Campaigning for higher health and safety standards at work, and opposing the employers' shortcuts
This resolution, submitted by Finsbury Park branch, was passed at the October 2008 meeting of the Regional Council
You may be aware that the LUL Connect Radio System and the emergency services Airwave system both use Tetra Wave Radio technology. Safety reps have recently received a shocking copy of a Police Federation Report questioning the safety of Tetra Wave Radio as shown at
The TUC has produced a useful guide to issues surrounding menopause. If you are going through 'the change', or if you are an RMT rep, you will find it useful to download and read this document to check your rights and what allowances management should be making for you.
To download it, click on the file name below.
Its official: no one seems to know!
After numerous meetings with management, Connect experts and a series of TETRA wave boffins, the Train’s Health and Safety Council are none the wiser about the effects of TETRA waves on the health of our members.
Given that we are mere drivers this is hardly surprising. More worryingly, at a recent TETRA conference organised by LU, the head of LU’s Occupational Health and an eminent expert in the field, brought in for a questions and answers stint, could not give guarantees about the safety of this new technology.
If you are not already aware, this is how the LU Health and Safety Machinery works: if Health and Safety problems or concerns arise locally, the first port of call is your local RMT health and Safety Representative at the Depot. They will raise these concerns with the local manager. If no resolution to the problem can be found, the matter will be referred to us at the Tier 2 Trains Safety Council. If we are unable to resolve the matter it then gets referred to LU Directors / RMT Head office level for them to resolve. Below is a snapshot of items currently being discussed at Tier 2.
Owing to the amount of upgrades with stock and signalling, LU last year allowed the RMT to appoint a dedicated Safety Rep solely to deal with new Upgrade issues. This Rep is Gwyn Pugh from Acton Town Depot.
He has supplied us an update of the burning issues that we will be facing soon.
Code Red: there are plans afoot for Controller to have the ability to stop trains immediately without having to call a „code red‟. The Controller will have a button on his desk that we only have to push for all trains to grind to a halt.
From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008
Members may have already heard of Cross Track Projection or XTP as they like to call it. If you haven’t, you will soon. These are the large projector screens that have been installed, firstly on the Victoria Line, and now on the Bakerloo Line. They will be coming to a location near you soon.
From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008
Connect Radio: The Risks to your Health and Safety
Most lines are now fitted with the all-singing, all-dancing, new shiny Connect radios; 8 years late and god know how much over budget! There are 2 concerns your Trains Health and Safety Council reps have about this system: one is the move to Phase 2, which will see drivers take authority to pass signals at danger over the radio, and the other is the TETRA waves associated with the radio system.
From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008
Following on from the drunken chaos on the Underground on May 31st we eagerly await Boris’s plans for December 31st. Past years have seen the Tube transformed into mobile bars on New Years Eve as revellers get in the party spirit before midnight; then transformed into rivers of beer and vomit as they go home again after midnight. Boris’s alcohol ban is hardly likely to reduce this mayhem. Especially if, as in previous years, free travel is sponsored by a drinks company!
From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008
RMT has been challenging the redeployment procedures that mean that after 20 years service you can be kicked out of your job because your hearing, or something else, is below their standards – only to be replaced by someone with far less safety experience! We have also asked Management to allow staff in medical redeployment to apply for TfL jobs, which now includes Metronet. We believe all medically redeployed staff should be given the offer of at least one job.