RMT has this week revealed imminent plans by the rail industry for mass closures of ticket offices across the network, with over 1000 ticket offices at risk. The Union understands that the government has amended its guidance relating to changes to ticket office opening hours clearing the way for train operating companies to seek to cut or close the majority, if not all, ticket offices at rail stations across the country. Neither the rail industry nor the Government have denied that this is what they want to do. The Rail Delivery Group has warned that ‘many jobs’ will need to change, with the Government saying that ticket offices have seen a ‘significant decline’. Yet, we know this is solely about cutting costs and part of the rail industry’s plan to cut thousands of jobs in ticket offices, at stations and across the railway. RMT believes the rail companies may publish their plans for attacks on ticket offices imminently and that over one thousand ticket offices could be at risk of closure. See below or here for the full list of ticket offices that are under threat. We must be ready to fight these damaging attacks when they arrive and the best way of doing this is with a massive vote for industrial action at every company. We are urging you to Vote YES and vote early and to encourage all your colleagues to do the same. If you have not received your ballot paper yet email defendjobschanges@rmt.org.uk or phone 0800 376 3706. If you would like campaign materials sent to you, please email voteyes@rmt.org.uk Yours sincerely
Michael Lynch General Secretary