Unite the union, which represents over 7,800 members in the rail
sector throughout the UK, is cautioning ahead of the prime
minister's anticipated announcement that the lockdown will be
partially lifted, that an increase in rail services must be
gradually implemented.
The union is concerned to ensure that rail employers work with it
to ensure that worker and passenger safety are paramount.
Unite’s rail members primarily work in maintenance, control
rooms, cleaning and catering roles and without their work the
service would not be able to function. Members have worked
throughout the coronavirus crisis to ensure key workers are able
to get to work and essential medical supplies and food are moved
around the country.
The union is advising its members that no work on the rail
network should re-start without an up-to-date risk assessment in
place. This is particularly important in workplaces that are
ramping up or re-opening which may have fallen behind in
implementing current advice while in lockdown.
Unite is seeking a phased and gradual increase in rail journeys
to ensure certain conditions are met at all times to inspire the
confidence of both workers and passengers, including
- Risk assessments are undertaken and fully applied
- Two metre social distancing measures to protect rail workers
are preserved
- Measures are in place for controlling overcrowding.
In particular, the union is very concerned that as passenger
numbers increase, trains that have been out of service since the
beginning of the lockdown are fitted out to fully comply with the
social distancing measures already in place.
Unite national officer for rail Harish Patel said: “Members fully
understand that rail services will need to increase but that must
not create a risk to their health or the health of their
families.
“It is essential that employers work step by step with Unite to
increase capacity, to restore passenger confidence and keep the
travelling public and the workforce safe.
“This must be based on full risk assessments being undertaken and
their findings then being properly applied.
“If employers do not follow a safety first approach and workers
believe their health is in imminent danger, Unite will fully
support them in their decision to stop work including when this
means members removing themselves to a place where the threat to
their safety no longer exists."
