LEWISHAM DERAILMENT EXPOSES NEED FOR GUARD

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2019 :: RMTnews 17 T he Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report last month into the potentially lethal self- detrainment of passengers onto icy and live tracks at Lewisham in March last year has once again exposed the dangers of driver-only operation (DOO) and the fragmentation of operations under the private franchise system. RMT has pointed out that the circumstances on that day March 2 2018 would likely have had a very different outcome had there been safety-trained second person on the train. The RAIB report also looked at previous similar events (Dock Junction, May 2011 and Peckham Rye, November 17) and both of these were on trains that were also DOO - reinforcing the union campaign for a guard on our trains. In summary: • The report shows that NR and Southeastern had poor quality planning processes in place to deal with situations like this. • That in particular they did not have processes in place to identify when a train should be considered ‘stranded’. • There was poor utilisation of the few staff they did have and NR and SE need to review the processes for assisting the driver. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was a shocking report and it was only pure luck that no one was killed or seriously injured at Lewisham last March. Safety on our railways must never be left to chance. “If there had been a second safety critical worker on the train they could have been the means of providing effective communication between the control and the train and best placed to pass this information on to the passengers. “In this instance the focus was on getting points de-iced and getting trains moving rather than paying close attention to what was actually happening on board the train and the welfare and safety of passengers. Communication between the different and fragmented parts of the operation was poor and that is a common theme now when it comes to recent safety investigations on our railway. “RMT will continue to fight for a guard on our trains, proper staffing levels and an end to fragmentation under a single publicly owned rail body,” he said. have had to issue an instruction that Class 80 type trains were not allowed to be operated in driver-only dispatch mode. This means that some routes that had formerly been operating DOO have had to reintroduce guards on the train. “Technology will never be as good as having a guard and we need to fight to keep these guards on the train,” he said. Neil Sharples, Wigan called for training to be provided so that rail staff can be fully equipped to assist people who have been the victims of sexual assault on the rail network. “At a time when sexual assaults are on the rise across the rail network this initiative would be a positive and proactive step for the whole tail industry to be involved in and would more importantly greatly benefit anyone who may sadly suffer from such abuse,” he said. Steve Nott gave the national executive committee’s report to conference, outlining the work carried out on the previous year’s motions. He congratulated delegates on their solidarity in the various guard disputes that they had been involved in. Steve Wilkins, Medway TUC, spoke on behalf of the local trades’ council and said that RMT was a great example of a union that has no hesitation in taking industrial action. He pledged continued support from the trades council for the Keep the Guard campaign on Southern. Chris Williamson MP brought greetings from the RMT group in Parliament. He congratulated delegates for the campaigning and industrial action that they had been engaged in defence of keeping guards on the train. Chris argued that the changes needed to transform the transport industry could only come about with the election of a Labour government. “As a labour movement we need to ensure a Labour government makes fundamental changes to the economy. People malign the Luddites unfairly, but like the Luddites we need to argue for new technology to be our servant and not or master. We can achieve that by democratising our economy,” he said. David Gobé, Rail Section President of the International Transport Workers Federation, said that neo-liberalism had made the situation terrible for rail workers across the world. He explained the importance of international solidarity among transport workers who are fighting companies that have operations that straddle national borders. David pledged support from his union, CGT, for the national demonstration outside Keolis UK. Keolis, which owns 35 per cent of Govia, is itself owned by SNCF, the French State railway. RMT general secretary Mick Cash asked delegates whether they felt that progress had been made recently. “Yes” was the resounding answer from the room. Mick gave a roundup of progress made in the fight over DOO company by company and then called on delegates to turn out for the national anti-DOO demonstration. “We have fought this government to a standstill on DOO. Three years ago their plan was to start with Southern and then roll out DOO everywhere else. You are an example not only to rail workers but the whole trade union movement. “We are a fighting trade union. We are balloting members at the rate of more than once a week and over the last five years have been involved in 500 disputes and have a profile second to none,” he said. LEWISHAM DERAILMENT EXPOSES NEED FOR GUARD