SAFETY is at the bottom of management's list of priorities on strike days.
• Across the country managers and supervisors who haven't worked in a box for years are being forced to operate them with minimal training.
• Non-RMT signal workers from Crewe are being sent all over country to boxes they barely have any understanding of.
• Similarly in Edinburgh signal boxes are staffed by signal workers from Sterling and Perth.
• in Edinburgh there was a short stoppage of work by drivers frustrated and angry with so many mistakes being made. Inexperienced supervisors put two trains travelling in opposite directions on the . same track. A serious accident was averted by the quick response of drivers and the fact the trains were going slower than usual because of earlier signalling problems.
• In Victoria the manager running the signal box didn't know how to operate a vital piece of safety equipment and had to spend 3/4 hour phoning round other managers to find out how to turn it on.
• At Sandhills near Liverpool passengers were trapped between level crossing barriers.
• In Birmingham - a rail inspector sent home on Wednesday after he sald he was not able to operate a signal box safely after being subject to intense intimidation was still suspended on Saturday. He faces disciplinary action for refusing to follow a direct instruction to operate the box. Spontaneous half hour strikes took place at six other Midiands signal boxes in his support.
Three Bridges • The Three Bridges box opened on the week of the first two day action staffed by four managers, two of whom had never operated a box, the other two last doing so four years ago and their only recent knowledge based on looking at it during the strike day in the previous week when it was closed.
• ASLEF has reported near accidents at Woking, Southend, Portsmouth, Glasgow, Crewe, Shoeburyness, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Westbury, Paisley, York, Preston, Edinburgh, Liandudno amnd Llanwrst.
The lives of RMT and ASLEF members are at risk as are those of the public who are crazy enough to travel on strike days. tions with a message from the lated within the union because of the way their job is organised.
It has been very difficult for non-signal worker activists in the union to meet with them unless they have wanted to themselves and come along to RMT special meetings.
Many of them have yet to come to terms with the fact that this dispute has been made a major political confrontation by the government in its attempt to enforce the public sector pay freeze. formation about the lack of solidarity action AUGUST 3 7.30pm Red Rose Club, 129, Seven Sisters Rd N7 Speakers: Jeremy Corbyn MP + RMT executive member money and support in their
SMTUC Meeting Solidarity with the SIGNAL WORKERS