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Publication Date: May 30 2008
RMT has also expressed its concern at London Underground's complacent response to the organisation of a 'booze-ban party' on the eve of the ban.
"It is pretty irresponsible to organise a booze party on the Tube when alcohol already plays a part in so many incidents," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.
"We are concerned that LUL does not intend to put on any extra staff on Saturday night as it will be our members who will be in the front line and at risk from aggressive drunken behaviour
"RMT will support any measure that will make our members' working lives safer and more pleasant, but the ban has been poorly thought through, is being implemented in haste and could put our members in greater danger
"Violence against Tube staff is already a major problem, particularly from people who have been drinking, but now our members will be expected to approach people drinking and stop them or even remove them from the train or station.
"It was bad enough that the ban was announced without any consultation with staff, but it took three weeks after the announcement for them to meet with our safety reps.
"When they did finally come up with some guidelines they were issued late last Friday before the bank holiday weekend and are still being amended two days before the ban is supposed to come into force.
"The ban does not apply to national rail, so what happens on those interchanges like Farringdon, where Tube platforms are immediately next to national rail platforms?
"We need a sensible cross-industry approach to violence and anti-social behaviour, with everyone involved in finding the solutions, including the unions who represent the workers who are on the receiving end of it.
"A good first step would be to recognise that we need more staff on stations and guards back on all trains," Bob Crow said.
