Health and safety

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.

Further to our decision Gww 8/1/13, we note the report from our representatives' meeting held on 25 January.

We note that London Underground's Upgrades programme has a significant impact on many of our members, including providing a pretext for LUL management to attack jobs and conditions. It is therefore essential that we mobilise all our relevant representatives to work together in unity to secure the best possible outcome for our members and for the future of London Underground.

Further to our decision Gww 18/12/12, we note the report from our representatives' meeting held on 25 January 2013.

We agree that since the method of detrainment on the Metropolitan line has altered, there should therefore be a retiming exercise, and instruct the General Secretary to obtain a report on our representatives' progress in ensuring that this takes place.

Branch motion
This branch is appalled and outraged at managements plans to run Jubilee line trains through the area north of Bond Street without the safety of tunnel telephone wires to discharge traction current for a period of up to 4 years while tunnel refurbishment work takes place.

Further to our previous decision on this issue, we note that discussions with management have taken place and that although there has been some movement, there is still no satisfactory outcome. We remain in dispute and instruct the General Secretary to ballot our members in line with our previous decision. We welcome the co-operation established with ASLEF on this issue and aim to ballot to the same timetable. Reports and developments are to be placed in front of us.

From Tuesday 15th of January 2013 until further notice, RMT and ASLEF train drivers are taking action for safety.
Drivers in both Aslef and RMT unions are taking action, not over pay or hours, but because serious safety concerns have been ignored by London Underground management.
Since the introduction of a new procedure last year to clear trains of passengers before going out of service there have been thousands of incidents in which passengers have been ‘over-carried’ into sidings.

The stations safety council have issued this guidance for members working in snow conditions following their December meeting. Any member reading this who wants further advice, please speak with a local rep or contact the trains safety council.

The original bulletin and a pro forma is attached below.

Winter weather/snow clearance

At yesterdays Health & Safety tier 2 meeting it was agreed that on TBTC lines when working a train out of service station skip would not be used and T/Ops would manually start trains at every station.

At the present time when auto is not permitted T/Ops drive in protected manual and we maintained that this should remain the case.

Management suggested that T/Ops could have a choice to either work the train in auto or PM and we have said we will take this away and discuss with the Reps on the lines concerned.

REMOVAL OF TUNNEL TELEPHONE WIRES – JUBILEE LINE

We note the resolution from our Neasden branch and the support expressed by representatives from Jubilee South branch. We share our branches’ horror at London Underground’s plan to operate trains on the Jubilee Line north of Bond Street without tunnel telephone wires for a period of up to 4 years. Tunnel telephone wires play an essential safety role, both in facilitating communication and in discharging traction current in an emergency.

We instruct the General Secretary to conduct a ballot of all our Jubilee line driver members for action short of strike action, with a view to drivers taking action including refusing to drive trains in passenger service through tunnel sections without tunnel telephone wires or suitable alternative protection.

We note the resolution from our Neasden branch and share our branch’s concern at London Underground Ltd’s failure to compel its contractor, Thales, to repair signalling irregularities at Neasden Depot.

This is not an acceptable way for the company to conduct its upgrades, not only causing problems for our members at work but also potentially endangering both staff and passengers.