Workplace Report February 2006

Health & safety news

Tube hero's job is at risk

A London Underground driver commended for bravery after helping passengers during the July 2005 bombings has been told that he may be sacked unless he gets back to his driving duties.

Although Darryl Lisles has been too traumatised to drive a train through a tunnel since the attacks, he has been training other drivers in classrooms and has not missed a day of work.

But company sickness procedures mean that anyone deemed “medically unfit to work” is given around 16 weeks to find an alternative position within the company or face losing their job.

ASLEF train drivers’ union rep Steve Grant described the move as “medical termination”. He said managers are pressing workers back to their jobs to protect their own performance-related bonuses.