Tube staff now work in fear


Staff at London Underground (LU) stations are working in fear since so-called Fit for the Future (FFF) changes — which included closing ticket offices and putting staff onto concourses and platforms — were introduced, according to the TSSA white collar transport union. 


It says that since machine-only ticketing was introduced in April 2016, there have been more than 2,000 separate incidents of passenger abuse. 


A new safety survey of TSSA LU customer service assistants found a staggering 87% of members reporting that they feel less safe at work than they did six months ago. 


Three-quarters of members (74%) reported passenger frustration with ticket machine problems. And staff are bearing the brunt of this frustration, with a correlating spike in abuse, including being spat at, bitten, physically intimidated and sworn at. 


The union also said that there are increased levels of stress and fatigue, affecting work-life balance and mental health.


It reported that all respondents in the survey want an increase in staffing levels, a return to dedicated ticket offices, no lone working and a return to pre-FFF working arrangements, including extra staff to cope with big music and sporting events. 


“Our safety impact survey shows a system of work clearly not fit for purpose let alone a future,” said TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes.

https://www.tssa.org.uk/en/whats-new/news/index.cfm/tssa-in-dispute-with-london-underground

https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-285c-Tube-staff-facing-more-abuse-since-ticket-office-closures