ABM REINSTATEMENT WIN

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: sept/oct 2025 :: RMTnews 5 Following swift union intervention an RMT member is now back at work after being unfairly dismissed by ABM Facility Services UK. The union pointed out that the case exposed a worrying lack of understanding by management regarding drug and alcohol testing policies and procedures, which nearly cost a dedicated worker her livelihood. Tinka, a worker on the Transport for London (TfL) contract, was subjected to a random on-site drug and alcohol test which showed a ‘non-negative’ result. As per standard procedure, a final laboratory analysis was conducted by the testing company which confirmed that the test was negative for all and any illegal drugs. The word negative is repeated seven times across the test result. However, it seems ABM didn’t know how to correctly read the test result and so proceeded with a disciplinary hearing and three days later sacked Tinka stating she had been terminated for “being under the influence or incapable due to the consumption of alcohol or through the use of illegal drugs/medication”. This of course caused great distress, not least because there was no sense in it at all as the lab test result was negative. ABM appears to have misinterpreted the lab results, asserting that the mere ‘presence’ of substances constituted a serious breach of their zero-tolerance policy for safety-critical roles under the TfL contract. The company failed to understand that whilst the test showed a minimum threshold this had nothing to do with the actual result but rather is a figure that each test shows. The union immediately challenged the decision, arguing that the dismissal was founded on a fundamental misunderstanding of the existing test results and the company’s own policy. RMT reps Shengyul Sali and Peter North, along with London Transport regional organiser Jared Wood, highlighted to ABM that the final laboratory analysis clearly indicated that the test result was negative meaning there was no case to answer. The union’s persistent questioning forced ABM to seek further clarification from the testing company - something which should happen from the start when the employer is unsure of what technical evidence means. As a result, the appeal outcome letter reversed the original decision, and the member was reinstated with immediate effect and received back pay for the period that she was unjustly dismissed. The company also acknowledged that the initial screening result may have caused concern but admitted that the confirmed negative result did not warrant disciplinary action. Tinka, who has worked diligently for ABM for many years, thanked the union for everything you have done for me. “I now understand why my decision to join RMT five years ago was so important. “I look forward to explaining to my colleagues at ABM the importance of being in the union too,” she said. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that without RMT’s intervention, a worker with a negative test result would have remained unjustly dismissed due to a clear error in interpreting a standard drug test report. “This case serves as a powerful reminder of the vital protection that RMT membership provides against managerial overreach and misinterpretation of company policy,” he said. ABM REINSTATEMENT WIN RMT member reinstated after union highlights drug test results RMT rep Peter North with Tinka