A number of meetings have taken place over the last week or two; the following is a brief update of some of those meetings;
Cab J door lock;
Regular meetings have been ongoing to resolve various issues that have arisen. These meetings have focused on introducing the lock, the timings the lock will take before releasing once pressed and the training material to be used. The timings are in the process of being finalised; these will be the average of the run time between two or so stations on the line taking into account the longest and shortest sections.
Ops learning have also produced a video, this is currently in draft and subject to change. The latter has been shared widely despite being asked not to as changes will be made. We previously produced and circulated an update on this issue and sent out separately.
Farringdon OPO images referral;
We met LU on the 25th to discuss several deferred referrals. Currently the platform is staffed to offer assistance because of the poor images provided. The use of 4 members of station staff raising batons, the first 3 using current established batons the final one using a colour one which is raised for the Train Operator. This is not a process supported by the current rule book. The principle issue is 4LM (contractors) were tasked to address the poor images, they identified a fix but refused to pay for it, yet LU allowed them to walk away leaving the problem and the process we have in place today.
It simply can’t be acceptable that contractors can walk away and the safety concerns be allowed to remain while LU pick up the pieces exposing
our members to unnecessary risk. The staffing as described is projected to cost c£30m over the course of the fault remaining yet LU plead poverty!
We said this wasn’t acceptable and LU MUST seek a permanent fix and solution to the problem. Despite having the referral for several months LU were not in a position to reply at the meeting but committed to do so within 7 days.
Let us be clear, we will not accept situations like this to continue and will escalate to the Directors level if no satisfactory solution is soon identified. If required we will further escalate to your Head Office to seek appropriate action to address this ongoing issue.
Jubilee cab dust ingress referral;
There is an ongoing issue within the cab where the air vents on the console, in front of the drivers allow dust ingress, on a line that already has serious dust issues and concerns. LU stated several years ago that the ‘RAM’ air system was having filters installed to prevent this type of dust issue yet it seems this hasn’t happened. At the meeting yesterday LU were unable to confirm if the reported filters had in fact been installed!
Again, it is unacceptable that our ‘office’ is allowed to be subjected to the level of dust ingress occurring. LU have said they will get back to us soon with an update. As with the previous item, if this issue isn't addressed to our satisfaction we will escalate to Directors level and then Head Office to address our member’s legitimate concerns.
It is becoming clear to us, LU are either not in a position to invest in our ‘office’ and raise it to similar standards as the management offices, or they just don’t care!
Instructor Operators seats;
We met LU for a workshop today, it would have been prudent to have had ergonomic and human factors reports available at the meeting, but we were meeting with Management and none of this was available or provided! The issue of repeated reported defects with the IO seat going unaddressed, being limited in space, uncomfortable and in need of urgent replacement was discussed. We say ‘discussed’ but it was clear that those present were not fully aware of the conditions we work in; we were asked to explain the situation, again!
While we don’t mind this it is shocking that we have to advise stock that is in some cases nearly 50 years old were built when the ergonomic and human factors conditions were much less robust. It was also previously stated by a senior Manager in reply to our concerns that they travel home in the cab of a train occasionally and use the IO seat, that this wasn’t too bad! Being in this seat for a few minutes and it being a novelty is not the same as delivering training for many hours day after day.
It was also clear that no allocated budgets were provided for the request to completely redesign and replace the IO seat, instead we were told it would have to come from existing budgets, so other areas of our ‘office’ will inevitably suffer in the future years!
Mark McMullen 07764 997 412
Julian Vaughan 07593 091 378
Jason Wyatt 07791 935 874
Marc Tanner 07711 149 466