RMT issues fresh advice to members not to work in unsafe COVID-19 conditions

Submitted by Admin on 10 May, 2020 - 23:32

TRANSPORT UNION RMT today issued fresh guidance to members across rail and tube to refuse to work where safety is compromised due to the potentially lethal consequences of the Governments confused and contradictory messaging over the COVID-19 lockdown.

The union warning has come as it has become clear that the Government is shifting away from the stay at home message, unleashing a surge in passengers on rail and tube from tomorrow, breaching social distancing measures with potentially lethal consequences for both staff and th‎e public.

Statement from London Transport Regional Officer

Submitted by Jared on 9 May, 2020 - 10:18

Dear RMT members( London Transport Region)

 

 As you will see below in our Press release, RMT has concerns re next Monday 11th May being start of government led mobilisation across Britain’s Railways.

 

Accordingly I immediately wrote to LUL the Managing Director, specifically in relation to all TfL. The M. D confirmed explicitly that this is not the case for TfL and their services ,that their planning date ( which is not fixed 100% ) is still 18th May.

 

RMT continues to demand assurances on social distancing

Submitted by Admin on 8 May, 2020 - 23:03

Dear RMT members (London Transport Region)

 As you will see below in our press release, the RMT has concerns re next Monday 11th May being the start of government led mobilisation across Britain’s railways.

Accordingly I immediately wrote to LUL, the Managing Director, specifically in relation to all TfL. The MD confirmed explicitly that this is not the case for TfL and their services, that their planning date (which is not fixed 100%) is still the 18th of May.

Headlong dash to lift lockdown fraught with danger

Submitted by Admin on 8 May, 2020 - 13:18

Commenting on the dash to jack up transport service from 18th May, General Secretary Mick Cash said;

"There is a headlong dash to lift the lockdown on our transport services for the 18th May and it is fraught with danger for both passengers and staff alike.

"To maintain the Governments own social distancing guidance would mean huge logistical and staffing input to ‎manage passenger flows onto trains and it is imperative that all staff involved in this process are properly protected.

Sadiq Khan: meet delegation of “amazing” tube cleaners

Submitted by Admin on 6 May, 2020 - 00:55
  • RMT calls on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to meet delegation of “amazing” tube cleaners as new survey shows majority of cleaners believe their employer is putting profit before safety during coronavirus crisis

TUBE UNION RMT has today called on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to personally meet, via video conferencing, a delegation of tube cleaners to discuss their employment concerns as a new survey shows a majority of cleaners believe their employer, cleaning contractor ABM, is putting profit before safety during coronavirus crisis.

Tube union RMT on leaked report showing impact of maintaining social distancing on London Underground

Submitted by Admin on 6 May, 2020 - 00:53

Commenting on a leaked report showing the impact of maintaining social distancing on London Underground, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

"The report leaked this morning to the BBC exposing the impact on passenger numbers of maintaining Government social distancing guidelines on the tube is a wake up call to all those tub-thumping for a jacking up of transport services from May 18th without properly assessing the consequences. 

Jubilee South Branch News May 2020

Submitted by Admin on 5 May, 2020 - 12:56

Jubilee South Branch News is the newsletter for Tube workers on trains and stations as well as cleaners and canteen workers from Westminster to Stratford.

In this edition:

- ‘Covid-19’ timetable rejected once again
- AM refuses to follow social dis-tancing shift work agreement
- Furloughed cleaners face 20% pay cut
- Stations coronavirus FAQ
- If it isn’t safe, don’t do it
- Ramping up of London Underground services

Rail unions write to prime minister: this is not the time to run more trains

Submitted by Admin on 4 May, 2020 - 12:08

Britain's three rail unions - ASLEF, RMT and TSSA - have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, and Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, saying this is not the time to lift the lockdown and run more trains.

The joint letter - signed by Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF; Mick Cash, general secretary of RMT; and Manuel Cortes, general secretary of TSSA - says it is 'completely unacceptable' to put the lives of passengers and rail staff at risk.

Government & LUL want to abandon Social distancing to increase tube capacity - Download and distribute

Submitted by Jared on 3 May, 2020 - 09:57

Below you can download the latest bulletin explaining how RMT will resist any increase in service without proper health and safety measures being in place. You can also download a copy of the report presented, by LUL, to the UITP, in which they raise the idea of cutting social distancing from 2m.

 

A story in the Telegraph (Sat 2 May) says the government is looking to abandon the advice to maintain 2m social distancing.