Campaigning for higher health and safety standards at work, and opposing the employers' shortcuts
In June's edition:
TUBE UNION RMT announced today that it is to ballot all London Underground members for action short of a strike over the issue of the company using ill-trained and unqualified Incident Customer Service Assistants (ICSA’s) to make up minimum numbers at stations.
RMT has warned that not only is the policy dangerous but it is also in breach of the 2008 agreement that ended the casualisation dispute. The issue will be particularly relevant over the Olympics period when unprecedented numbers of people will be using the tube
RAIL UNION RMT today registered its total opposition to last minute Olympics rail proposals which the union says are designed to cut corners on existing safety procedures in the event of a broken down train with potentially lethal consequences.
At today’s Traffic Operations Management Standards Committee (TOM SC) proposals were bounced on union reps for temporary working arrangements for failed trains for the duration of the Olympics.
LONDON UNDERGROUND'S BREACHES OF CASUALISATION DISPUTE SETTLEMENT
We note the report from our Regional Organiser, and reiterate our opposition to the counting of ICSAs towards minimum staffing numbers for stations, as this:
From RMT representatives on the Stations And Revenue Control Safety Council
It has been brought to our attention that a new method of working is being introduced on the Jubilee line. The detrainment process at locations on the line is being changed to allow for no station staff involvement.
From RMT & TSSA representatives on the Stations And Revenue Control Safety Council
Following on from an incident, can we remind staff that they should take extra care if they help members of the public with their luggage.
It is not in your job description. We are not porters. We don't have handling training, and most importantly, if you get injured, it will NOT go down as an accident on duty and you could receive a warning (as what happened in the quoted incident).
From RMT & TSSA representatives on the Stations And Revenue Control Safety Council
Multi OLBI’S Sites (station back up power)
Rule book 12, emergency response to power failure - “Where a station has more than one OLBI, it might not be needed to shut the whole station to customers. If any part of the station which is not covered by the defective OLBI can be closed to customers, then the rest of the station may be able to remain open”.
From RMT & TSSA representatives on the Stations And Revenue Control Safety Council
Many of you will be aware that all bus companies serving London may be on strike this coming Friday (at the time of writing this a deal may be be on offer).
We met with management today to raise concerns about overcrowding on stations and the knock on effect. Management have stated that they feel the existing arrangements in place for crowd control are acceptable.
RMT’s Parliamentary group has submitted Early Day Motions on three issues that are very important to our taxi driver members.
Please take a couple of minutes to contact your MP to urge him/her to sign these motions. This will help our campaigns to defend our taxi driver members’ livelihoods (as well as helping the environment, congestion reduction and public safety!).
EDM59 – London Taxis and the Olympic Route Network
That this House notes the inevitable pressures on London's transport network throughout the Olympic Games; further notes that the Olympic Route Network is an important component of transport plans for the Olympics;
We instruct the General Secretary to make preparation for a ballot for industrial action short of strikes
We note that London Underground intends to count ‘Incident Customer Service Assistants’ towards minimum numbers for station staffing, despite the fact that these are not station staff and have minimal training. This union reaffirms our opposition to this, and notes that we are already in dispute with LUL about this matter, which has been referred to ACAS.