Health and safety

Campaigning for higher health and safety standards at work, and opposing the employers' shortcuts

Motion calls for four day working week during coronavirus crisis

Meeting

The London Transport Regional Council has passed a motion written by Jubilee South branch which calls for meaningfully reduced working hours, fir safety reasons, during the Coronavirus crisis.

The Jubilee South branch motion

This branch believes that there is a fundamental error in the way that London Underground is managing workers during the Coronavirus crisis. London Underground should be running a necessary service for key workers, not running as many trains as possible.

Is social distancing guidance about to change?

Today, in a presentation to the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) TfL Director of Public Transport Service Planning,

Geof Hobbs stated that with full social distancing measures of 2 metres, LUL would only be able to run at 13% of normal capacity. He hinted strongly that a reduction would ease the problem. Chief Operating Ofcer of MTA New York, Mario Peloquin also made similar
comments. With both New York and London hinting that a reduction in distance is required, we believe P.H.E is likely to change its guidance.

Pregnancy and Covid-19 - advice to members

Dear Colleague,
 
PREGNANCY AND COVID-19 – ADVICE TO MEMBERS
 
Never before have the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999 been so important to pregnant women who work in the transport industry.  Under these regulations:
  1. Employers must try to remove or prevent exposure to risks
  2. If that is not possible, working from home should be allowed
  3. If that is not possible, suitable alternative employment at the same rate of pay should be offered if available

RMT Upfront April 2020, 'Covid-19 timetable' dispute special

  • RMT Upfront is the newsletter for Tube drivers, produced by the RMT. We are the specialist transport workers union with over 1700 tube driver members.  Please download the attched newsletter to get all the latest news.  You can also print it out and distribute it in your depot.

Bosses Plan To Impose 4 Minute Train Service

Tube bosses have announced plans to impose their bluntly named ‘Covid-19’ timetables with a four minute train frequency across the combine, from the 26th of April.

Zero chance of agreement to government plans to increase transport services on 11th May

RMT warns there is zero chance of agreement to government plans to increase transport services on 11th May in current climate as survey of 10,000 transport workers reveals widespread failings to protect key transport workers and passengers from COVID 19.

RMT prepares to ballot drivers over impostiton of 'Covid-19' timetables

Dear colleague

IMPOSITION OF COVID-19 ROSTER – LONDON UNDERGROUND

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR TRAIN OPERATORS AND INSTRUCTOR OPERATORS

Your union notes with alarm London Underground’s intention to impose duty rosters at train operator depots that will provide for a significant ramping up of the current emergency level of service on the Tube.

RMT goes to ACAS over proposed 'unsafe and inappropriate' timetables

Dear RMT members in Train grades,

Following the universal rejection of Covid 19 Emergency duty schedules and LUL's threat to impose them next Sunday,we met at Director level yesterday and informed them that these schedules were fundamentally misconceived.

The proposed timetabled service was far too intense for purpose and the schedules were fundamentally unsafe and inappropriate.

Jubilee News April 2020: bosses plan to impose a 4 minute train service

Tube bosses have announced plans to impose a 4 minute timetable on the Jubilee Line in a matter of days. At a time when we are risking our lives and that of our families to come to work; it is both unnecessary and an insult to us to expect us to operate such a high level of service throughout the day when trains are frequently empty.

Comparing other transport providers provision of Personal Protective Equiptment

Tier 2 continue to demand full and adequate P.P.E for station staff when dealing with the following circumstances:

- Attending emergency incidents, including PILOTs, evacuations, managing crowd control and managing the PTI. These are all situations where it may not be possible to achieve 2 metres social distancing

- A supply to be kept on stations for any member of staff that develops symptoms whilst in the workplace and who will need to travel home in order to self isolate.

Branch resolution calls for maximum of four day week for all operational staff to reduce exposure to Coronavirus

Jubilee South branch has unanimously passed a motion during calling for "London Underground ...to put all full timers onto at maximum a four-day week, for as long as the lock down continues, with further reductions in hours made wherever possible as well." The resolution also states that "there should also be similar meaningful reduction in hours for those on part time contracts."