Dear RMT members

Yesterday the General Secretary and myself attended a Security / Terrorism meeting (summit) with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of London.

All the trade unions in Tfl were there. The meeting covered all features of TfL operation including tube, buses, ferries, DLR, London Overground, cable car, all contractors and directly employed engineering and maintenance staff, cleaners ... everyone in fact.

The Chief Constable of the BTP and other security officials as well as senior LUL and Tfl Directors also attended.

We wasted no time by bringing directly to the Mayor and the meetings attention that we have serious concerns that the preparedness of the Underground specifically as well as other Tfl operations was lacking in a number of areas. We also raised that we had already met LUL and assurances given by LUL on the specific matters of briefings to staff on procedures like ... HOT/ WHAT/ Active shooter and bladed weapon not being given to all frontline operational staff including maintenance and contractors as rigourously as they should be. Train Drivers cab security was raised again.

We were assured by the Managing Director of LUL that all these assurances would be honoured.and attended to. He similarly confirmed that TfL had a joined up approach with all companies on security matters. To ensure that happens I am writing to LUL to insist that we urgently see evidence of this and also meet at Health and Safety council level to verify it.

Additionally we pressed the Mayor on the issue of money and funding of TfL. It's known that Tfl has announced £5.2 billion of cuts between now and 2021. We called on him to join us in demanding that the Government fund TfL properly and resist these cuts in TfL.

As soon as I have further updates I will report back.

Thanks,

John Leach
RMT Regional Organiser
London Transport Region 11