District line industrial action 2018-04-13

[rebmcr]

Is this official? I'm not aware of it being announced?

 

[Mag_seven]

Is this official? I'm not aware of it being announced?

For what it's worth here is the ASLEF press release:

http://www.aslef.org.uk/article.php?group_id=6174

ASLEF members at Acton Town on the District line will be taking strike action for duties booking on between 00.01 and 23.59 on Friday 13 April as London Underground continues to ignore repeated offers of talks.

For more than two months, London Underground management has refused to meet ASLEF to discuss the issues at the heart of this dispute. The last meeting was on 30 January. The dispute centres on London Underground’s failure to follow agreed policies and procedures when a recently qualified driver was involved in a signal passed at danger incident.

Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s organiser on the Underground, said: ‘We have repeatedly offered to meet to discuss this dispute but, instead of getting around the table, they have sent a stream of letters threatening legal action to try to prevent our members from exercising their democratic right to strike.

‘ASLEF members at Acton voted by 98% in favour of strike action. We expect another big ‘Yes’ vote in our ballot of members at Earl’s Court due this week. But, instead of recognising the concerns of our members, and reps, LU management are refusing to acknowledge that they have failed to follow their own procedures; threatened a disciplinary hearing to make a driver “agree” to be redeployed; and now refuse to talk to this union.

‘When management are intent on getting their way by threats and intimidation then we need to take a strong stand to protect our agreements and ensure fair treatment at work.’

 

[westv]

So this was hidden from the public until this morning? Fortunately I wasn't affected.

 

[Dstock7080]

So this was hidden from the public until this morning? Fortunately I wasn't affected.

dated 13 March 2018:
https://www.aslefdistrict8.org/sing...-not-prepared-to-discuss-abuse-of-SPAD-policy

 

[hexagon789]

I read somewhere that this was due to a tube driver being suspended after having three SPADs.

 

[Dstock7080]

I read somewhere that this was due to a tube driver being suspended after having three SPADs.

Not suspended, the individual had three safety related incidents, was called into an interview (without Union representatives) and was warned that another incident would put them in breach of the agreed SPAD Policy. A Management suggestion of taking alternative employment or facing ‘the inevitable’ fourth incident and instant CDi was met with agreement with the individual to take alternative employment. This is against the said agreed SPAD Policy, which states that “normally after four such incidents”.

 

[hexagon789]

Not suspended, the individual had three safety related incidents, was called into an interview (without Union representatives) and was warned that another incident would put them in breach of the agreed SPAD Policy. A Management suggestion of taking alternative employment or facing ‘the inevitable’ fourth incident and instant CDi was met with agreement with the individual to take alternative employment. This is against the said agreed SPAD Policy, which states that “normally after four such incidents”.

I see, unsurprisingly as ever the media have it wrong on several points it would seem.

 

[Robertj21a]

So this was hidden from the public until this morning? Fortunately I wasn't affected.

From various reports it hasn't had much impact, presumably not well supported.

 

[Dstock7080]

From various reports it hasn't had much impact, presumably not well supported.

Just one ASLEF member attended.

 

[Domh245]

Attended the picket line, or went into work?

 

[transmanche]

I see, unsurprisingly as ever the media have it wrong on several points it would seem.

Well, the Evening Standard reported yesterday that the driver was:

...alleged to have passed three red signals in his 11 weeks driving.

and that:

Two of the signals passed at danger (spads) were within a four-week period.

After the first incident he spent three days retraining with a driver/instructor in the cab. After the second he spent five days retraining and another five on stand-down. After the third SPAD he was removed from driving duty.

If that's accurate, then quite frankly I'm relieved that the driver has been removed from driving duty. I wouldn't fancy being a District line passenger on a train driven by someone who's been responsible for so many SPADs in such a short period of time.

 

[hexagon789]

Well, the Evening Standard reported yesterday that the driver was:
and that:


If that's accurate, then quite frankly I'm relieved that the driver has been removed from driving duty. I wouldn't fancy being a District line passenger on a train driven by someone who's been responsible for so many SPADs in such a short period of time.

That was indeed the article a friend shared with me.

 

[Domh245]

If that's accurate, then quite frankly I'm relieved that the driver has been removed from driving duty. I wouldn't fancy being a District line passenger on a train driven by someone who's been responsible for so many SPADs in such a short period of time.

Even though the outcome (T/Op being removed from driving duties) is the best one*, I think the issue that the union are irritated by was the management not following the agreed procedures (which has happened in the past as well, although it may have been at a different depot than Acton Town), which is also going to be of more concern to their members as well.

*Other outcomes could have included the T/Op being moved to a depot/line where the SPAD risk is lower, ie an ATO line, rather than just going back to stations.

 

[Mojo]

From various reports it hasn't had much impact, presumably not well supported.

It only affected one of the four District line depots. Earls Court were also subject to a separate ballot but this did not reach the threshold to take action under the Trade Union Act.

 

[rebmcr]

From various reports it hasn't had much impact, presumably not well supported.

Barking-Upminster is cut back a lot; Edgware Road-Wimbledon is replaced with Edgware Road-Ealing Broadway (with limited High Street Kensington-Wimbledon); more trains are terminating at Tower Hill from the west; frequencies are reduced throughout; and the web feed for live departures appears to be suspended.

The plan seems to be based around making the most of route knowlege from other depots (not sure whether there are differences though)?

I imagine that mix of services is a nightmare to signal manually on the ancient systems, as the automatic punchcard routing will not be any use!

 

[jopsuk]

when I was a Hammersmith-bound train earlier they announced at Edgeware Road that the District was operating half-hourly to Ealing Broadway

 

[Hophead]

To respond to the original post: posters were displayed at Gunnersbury station (in the ticket hall) from Wednesday at least. No idea what was in place elsewhere.

I diverted this morning and caught a late runner this evening.

 

[rebmcr]

To respond to the original post: posters were displayed at Gunnersbury station (in the ticket hall) from Wednesday at least. No idea what was in place elsewhere.

I diverted this morning and caught a late runner this evening.

Nothing at West Ham or Hammersmith until handwritten signs this morning! They had been replaced at Hammersmith with printed notices by the afternoon (not been back to West Ham this evening).

 

[Warwick]

Seems a rum old do.
Rail unions strike because of safety fears over one man operation.
Union man is unsafe because he - apparently - keeps driving past red signals.
Unions go on strike because he is removed from his post.
Union is now striking to support apparently dangerous driver.
Agreed procedure? One would hope that the agreed procedure is to remove him from driving trains, he appears incompetent, careless or both.

 

[backontrack]

Have their been any suggestions of the presence of outside factors that might have indirectly caused these SPADs - such as alcohol or drug intoxication - or were they caused by unstimulated human error?

 

[rebmcr]

Have their been any suggestions of the presence of outside factors that might have indirectly caused these SPADs - such as alcohol or drug intoxication - or were they caused by unstimulated human error?

I doubt anyone involved is able nor willing to divulge that sort of detail.

 

[edwin_m]

*Other outcomes could have included the T/Op being moved to a depot/line where the SPAD risk is lower, ie an ATO line, rather than just going back to stations.

I don't see that as a safe outcome at all. The driver gains much less experience at driving and the next time they have to revert to manual driving might be when the ATO goes down (along with some of its features that protect against SPADs, and the disruption could cause extra stress and distraction).

 

[backontrack]

I doubt anyone involved is able nor willing to divulge that sort of detail.

Well, yes, good point.

 

[jopsuk]

If the managers held was effectively a disciplinary meeting with the Train Op without giving him the opportunity to bring a union rep along that's a serious issue, regardless of his conduct or ability. The right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing is enshrined in law.

 

[Dstock7080]

Have their been any suggestions of the presence of outside factors that might have indirectly caused these SPADs - such as alcohol or drug intoxication - or were they caused by unstimulated human error?

In this case no, although family issues were not taken into account after the 2nd incident.

If the managers held was effectively a disciplinary meeting with the Train Op without giving him the opportunity to bring a union rep along that's a serious issue, regardless of his conduct or ability. The right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing is enshrined in law.

It was described as a ‘fact finding interview’ only.

 

[rebmcr]

If the managers held was effectively a disciplinary meeting with the Train Op without giving him the opportunity to bring a union rep along that's a serious issue, regardless of his conduct or ability. The right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing is enshrined in law.

It was described as a ‘fact finding interview’ only.

A new manager has been throwing his weight around at my work recently, I was frank about the negative effects on morale to some of his peers, who promptly grassed me up.

Was hauled in for it and handed my resignation as he was getting into his stride. The MD later reached out and tried to pull that "it wasn't a disciplinary" crap, but still agreed to my terms for withdrawing the resignation.