ASLEF members at Earl's Court will receive ballot papers this week in our dispute over the application of TOSCA (which often referred to as the SPAD's policy).

Reasons for Dispute Our dispute and ballot are about the application and interpretation of the Train Operator Safety‐Related process (TOSCA); it is not about an individual, the Reps or managers involved. The personalising of industrial relations disagreements or problems only serves to polarise issues.

Unfortunately this is what has happened during this process; any disagreements over the interpretation of TOSCA should have been dealt with and clarified through the machinery of negotiation via the Trains Functional Council.

Case conferences should normally be considered after four safety‐related incidents in any two‐year period. However, a case conference can be called earlier due to trends or the recurrence of “human factor" concerns.

Fundamental requirements;  The notices to attend a Case conference should always clearly state why the meeting has been called, i.e. four safety related items in two years, the precise trend or human factors concerns.

 The notice to attend and any paperwork used should be sufficient to allow all parties involved in the case conference to fully prepare themselves prior to any discussions.

 The case conference should always be conducted in a friendly atmosphere, an adversarial approach should be avoided. A consensus on resolving problems, in the interest of the train operator and safe customer service is the desired outcome.

 The case conference should endeavour to identify and agree improvement actions. It considers a multitude of options rather than being predetermined.

 A case conference should not, under any circumstances be conducted like a disciplinary hearing.

THIS DISPUTE IS ABOUT PROTECTING ALL THESE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN WOEFULLY IGNORED.

VOTE YES TO JOINING WITH ACTON TOWN DISTRICT DRIVERS TO DEFEND YOURS AND YOUR COLLEAGUE’S FUTURE.