Issue 80 / March 2019

Underground Security
The HOT Protocol – do we finally have an agreement?
Your RMT health and
safety reps recently met
with management to dis-
cuss the HOT process,
and bosses finally ap-
peared to listen to our
concerns on making it
safer.
position that the union
were putting forward.
Flipflopping bosses
Much to our astonishment,
at an October Train’s Safe-
ty meeting, health and
safety reps became aware
of imminent changes to
Rule Books 6 and 11 that
stated staff were to look
inside closed and locked
bags after all.
Admittedly, they also said
that this was to be done
once the item had been
declared ‘non-suspicious’
using the HOT process.
we do not look inside
locked bags. The RMT have long ar-
gued, that if a bag or par-
This issue has been rum- cel are closed or locked,
bling on for the past cou- it’s difficult to declare that it
ple of years; ever since the is not suspicions as we
North Greenwich bomb have no idea what is in-
incident to be precise. side.

Previously, LU have stated
that staff were, and always
have been expected to
look inside closed and
locked bags and parcels.
The RMT, and indeed oth-
er unions, pointed out that
that this was not the case:
The issue has been dis-
cussed at several meet-
ings since. The RMT be-
lieved that it had been re-
solved at a Safety Forum
meeting last year. At that
meeting LU appeared to
back track and accept the
Other LU Guidance docu-
ments on the HOT Proto-
col go even further: in the
guidance for assessment
of unattended items LU
wants staff to start forcing
open locked bags. Cont>

- Read more at www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/trains -

 Will bosses listen? RMT says forcing
open locked bags is not safe
and we are unable to team appeared to be sym-
make this judgement. pathetic to our arguments
and agreed that the Rule
The guidance Book and guidance docu-
documents in ments needed to be
this instance go changed. It needs to be
further than the clear that our members are
Rule Book: it not compelled to look in-
claims if a mem- side locked or closed
ber of staff is not bags.
confident opening
a locked bag they We expect LU to make the
should contact a right decision and have
more experienced asked them to put their
member of staff. proposals in writing. How-
ever, we have been here
We have a problem with before.
Forcing open unattended this.
bags is certainly not part This is an important issue.
of our remit. HOT training Tube workers must not be
Over the past two years All staff should receive the put in danger due to an
LU have often claimed that same HOT training. There unsafe HOT process.
looking inside locked and are not some members of
ASLEF did not attend the
closed bags is now a De- staff who are more capa-
recent meeting on this is-
partment for Transport po- ble of dealing with an unat-
sue. It surprised us as they
sition and that we are tended item than others.
claim to be the ‘only driv-
mandated to do this. The ers’ union’ and this issue is
RMT continues to dispute This wording is unhelpful
and could put undue crucial to drivers safety.
this assertion and have Rest assured the RMT
found no evidence to sup- pressure on our
members. will continue to fight,
port LU’s claim. alone if necessary,
The union and LU agree At a meeting today for the safety of our
on what we need to do between RMT trains’ 1500 driver members
once an unattended item and station’s safety and all drivers and
has been declared suspi- reps, our Regional workers on London
cious. We also agree on Organiser and LU, Underground.
what we do if an unattend- we once again stat- Please get involved,
ed item has been declared ed our position on the HOT come along to your
non-suspicious. The procedure. branch, raise this and oth-
breakdown is what we do if Some members of the LU er issues and join the fight-
bags are closed or locked back!

Functional reps H&S reps Upgrades rep

Frank Curtis - 07931 130849
Vaughan Thomas - 07720 297657
Will Reid - 07983 958429
Gwyn Pugh - 07709 320271
Dave Rayfield -
Jim McDaid - 07917131692
07719 132161
Nigel Eivers - 07961 141924