From Jim McDaid, RMT Trains Health & Safety Council rep

We had an 'informal chat' with bods from the Operational Standards Unit (LU's Rule Book people) last Friday to hear their proposals for a new programme of rule changes that they want to implement across the combine. It was informal as we have so far refused to enter into formal consultation until the Safety Council have had a chance to meet with our Functional Council and Head Office officials, which we hope will be happening soon.

There are several rule book changes proposed so I'll give you the main items:

Reducing Delay (there are several proposals under this heading)

Notching Back: they want allow drivers ho have gone less than a cars length past the signal to be able to notch back into the platform; drivers used to get the sack for this.

Checking signals after SPAD: they want to allow drivers who have had a SPAD but haven't passed the block joint to go back and check the signal; if it's green they can proceed; drivers used to get the sack for this as well; it was also proposed at Safety Forum a year ago and we successfully argued to get it stopped.

Carrying Customers over shunt signals: information on this one is a bit vague at the moment but you can see how they would like to have this facility to help them speed up the railway at the expense of safety.

They also talked about options for service control to be allowed to speed up the service; nightmare scenario!

PTI (a couple of these)

Self-dispatch on LU stations: they want to mimic the procedure that we use on Network Rail stations and have the facility for drivers to self-dispatch at 'unmanned station'. We told them we didn’t have 'unmanned stations'. So they came back and said 'when staff are not available'; This would be a charter for LU to slash station staff numbers at out of town locations and allow them to reduce minimum staffing levels everywhere.

PTI categories: They are looking at changing platform categories from A to B to allow them to move more trains with less staff. Another job cuts charter.

Lifts and Escalators

They are planning to change rules to allow wheelchair users to be evacuated from stations on escalators. Not quite sure how this will work but this one is down the Para Olympics in London in couple of years.

Train Radio Usage

They want to change the way we deal with train radio failures. Currently it is no radio no train; they did not offer proposals for this but you can see what they'd like to do. They did mention sub-categories of failure. This would lead to confusion and accidents. They also want to extend the role of Connect; again no detail but I did hear text messaging mentioned!

Waterloo and City Line Shunting

They want shunters on the Waterloo and City Line to bring trains out on to the running line; this is the thin end of the wedge, if we allow this we will be losing drivers jobs as shunters be running trains up and down the line all over the place.

They have asked General Managers on all lines if there is anything else that they would like to add to the programme! You can just imagine the ideas that they will have to keep the service running at all costs and how to do away with staff! Apparently one manager has already suggesting detraining before going into the sidings - no staff required, just make an announcement.

Make no mistake, they coming for your terms and conditions, your safety procedures and your job!

LU want Formal consultation on this to start tomorrow at the LU Safety Forum. We won't be discussing this there as nothing will be happening until all your senior union reps have to discuss how to deal with this attack. I think discussion on this should be via a mass meeting as these changes will affect every RMT member across the combine.

We will keep you in the loop with all new developments and any further information.

Regards

Jim McDaid RMT Trains Health and Safety Council