FIGHTING LONDON OVERGROUND CUTS AND CLOSURES

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september 2018 :: RMTnews 5 R MT will fight with every tool at its disposal plans to axe ticket offices and station staffing across the capital with dire consequences for safety, services and accessibility. Arriva Rail London has proposed the closure of booking/ticket offices across the London Overground network. 88 stations are involved in the proposal and the redeployment of staff will impact across the workforce, and the grading structure as a whole. In a safety-critical industry the grading structure exists to ensure that responsibilities are clear and carried out to protect both staff and the travelling public in a dangerous environment such as the railway. At present there are 363 full time equivalent vacancies across the network, with the shortfall being managed through the use of agency staff and overtime which is entirely inappropriate in a safety critical industry. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that the appalling cuts and closures across the London Overground network would have dire consequences for safety, services and accessibility. “RMT fears that the proposed closure of ticket offices and the application of a multi- disciplinary approach to existing grades will be used to continue to manage the shortfall in safety critical staff employed to the detriment of both the travelling public and staff. "Furthermore, the removal of ticket offices directly impacts other grades in that one of the most common safety incidents faced by staff are physical/verbal assaults arising from ticket related matters. “In these incidents, the ticket office can provide both a point of refuge for staff and also a point to which the passenger can be referred to discuss any issue but where the member of staff is safe. Assaults on rail staff have increased by 27 per cent in the past five years. "RMT has already highlighted the current issues surrounding staffing levels, lone working, crime in and around stations, points of refuge, crowd control, major events, noise levels, repetitive strain, equalities considerations, PPE and facilities. "RMT believes it is essential that early opposition to these proposals is made across the 30 boroughs affected and the union is approaching MPs and councillors to start building political support. “We will be fighting these plans tooth and nail with every tool at our disposal,” he said. FIGHTING LONDON OVERGROUND CUTS AND CLOSURES operator took over, fuelling concerns that it is in trouble with the threat to axe guards part of a drive to save cash to plug gaps in the original financial projections. When MTR/First took over from Stagecoach Tory transport secretary Chris Grayling promised a “revolution in services”. Those words have now come back to haunt the government as SWR becomes just the latest rail franchise to be plunged into crisis management with plans shelved and desperate measures being worked up to avoid it careering into an East Coast style collapse. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was nothing short of scandalous that both of these companies had refused point blank to talk seriously while the union has been putting together negotiated solutions with other operators that have the guard guarantee at their core. “It has also now emerged that both franchises have applied to be bailed out by the taxpayer for revenue loss on strike days. “That is a national scandal when guards are taking action to defend safety, access and security on our railways. It is a kick in the teeth for staff and passengers alike. “There is no excuse for these companies to be throwing guards off their trains in a dash to pump up their profits and the fact that they are being bank- rolled by the government at taxpayer expense whether they run tr ains or not means they have no incentive to settle the disputes whatsoever. “Both of these disputes can be settled if ARN and SWR choose to follow the best safety practice adopted elsewhere in the industry. It is now time for them to do just that,” he said. Blackpool Carlisle