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Blog: overtime scandals, & minimum vs recommended numbers

The past few months have been tough for all staff.
Overtime shifts have not been paid out, which has led to not just frustration, but also financial hardships for a lot of us.

Management has tried to blame this on variation sheets not been filled out correctly. But when the sheets have been checked, they were in the vast majority, correct.

I emailed all staff with the process of how to claim their money owed, but this isn't good enough.

Having investigated further, it seems that the new admin structure is to blame. Before it officially started, they had a trial run, and that's where it all started to go wrong.

Emails were sent to the wrong admin staff, and others lost in the confusion. There was no communication, administrators were also unsure of their new roles and responsibilities.

The end result was uniforms not being ordered, supplies not delivered (Canning Town station went 15 weeks without sticky pads for the Track Retrieval Device which led to a near miss when a customer got frustrated and jumped on the track to retrieve her phone) and of course, overtime not correctly processed.

So, yet another colossal failure of the company to effectively bring about change.

Just like Fit for Nothing, they bring in sweeping changes to a tried and tested system.
Then make minimal changes to fix the aftermath.

So this latest disaster has led to staff being reluctant to take on overtime, with big repercussions for North Greenwich station.

Short of staff, they have more than once counted the Trains Manager to make up the CSA minimum numbers.

Now, I'm sure the TM isn't aware, but when asked to make up the numbers, it's a lot more than just having to evacuate the Train Accommodation. Being part of the CCEP, they would also have to help clear the platforms and deal with any problems evacuating customers.

We need to make them aware of what exactly this involves, and the dangerous precedent it's setting for station staff minimum numbers.

I would ask of all staff working at North Greenwich to remember they can refuse to work if there isn't the minimum numbers present.

Challenge your CSS or CSM, ask them where are they getting their 1+4 (or 1+8 for events)

If they can't explain, say you're refusing to work until they do. They can't discipline you, without exposing the fact they are breaking the law by opening a Section 12 station without the legally required minimum numbers.

Stratford had a revised CCEP which actually increased their Recommended Numbers. While this doesn't carry the same weight as Minimum, it's still a step in the right direction. The RMT will keep pushing for a company evaluation of Stratford, to recognize their status as being busier than a lot of Section 12 stations, and grant them a much larger staff roster.

As for West Ham and Canning Town, they are trying to decrease the numbers again, ignoring all evidence pointing toward the need for more staff and upgrading to CSM 1 Not to mention the numerous accidents and one fatality caused by lack of staff.

This laughable attempt was knocked back by myself, and the matter immediately referred to the Functional Council, who will take this to the top level of management.

As we prepare for the fight to recognize our hard work and reward us properly with a pay raise, they will continue to undermine us, and the effort we make every day to keep these stations running.

But we have more power than we think, and they will find out, if they continue with their present tactics.