DISMISSAL OF RMT REPRESENTATIVE, LAURENCE COLES – SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY

Our Ref: BR2/4/1

 

5^th June 2024

 

 

Dear Colleague

 

DISMISSAL OF RMT REPRESENTATIVE, LAURENCE COLES – SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY

 

I write with regards to the above matter and to inform you that I have received a report from your Regional Organiser, indicating that RMT Union Representative, Brother Laurence Coles, has been dismissed from South Western Railway, following a Clause 9 Gross Misconduct Hearing.

Brother Coles has been charged under Gross Misconduct for contributing to an altercation for simply doing his job, by challenging a member of the public who was travelling with no ticket. The RMT has grave concerns over the harsh decision taken by South Western Railway against Laurence for carrying out his duties and protecting the company’s revenue, as demanded in his job description. 

 

The Union will not stand by and allow our members to be treated in this way. Therefore, I have written to South Western Railway and made it perfectly clear that if Brother Laurence Coles is not reinstated to his substantive position, then a dispute situation will exist between our two organisations over this matter.

 

In the meantime, I ask our South Western Railway members to keep themselves safe and not to put themselves in a position that could affect their employment or lead to disciplinary action, when carrying out ticket checking duties.

 

I trust this keeps you fully advised on the matter and I will, of course, update you on any further developments.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary