SACKED UNDERGROUND STAFF SET UP SOUP KITCHEN PROTEST

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2013 :: RMTnews 4 T UBE bosses stand accused of “lying through their teeth” over the effect of industrial action being taken by train drivers to protect passenger safety on the capital’s Bakerloo line. Since January 15, Bakerloo Tube drivers have been physically checking that trains are empty of passengers before moving into sidings, after LUL stopped station staff checking carriages. LUL’s reckless move had resulted in more than 3,000 ‘overcarries’ into Bakerloo sidings in the last year, including one involving a 12- year-old boy who could have jumped onto liverails but for the action of an alert driver. The drivers’ safety action has eliminated the problem of overcarrying, but has resulted in substantial delays to the service, which LUL has tried to hide – including by suppressing routine internal reports that show the true level of cancellations and delays. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that it was bad enough that LUL seemed happy with 3,000 overcarries on the Bakerloo in the last year compared with just 94 on nine other lines put together, but to lie through their teeth when members have to take action to keep the public safe was despicable. “The Bakerloo line’s own routine review showed that 12 of 29 trains scheduled to run in the first three hours of our members’ action had to be cancelled – so Tube bosses simply stopped the reports being issued. “LUL must have a very low opinion of its passengers to think that pretending nothing is wrong will fool anyone – and they are even making matters worse by refusing to allow control staff to put special measures in place to cope with the delays and cancellations,” he said. Last month sacked RMT London Underground staff employed by Trainpeople took their protest right to the heart of the company. The sacked workers and their supporters set up a soup kitchen at St James Park station to highlight their plight and build public and political support for their fight for jobs and justice. London Underground inherited a contract with the Trainpeople agency from Silverlink in 2007. In breach of agreements with unions, for five years LU continued to use agency staff in LU uniform while Trainpeople paid them as little as £6.75 per hour. Trainpeople staff joined RMT and organised for full employment rights and permanent jobs. Then, without warning, LU terminated its contract with the Trainpeople agency a year early leaving these staff without jobs. Trainpeople staff have now voted overwhelmingly for strike action. ‘TUBE BOSSES LYING OVER BAKERLOO SAFETY ACTION’ SACKED UNDERGROUND STAFF SET UP SOUP KITCHEN PROTEST