LETTERS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2011 :: RMTnews 32 A DEVON AND CORNWALL THANKS Dear editor, I have just retired after 24 years working for Western National, now Devon and Cornwall. I would like to thank the many union reps that have helped and advised me over the years – Margaret groves, Dave Evans, Dave Letcher, John Robins, Gary Hitchens and Roger Jenkins to name a few. I can’t remember them all and sorry if your name isn’t here. Publishing this letter may raise raise morale in the depots in Cornwall as they are going through tough times. Remember RMT membership is more important than ever. Thanks Ellen Ferguson Ex-travel clerk Camborne bus station CLARIFICATION AT SUBSEA 7 Dear editor, Following the letter from the supposed Atlantic Dive Crew member in the November/December issue of the RMT News, I was asked as the RMT rep at the company SubSea 7 and as one of the diving supervisors on the accused vessel to be part of the investigation team into the allegations made in the letter. Clearly such a letter is distressing to read when the policy on the vessel with regard to Health and Safety issues is openly transparent, with all members of the crew invited to make complaints and raise safety matters to either their supervisors of senior managers and there is no malice in raising issues. As the RMT representative, members are free to raise issues with myself if they feel uneasy with a certain matter which I will openly raise to senior management. Following the allegations in the letter, that when undertaking a sub-sea control module (SCM) change out an incident was averted by the quick intervention of others, resulted in an onboard team, which involved myself carrying out a full investigation on all SCM change outs by the vessel to source the issue. This resulted in reviewing all diving logs which are mandatory in law, hazard operation cards, task risk assessments, shift hand over reports and job close out reports. I can categorically state that to date not one shred of evidence has been found or produced to support the claims made in the letter. The primary responsibility with regard to health and safety in the UK is that of the diving contractor, not the oil and gas producer and all project or tasks on the vessel are fully engineered, risk assessed and any changes to procedures that would present new hazards are further assessed. The assessments involve all parties involved in the task on the vessel including client’s representatives to ensure no items that would pose a risk are missed. As for the requirements in the letter referring to the OGP, this document has no legal precedence in law in the UK. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the presiding law in statute with corresponding regulations made under the act. The OGP is a document written by the international association oil and gas producers setting out the minimum standards required for a clients representative when they are engaged working for one of the clients mainly in areas of the world where no national laws exists with regard to diving health and safety. Those who work in this new state of the art diving vessel find the allegations not only distressing but defamatory given the open policy on the vessel with regard to working practices and it is clear from the letter that a certain individual with a hidden agenda, for what ever reasons, constructed the letter to create an aura of mistrust, something of which is the complete opposite prior and following the publication of the letter. Yours Faithfully, Derek Moore RMT Rep for SubSea 7 and Diving Supervisor on the Seven Atlantic letters DEFENDING MEMBERS Dear editor, I would like to thank RMT, especially my local rep Raja Amin and Jessica Webb in RMT’s legal department, for engaging Thompson Solicitors to defend me when I was wrongfully charged by the British Transport Police of assaulting a passenger. I removed a passenger who was breaking railway bylaw 19, by remaining in a part of the train where he should not have been, using reasonable force, a gentle push, as per railway bylaw 24. He complained to the BTP who charged me instead of the passenger, despite the evidence of an independent witness that I had acted correctly. I attended court to plead not guilty and the case was adjourned for review but before that date the prosecution dropped the charges. I have submitted a complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Committee suggesting that no-one in the BTP appeared to have read railway bylaws. Thompsons Solicitors tell me this happens frequently so perhaps RMT could take it up with the BTP and advise members not to speak to the police without a solicitor present. Yours sincerely David Langthorne Senior conductor Crosscountry Trains