Rail network

Since early 2001 railway-workers from several countries come together on a regular basis to discuss the impact of the ongoing privatisation of the railway sector in the European Union, and plan actions against it.

Workers from a broad range of countries are currently involved: Italy, Great Britain (RMT), France (SUD-Rail), Spain (CGT) and the Bask Country (LAB), and Germany (Bahn von Unten). There are also regular contacts between rail unions in Africa and the Maghreb who are also fighting the privatisation of the tracks in their countries. (Click here for more information on the struggle in Senegal.)

The biggest success of the network so far has been a European-wide strike on 18 March 2003 against the plan of the European Parliament and the European Commission to open up the transportation of cargo on public rails to private companies. And on 8 February 2007 groups from Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium and England participated in a demonstration against the privatisation of the railways in Paris. During the G8-protests in Rostock (Germany) the railway-workers were also present. They organised common actions against the privatisation of the tracks in Europe and supported actions against the privatisations of other public services as well.

The network is also engaged on a more continuous basis, for instance by facilitating and organising meetings between Spanish and French drivers of locomotives to discuss their work and the problems they encounter. The network also organises meetings of French and German railway-workers on a continuous basis.

Tie has published a brochure on the privatisation of the railways in Europe and the resistance against it. You can download the German brochure here.  
 
For earlier activities related to this project, see our Activities Archive