Strike ballot threatened after Legionella discovered

Transport union the RMT has said that it is prepared to ballot for strike action over traces of Legionella found in the toilets of four Thameslink trains.

The union reports that the company said it was removing the fourth of those units from traffic where “reasonably practicable”, meaning that, if it remains in service, the toilets will be isolated.

The union has declared a dispute and is demanding an urgent Joint Safety Committee meeting be arranged to discuss the Legionella contamination, the company’s response and its responsibilities; and full disclosure, including live updates of the numbers of any units found to contain Legionella.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "RMT has been raising concerns over Legionella on the Siemens Thameslink fleet for weeks now and the latest cavalier approach from the company is pitifully inadequate and is an outright gamble with passenger and staff health.”

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-declares-dispute-over-legionella-outbreak