Network Rail has planned to cut nearly 500 posts in its Track Renewal Service (TRS), with 269 employees having already lost their jobs
Rail union RMT has named these job cuts ‘short-sighted’ and the latest act of the growing ‘slash and burn culture’ within Network Rail.
The latest cuts come on the back of the massive government funding cuts for Control Period 7 (CP7), which means a subsequent decline of renewals for the next five years, despite warnings that Network Rail should increase planned spending renewals by £600m.
De-skilling the workforce creates a ‘deadly concoction’ for workers and passengers alike
Commenting on the job cuts, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “These cuts represent further significant Network Rail cutbacks at a time when the industry needs to be developing its skill base, not outsourcing the work to privateers.
“We have seen the impact of de-skilling and outsourcing on our railway network, a decline in safety and an increase in profiteering which combine to create a deadly concoction for workers and passengers alike.”
