RMT DEMANDS TUBE SAFETY INQUIRY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2011 :: RMTnews 4 R MT has demanded an end to London Undergound’s campaign of bullying and harassment of union activists after winning two Employment Tribunal “interim relief” hearings. Interim relief is only granted where there is evidence that an employee has been dismissed on the grounds of their trade union activities. The judge found in favour of sacked Northern Line train operator Arwyn Thomas and offered the company the opportunity to reinstate, but it refused. Arwyn will now be paid by the company as he awaits a full ET hearing in May – wasting yet more time and money in what is the clearest case of trade union victimisation. RMT Bakerloo Line drivers’ health and safety rep Eamon Lynch has also been sacked and, although he remains on full pay following the union’s victory at another interim relief hearing, the company has shown total contempt for the Tribunal process and refused to reinstate. In a further case, Peter Hartshorn, long-term union activist on the Piccadilly Line Green Park group, has been reinstated. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that it was time for LU managers to recognise that it is against the law to victimise trade union activists for trade union activities. “We are demanding that they call off the campaign of harassment, stop wasting public money and get these members back to work,” he said. RMT has held two strikes on the Bakerloo and Northern lines in support of Eamon and Arwyn to try to get management to see sense. LU now stands accused of forcing disruption on Londoners as its trumped up cases are ripped to shreds. “Instead of harassing our members management should be directing its energies into reaching a settlement to the on- going disputes over job cuts,” Bob Crow said. RMT DEMANDS TUBE SAFETY INQUIRY R MT has called for a full Office of Rail Regulation investigation into breaches of safety on London Underground after the union revealed that stations were left unstaffed last month due to cuts-led staff shortages. The news followed a brutal assault at unstaffed West Finchey station which nailed the lie repeated by Mayor Boris Johnson that “no station will be left unstaffed at any time” as a result of plans to cut thousands of safety-critical jobs. Buckhurst Hill, Theydon Bois, Debden, Chigwell and North Acton have all been left unstaffed. In a flagrant breach of safety regulations, both North Acton and Debden were left without supervisory cover even though a station supervisor is required to at all times. RMT recently released details of LU’s new rosters showing that the company is planning to leave nearly a third of stations unstaffed for part of the working day. London commuters also faced a chaotic journeys as signal failure knocked out large sections of the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines leading to severe delays in the latest of a continuing list of infrastructure failures overshadowed by TFL’s £5 billion cuts programme. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that it was time for the mayor and LU to stop lying about the impact of the job cuts and admit that they are planning for the de-staffing of stations on a regular basis. He said that throughout the dispute Transport for London had accused RMT and TSSA of scaremongering over the safety dangers of station staff cuts instead of meeting directly with the tube unions before more passengers are put at risk of violent assault. “Repeating rubbish about ‘no stations being unstaffed at any time’ is an insult to our intelligence. “Leaving stations with pointwork unstaffed just ratchets up the safety risk a few notches and is the most flagrant breach of regulations, it requires an urgent intervention by the ORR to stop this reckless gamble with safety from becoming institutionalised,” he said. RMT WINS INTERIM HEARINGS FOR UNION REPS Following the implementation of new rosters and job cuts, London Underground staff may have increased anxieties about workplace health and safety. RMT has set up a confidential reporting line for members. If you have a genuine safety concer ns owing to staff cuts then let your union know by emailing luljobcuts@rmt.org.uk You will not be obliged to give your name but you will to give need full details of any hazardous occurrences, including: • Date and time of incident/hazard/near miss • Location • Full details of the incident or hazard • How staff cuts have affected the situation You can also contact the RMT Helpline on 0800 376 3706. If appropriate, your call will be fielded by our health and safety section. CIRAS, the confidential reporting line for all railway employees, is available on 0800 4 101 101 (see page 14) LONDON UNDERGROUND JOB CUTS HOTLINE