Labour Research (August 2005)

News

Rail union calls for range of measures following bombings

Last month RMT rail union general secretary Bob Crow praised the professionalism and commitment of transport workers as London recovered from the second wave of bombings on 21 July.

They had, he said, "worked magnificently alongside the emergency services in evacuating passengers and minimising panic after another series of terrorist attacks on the Tube network".

The union also set out a number of specific concerns about security. Plans to cut station staff, and do away with minimum safety standards for sub-surface stations (brought in after the Kings Cross fire) should be dropped, it said, and a commitment made to bring back guards.

And there needed to be fully trained supervision whenever contractors have access to stations, a commitment to direct employment, more and better training in security and emergency procedures, and breathing apparatus for train operators and station supervisors.


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