National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)

29/09/2026

✊ Striking rail workers have a message for the Government: Insource Now!

29/09/2026

Strike action called at Chiltern against driver-only operation

RAIL union RMT announced strike action today (September 29) on Chiltern Railways after members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action against driver-only operation (DOO) planned for East West Rail services.

RMT members will take 24-hour action on Saturday October 10 and Saturday October 17 after the company refused to provide guarantees over the safety critical role of the second person on board proposed East West Rail services.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that the driver-only operation proposed on East-West represented a significant risk to safety and the current Train Manager roles.

“The actions of Chiltern management to not take these concerns seriously is totally unacceptable.

“RMT will not accept the watering down of safety on the rail network,” he said.

The union remains available for meaningful talks with the company.

29/09/2026

RMT National Secretary, Darren Procter with reps and crew members at City Cruises on the Thames today as part of our organising in the Docks, Ports and Waterways sector.

29/09/2026

📰 The RMT’s general secretary, Eddie Dempsey, said Roscos were “sucking much-needed money out of the railways and into offshore bank accounts”, adding: “This should be the start of a process of winding up the rolling stock racket once and for all.”

Andy Burnham hails nationalisation of much-criticised service between London, Birmingham and Glasgow

28/09/2026

as striking outsourced rail workers demonstrate outside Labour Party conference.
📸 Andrew Wiard

28/09/2026

RMT welcomes government pledge to own train rolling stock under public ownership

RMT today welcomed Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander’s announcement that Great British Railways will be allowed to buy and own its trains ‘where it can provide value for money’.

Under rail privatisation Railway Rolling Stock Companies (ROSCOs), which leases trains to the network at hugely inflated prices, became a byword for profiteering and currently remain in place.

Last year dividends paid out by ROSCO Angel Trains to its owners reached £111 million, while another Eversholt, owned by a company registered in the Cayman Islands, paid out £200 million.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that the private ownership and leasing of trains had always been one of the greatest scandals of rail privatisation.

“The cost of leasing trains is the fastest rising cost on the railway, and topped £4 billion last year, while dividend payments continue to raise.

“ROSCO greed has become infamous and it’s sucking much needed money out of the railways and into offshore bank accounts.

“There is another way, Merseyrail has owned its trains for years now and its good news that GBR will be able to do so too.

“This should be the start of a process of winding up the rolling stock racket once and for all,” he said.

28/09/2026

A small success for - plenty more to go.

28/09/2026

RMT Organiser John Hay and Glasgow 5 Branch Secretary Craig Bowers at the RMT Insource Now demonstration outside the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

28/09/2026

Avanti nationalisation should not leave outsourced workers behind, says RMT

Rail union RMT demanded today (September 28) that Avanti West Coast outsourced staff be bought into direct employment after the government announced the train company will be brought under public ownership by next March.

The union has welcomed the commitment by the government to launch Great British Railways, which will nationalise the network and bring track and trains back together under public ownership.

However, thousands of cleaners, gate line, security staff, infrastructure maintenance, renewal and engineering workers, are being left behind due to being employed by private contractors.

This is despite the Labour government's commitment to undertake ‘the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation’.

Avanti currently outsources its security to Amulet, owned by Churchill, its station cleaning to Carlisle, owned by Lord Ashcroft, while its trains are cleaned by private equity owned outsourcing giant OCS, which is currently in the process of buying its fellow conglomerate Mitie.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that outsourcing companies were raking in over £400 million each year in profits by pushing staff pay and conditions down as low as possible, creating poor morale and repeated disputes.

“Today outsourced rail workers on the publicly owned Transpennine Trains are taking strike action over poor pay and conditions and will be protesting at Labour conference.

“Thousands of outsourced workers are increasingly frustrated at suffering poorer wages, poorer pensions no sick pay and being treated as if they are a second-class workforce.

"RMT will continue to use all means to maintain pressure on the government until all rail workers are bought in-house to provide a better public service.

“It makes sense to the workforce and the taxpayer,” he said.

28/09/2026

🏟️ EIGHT Hill Dickinson Stadiums

That's how much money outsourcing companies took in profit from our public services... in just one year.