Red Vests for LU staff

Wednesday, 23rd of January '19

Imposition of red tabards

Subject: RED TABARDS, STATION STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND

That we note with concern of our Bakerloo Line Branch that the company have ignored our members health & safety concerns expressed by their representatives and have imposed the new red tabards on stations staff. We instruct the General Secretary to place a report in front of the NEC without delay. Bakerloo Line Branch and the London Transport Regional Council to be advised.

Friday, 25th of January '19

Bakerloo News January 2019

LU is pushing ahead with its imposition of light red tabards for station staff. As well as being an aesthetic abomination, there are numerous safety concerns around these items that have been ignored. RMT branches are discussing how to respond.

Saturday, 26th of January '19

Uniform Committee reps' concerns about red hivis ignored by management

RED TABARDS, STATION STAFF - LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/3/1)

The following resolution has been received from Bakerloo Branch:-

“This Branch is concerned by London Underground's introduction of red tabards for station staff to 'make them more visible'. The reason staff may not be immediately visible is the attack on their jobs by London Underground and unsafe reduction in their numbers.

Our Uniform Committee Reps have raised legitimate safety concerns over the wearing of red tabards whilst on duty, but have been ignored by London Underground.

We therefore call on the NEC to prepare a ballot for industrial action short of strikes of all station grade members to resist the imposition of these items.

We also request that a bulletin and press release to be produced, highlighting the hypocrisy and inadequacy of LU's action in attempting to compensate for cuts to staffing levels by forcing us to wear an unnecessary aesthetic abomination”.

This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has noted the concerns expressed in the above resolution and taken the decision to seek a report from the Lead Officer. I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.

Saturday, 26th of January '19

Briefing for RMT members: red hi-vis

What are the “Red Tabards”?

They are a reversible vest, with orange hi-vi on one side and red, with “here to help”, on the other. LU is unilaterally imposing these items as a new item of uniform and is insisting all station staff wear them while in ticket halls and concourses from 10 February. Has the union agreed to this? Absolutely not. Union reps on the Uniform Consultative Committee have consistently raised a number of objections to these items; the company claims to have taken some on board, but despite other objections remaining, it is ploughing ahead with imposing the items.

What are the union objections?

We believe this is an unnecessary addition to our uniforms. The items are uncomfortable to wear, and with several different possible variations of hi-vi (“old” orange; white “Bronze Control” for CSMs; “new” orange side of red tabard; red side of red tabard…), there is the potential for confusion amongst passengers, the emergency services, and staff in any emergency situation.

Fundamentally we believe the imposition of the red tabards is a hypocritical and inadequate response by the company to a situation it has created itself. After cutting around 500 frontline stations jobs under “Fit for the Future” (following cutbacks under prior restructures such as OSP), a survey by the independent watchdog London TravelWatch showed that many passengers feel there simply aren’t enough station staff available to assist them. Our bosses chose to interpret this as a matter of “visibility” rather than numbers, claiming that the problem wasn’t that there are too few staff, but that the ones who are there can’t be seen (presumably they think we are somehow blending into the background?). They have responded not by reversing cuts and creating additional jobs on stations but by insisting that putting staff in bright red tabards to make us “more visible”.

Perhaps neon signs above our heads are next? It might also be pointed out that there used to be fixed points on all stations where staff were permanently visible, and that passengers could visit not only for advice but also to purchase tickets. The company, it may be remembered, decided these were no longer necessary.

Should I wear one?

As the company is insisting, despite union opposition, that these items are compulsory, your union is not advising individual members to refuse to wear the tabards if directly instructed to do so by a manager. We will of course represent and defend any individual member facing disciplinary sanction.

What is the union doing about it?

Two RMT branches have already passed resolutions calling for an industrial response to the imposition of the tabards, including a possible ballot for industrial action to refuse to wear them. Local RMT reps will also be tabling items about the tabards at Level One (IR) and Tier One (Health and Safety) Committees, to restate union objections.

We are obviously also exposing the woeful hypocrisy of this superficial, cosmetic response from LU to the impact of its own job cuts, and are continuing to fight for the reversal of cuts to station staffing.

For more info, please speak to a local RMT rep.

Red tabards 'a pathetic and detrimental approach by the company' to enhance visibility

RED TABARDS, STATION STAFF - LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/3/1)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/31/19, 23rd January 2019), this matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has noted members' concerns regarding the imposition of red tabards across London Underground stations and the ill-conceived manner of this decision which is solely driven by the intentional lack of staff on our stations due to cost cutting exercises. This attempt at tackling the shortage of station staff by 'enhancing' their visibility is a pathetic and detrimental approach by the company that is creating new potential operational safety problems on station platforms, discomfort and overheating of staff due to the construction of the red tabards and renders them a target for anti-social behaviour.

The NEC has taken the decision to ballot all stations grades members for industrial action short of a strike to not wear the red tabards and to publicise this unacceptable treatment of our members in a press release and union bulletin. I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep Branches advised of all further developments.

In preparation for the ballot, if any LU Stations members have recently changed their job title, work location or home address, please ask them to call the Freephone helpline number on 0800 376 3706 or e-mail info@rmt.org.uk to update their details.

Yours sincerely,
Mick Cash
General Secretary