Reading Trade Unionists and Labour Party Supporters Against Fare Increases!

Reading Trades Union Council delegates joined Reading & District Labour Party and Bracknell Labour Party on 2 January 2019 in a day of protest against Tory rail fare increases. The 3.1% average increase is higher than the average wage increase - and means rail fares have gone up by 36% since the Conservative's took office in 2010.

Dave McMullen (GMB & RTUC, foreground) joins other
protesters to leaflet at Bracknell Railway Station

Protesters assembled at railway stations across the country, with Reading and Bracknell Stations being targeted by RTUC delegates, where 'The Daily Squeeze' newspaper-style leaflet was distributed during both the morning and evening peaks. Dave McMullen (GMB), John Oversby (UCU), James Parker (Unite) and John Partington (TSSA) of RTUC joined Labour Party members for several hours of leafleting and discussion with the travellers.

John Partington (TSSA & RTUC, left) leaflets with
another protester at Reading Railway Station

The leaflet highlights Tory failings in subsidising private train operators to the tune of millions of pounds of taxpayers money while punctuality in 2018 was the worst for 13 years. It also points out the injustice of the fact that state railway companies from across Europe and Hong Kong run many British franchises - but UK law prevents the British state from operating its own railways. Except, of course, when franchisees take the subsidies then hand back the operations and the British government steps in as the operator of last resort, as has happened three times in 10 years with the East Coast Mainline franchise!

Jim Parker (Unite & RTUC, left) joins Cllr John Ennis (right) and
another protester at Reading Railway Station

In contrast to the Tory rail rip off, the leaflet promotes Labour's policies of renationalisation of the railways and a fare cap to benefit commuters, employers, leisure travelers and others who use the trains. Franchisees' profits would become much needed additional investment in an integrated transport system.

While the Brexit fiasco has absorbed the governments energies for the past two years, Labour and the trade union movement have not forgotten about the daily pain of the many - with overpriced railways, increased school class sizes and longer hospital waiting times - as well as under-inflation wage increases or even wage freezes and the continuation of zero-hour contracts.

The Conservative government has come to the end of the line - and it is now time for a new driver to power the engines of change in British politics!