Advance notice to press: Brussels rail protest

Press are invited to attend the protest, which takes place from 13:00 to 14:00 in the Place Luxembourg (https://goo.gl/YDlhju).
 
The protestors, from 84 trade unions, will be among the 171 attending global union federation the ITF’s (International Transport Workers’ Federation) road and rail section conferences in the Belgian capital from 5 to 9 December. They will join a rally organised by the ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation).
 
You will receive a full press release about this week long conference, which will tackle the issues facing rail and road workers – and passengers and other road users worldwide – on Friday.
 
ENDS
 
For more details please contact:
 
ITF, London: Sam Dawson. Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk. Tel: +44 (0)20 7940 9260. Mobile: +44 (0)7850 736146
 
ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation), Brussels:
Koen Reynaerts. Email: k.reynaerts@etf-europe.org. Tel: +32 2 285 46 69
 
 
Background information: fourth railway package
 
The rally will call on MEPs to reject the amended PSO (Public Service Obligations) regulation on public passenger transport. Unions believe that the protection of staff in competitive tendering is a crucial condition for high quality rail services and fair transport. Instead, the PSO regulation paves the way for further liberalisation of rail public passenger transport without ensuring protection of transport workers. It encourages social dumping and compromises high quality services for passengers (for example through cuts in safety training by new companies). For more details please see www.etf-europe.org/etf-3777.cfm.