Health & safety

Strike action ballots return strong yes votes from ISS cleaners, drivers on the Piccadilly and sub surface depots, and maintenance workers on TfL contract with Mitie

RMT today confirmed a ballot for strike action of Train Operators and Instructor Operators on the Piccadilly Line, in response to London Underground riding roughshod over agreements and abusing a range of agreed policies and procedures, has shown a massive nine to one vote in favour.

We note the interim statement from the Law Commission on its consideration of taxi and private hire
legislation.

We welcome the indication that the Commission will recommend retaining the distinction between taxis and
private hire vehicles (PHVs). We are concerned, however, that the replacement of the concept of ‘plying for hire’ with the concept of ‘pre-booking’ may dilute this distinction and allow private hire vehicles to encroach on taxi drivers’ work. (paragraph 5)

Last month RMT Health & Safety representative Julie Miller surveyed station staff, asking about the effects of working in cold weather and the mitigation offered.

Nearly 700 people responded - around half station assistants (CSA's), a third station supervisor's and the remainder Revenue Control Inspectors and ticket office workers (SAMFs).

We note the report from our Regional Organiser and the correspondence from our Hammersmith and City branch and our LUL Trains Council representatives.

We note that there are several serious problems concerning the introduction of the S Stock, itemised in previous GGC decisions and including inadequate preparation time and cross-line working. We reaffirm our stance that the introduction of new stock must not be a pretext for attacks on safety standards or working conditions.

Upgrade’s Review – March 2013

S stock
This stock is divided into two sizes of train S8 solely Metropolitan line (53 trains) and S7 for all other sub surface lines (Hammersmith and City, Circle and District) these total 145 trains.
Metropolitan line now has its full compliment of S stock 8 car trains.

Outstanding S8 issues

We note the report from our Trains Council representatives, and note the following issues regarding
London Underground’s new S stock:

• the inadequate time allowance for the drivers’ train preparation
• cross-line working by C&H drivers on the Metropolitan line under the new timetable to be introduced in May
• the removal of train maintenance at Hammersmith depot and the impact of this on train movement
• the length of time between drivers being trained and actually driving the new trains
• the absence of Defective In Service Instructions (DISI) for the S stock

TUBE DRIVERS involved in a five week dispute over staff and passenger safety on the Bakerloo Line will take their campaign out onto the streets this Friday as the union ramps up public support and pressure on London Underground.

The drivers and their supporters will be outside Queens Park station from 7.30am to 9.00am this Friday – 22ndFebruary – demanding an end to the spin and lies from LUL and serious talks to resolve the bitter dispute which continues to disrupt Bakerloo Line services on a daily basis despite a barrage of misinformation from Transport for London.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, and that LUL has agreed to place telephones at 60m intervals through the relevant section of the Jubilee line during the tunnel relining, to enable the discharge of traction current in an emergency. This is similar to the arrangement on the Heathrow loop, and is acceptable to our representatives.

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd, and note that pressure applied by this union appears to be making the company take this matter more seriously.

However, we do not accept that mitigations make this situation safe or acceptable, and insist on it being rectified.

Having spoken with our representative, we note that Thales is due to carry out a new ‘software drop’ over the first weekend in March. If this does not resolve the problem to the satisfaction of our representative, we will ballot our members for industrial action.

London Underground wants Bakerloo line drivers to drive out-of-service trains into depots and sidings without checking first that all passengers have got off the train.

This has resulted in over 3,000 passengers being carried into depots and sidings, many times more than on all other London Underground lines put together. On other lines, staff physically check the train is empty first.