LUL H&S Related issues at Acton and Northfields Depots

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/146/24

14^th June 2024

To: The Secretary

All Branches and Regional Councils

 

Dear Colleague

 

LUL – H&S RELATED ISSUES AT ACTON AND NORTHFIELDS DEPOTS

 

            I write to inform you that I recently received the following resolution from Piccadilly District Line branch: 

 

This Branch notes deteriorating industrial relations issues at Acton and Northfields depots affecting our members at these locations.

 

We note the following:

 

1. The Piccadilly line is currently operating with a permanent signal failure at WR36, westbound outside Northfields. This is indicative of a wider disintegration of facilities and assets on the line. Passing a red signal at danger cannot be allowed to become part of the normal operation of the railway, it is something that should be used in exceptional circumstances only and is increasing the possibility of mistakes being made.

 

2. The Piccadilly line recorded 187 SPADS for the year 23/24. From management's own statistics, 60% of these SPADs are novice drivers with under two years’ experience. LUL has systematically failed to take any responsibility for the increase in SPADs and related safety incidents, shifting the blame entirely onto individual drivers.  As a result, this is fast tracking new drivers, who they have accepted are not being trained properly, onto CDIs and safety case conferences. RMT demand LUL must recognise and address their organisational failure and commit to improving training on the Piccadilly line.

 

3. Furthermore all indications are that training for the incoming 24 stock and related infrastructure is inadequate. 24 stock training needs to be on the handle and not in a simulator, with new walkways being hiked.

 

4. The discipline at work policy is not being applied correctly with our members either being treated harshly, or matters being long drawn out with the effect of causing them undue stress, severe deterioration of mental health or financial hardship. Too many drivers are being sent to CDI unnecessarily for incidents that should be dealt with under the fair process and dealt with locally.

 

5. Numerous assaults have taken place on staff at Heathrow terminal 5, that average at least one per fortnight. This has been exacerbated by Night Tube and owing to disputes over landlord remit, there isn’t an agreed committed BTP presence. As a result, staff continue to be verbally and physically assaulted by customers, whom we as train op’s are expected to remove in detrainments.

 

We call on the General Secretary to declare a dispute on these issues with LUL and seek an urgent dispute resolution meeting to resolve them and should this not resolve them then move to ballot all affected members for strike action.

 

At its meeting on 11^th June 2024 your NEC (National Executive Committee) met to consider a report from its Health and Safety subcommittee about the resolution and an accompanying report from the Lead Officer, when the NEC noted and adopted the following report from their H&S subcommittee:

 

We note the report from the Lead officer.

 

In line with the report, we instruct the General Secretary to write to LUL demanding that these issues are taken up at the same time as matters raised by Finsbury Park branch regarding industrial relations on the Piccadilly Line. 

 

Affected members and Branches to be advised via email and text. 

 

I am acting in line with these instructions.

 

Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary