Health and safety

TRANSPORT UNION RMT has written to industry bosses and safety regulators seeking answers and protections regarding the impact of Covid-19 on are Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) workers in the transport sector.

RMT has reminded employers that there is concrete data regarding the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME workers.

The union has raised a series of questions with transport bosses and safety regulators.

10th May 2020

To: All RMT Rail and London Underground members.

Dear Colleague

COVID - 19 URGENT RMT SAFETY ADVICE REGARDING RAIL AND TUBE SERVICES FROM 11th MAY

Over the weekend I have been contacted by Network Rail who say they are planning for a possible surge in passenger usage on the national railway system on Monday 11th May as a side-effect of the Prime Minister's statement scheduled for 19:00 hours, 10th May in respect of COVID -19. These measures may obviously also impact on other rail services and London Underground.

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.

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.

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.

Trains Functional Council notice: management of staff who are social distancing at home

Update 28 04 2020

The above matter has been raised by reps at a number of locations and was raised by the RMT at today’s TFC meeting. What is clear is that senior managers are keen to get drivers back to work, and are using local managers to achieve this.

The London Transport Regional Council has passed a motion written by Jubilee South branch which calls for meaningfully reduced working hours, fir safety reasons, during the Coronavirus crisis.

The Jubilee South branch motion

This branch believes that there is a fundamental error in the way that London Underground is managing workers during the Coronavirus crisis. London Underground should be running a necessary service for key workers, not running as many trains as possible.

Today, in a presentation to the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) TfL Director of Public Transport Service Planning,

Geof Hobbs stated that with full social distancing measures of 2 metres, LUL would only be able to run at 13% of normal capacity. He hinted strongly that a reduction would ease the problem. Chief Operating Ofcer of MTA New York, Mario Peloquin also made similar
comments. With both New York and London hinting that a reduction in distance is required, we believe P.H.E is likely to change its guidance.

1. Employers must try to remove or prevent exposure to risks
2. If that is not possible, working from home should be allowed
3. If that is not possible, suitable alternative employment at the same rate of pay should be offered if available

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