In 2018, ASLEF members balloted our members across London Underground to push management to agree a program of work to make driving cabs secure. Our members delivered a YES vote and with the prospect of strike action to protect your safety, London Underground agreed on the design of J door lock.
We were told that a contract had been issued for the work to be done following a trial on the Waterloo and City line and that there would be a roll out across the combine with all driving cabs made secure by the end of 2020.
The covid pandemic paused the program, but ASLEF were assured that despite the pressure on TfL funding, finance was in place for the work to resume. But long after covid restrictions have been lifted there is no sign of this work commencing or that it is any sort of a priority for management.
This cannot continue unchallenged. Every day that goes by is another day that drivers are at risk of assault in their place of work. Cuts in station staff numbers and huge increases in unstaffed and closed stations only makes the situation worse.
ASLEF have written to Underground management asking them for a clear statement of their position. In short, are they going to honour the commitments made in 2018 and 2019 to make driving cabs safe or not?
We have a mandate for industrial action to ensure all agreements reached at every level of the machinery of negotiation are honoured. This includes the agreement reached on cab security.
A report on management’s response will go to the ASLEF Executive Committee. While there are many different issues we are dealing with from pensions, trains “modernization” and the pay talks next month, ensuring safety at work is vital.
We can not stand idly by while management ignore the promises they have made.
Finn Brennan
ASLEF District Organiser.
