ENFORCING THE SET STANDARD FOR WELFARE FACILITIES

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/077/25

13^th May 2025

To: The Secretary

All branches and regional councils

 

Dear Colleague

 

            ENFORCING THE SET STANDARD FOR WELFARE FACILITIES

 

I recently received correspondence from GTR (Govia Thames Link Railway) in relation to my request for them to conduct an internal audit of their facilities for Churchill Cleaners.  In their letter GTR explained that there was no need for them to conduct an audit given that all their facilities were fully compliant with Health and Safety legislation, including the Workplace, Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992. 

 

Subsequent to this I received a safety inspection report from the Lead Officer relating to Newhaven Town station which identified health and safety failures. As this was a station which falls under the Churchill Cleaning contract on GTR I placed both matters in front of your National Executive Committee.

 

In relation to this at its meeting on 8^th May 2025, your NEC noted and adopted the following report from its health and safety subcommittee:

 

We note the correspondence from GTR and the safety inspection report from Lead Officer on Newhaven Town station. 

 

We instruct the General Secretary to write to the company explaining that the conditions at the Newhaven Town station do not meet required standards, and to explain that the RMT believes this is indicative of a wider picture which this throws their claim that “all their facilities are fully compliant with current Health and Safety legislation, including the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992” into disrepute. Further, that the issues at Newhaven Town station must be rectified immediately, and that GTR must action our request for an audit across all their sites without further delay. The General Secretary is also instructed to undertake further research on this matter and to seek an updated report from the lead officer listing all inspections undertaken on GTR Churchill sites.

Branches and Regional Councils to be advised. 

 

            I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Eddie Dempsey, General Secretary