CROSS COUNTRY STAFF BALLOTED OVER SACKING

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2015 :: RMTnews 6 C ross Country staff at Edinburgh Waverley are being balloted for both strike action and action short of a strike over the wholly unjustified dismissal of union member Charlie Letham. Charlie Letham has been dismissed by Cross Country for allegedly missing his revenue targets despite the fact that the company procedure quite clearly stipulates that any underlying issues shall be taken into account when the “CRISP” assessment is applied. This was very clearly important in the case against the member who has suffered from medical and personal problems. In fact, both his GP and the company doctor made several recommendations to the company to assist them in aiding him in the workplace. However, management simply refused to acknowledge Charlie Letham’s underlying health problems and ignored the recommendations from the medical professionals before proceeding to sack him. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said that Charlie Letham had been a loyal union member for 15 years and has done everything he can to continue working in his normal capacity. “However Cross Country management decided that the easiest solution was to dismiss our member despite the weight of medical evidence. “This is not a situation that can go unchallenged and is a shocking abuse of power demonstrated by the company management and we intend to force them to re-employ Brother Letham,” he said. R MT London Underground tube drivers have voted for strike action to demand the reinstatement of Alex McGuigan. RMT has said time and again that it was not against drug and alcohol testing but the breach of policies and procedures in this case cannot be left unchallenged. The member has a specific medical condition and the union maintains that it was the failure to follow agreed procedures and to recognise that condition that has led to this unwarranted dismissal. The outdated and flawed drugs and alcohol policy should include provisions for secondary testing and have recognised equality protections. RMT regional organiser John Leach refuted a number of allegations by LU operations director Nigel Holness sent out in a letter to all members “He says that he “will not enter into union negotiations that put Londoner’s lives at risk”. “This is completely untrue as RMT fully supports the zero- tolerance policy and takes seriously our obligations to protect the safety of passengers and staff. “We are actually asking for further testing when a hand held breathalyser gives a positive result; this makes the process more robust and also complies with the Equalities Act in protecting members of staff with medical conditions. “The current system is unfair because it doesn’t offer safeguards to those with disabilities or who are on certain diets. One of LUOH’s own doctors conceded that type 2 diabetes, liver disease and even fasting can give false positives on hand held machines. It has always been our position that there is simply not sufficient evidence to say that Alex was guilty or broke LUL policy,” he said. TUBE DRIVERS BALLOT OVER DISMISSAL CROSS COUNTRY STAFF BALLOT OVER SACKING