Staff pass vote of no confidence in Eurostar bosses over winter disruption

Publication Date: February 4 2010

MEMBERS OF rail union RMT working for Eurostar have passed a vote of no confidence in the company’s senior management and have demanded assurances on the safe running of the service following the breakdowns between 18th and 22nd December 2009.

In a letter to the company, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow has demanded disclosure of the full facts on the following range of staff concerns:

· That it took up to 8 hours to get stranded trains out of the Euro Tunnel.

· That once out of the tunnel it took an additional 4 hours to implement any contingency plan to rescue passengers and staff.

· That it was decided that trains would be kept overnight in the Calais area on the LGV without any provision of assistance/contingency plan rather than sending them back to Lille, Paris or Brussels.

· That a proactive plan is not in place to support colleagues following severe disruptions.

· That on resumption of service, the first train leaving London, full of passengers, was instructed to depart the station with no working International Train Radio against the rules.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“RMT is demanding full disclosure of the facts relating to the incidents of December 18^th to December 22^nd 2009 and we are calling for an emergency meeting between the company and RMT representatives to examine these critical issues.

“These are serious concerns with major safety implications for both passengers and staff. The fact that the first train to leave London after days of disruption did so without a working International Train Radio simply defies belief.

“I have also been informed by my members that in same week as the disruption Train Managers were requested to work on a train alone. RMT is of the opinion that Lone Working by Train Managers is totally unacceptable. We have given the company two weeks to disclose the full facts and to give us the assurances we are seeking.”

ENDS