Following the publication of the OSP rosters, consultation has taken place with members in the limited amount of release time granted by LUL, and the following comments are made in regards to management’s proposals:

Bermondsey

Whilst management stated that both Station Supervisors and Control Room staff would be unaffected by the OSP proposals, it is clear this is not the case.

In regards to both the above grades, the ‘long Sundays’ have been abolished, with a result in a 50% increase in Sunday working, which is clearly un-acceptable to all concerned. Further, a new roster was introduced for these grades over a year ago, which gave staff 3 rest days off after nights. This roster was introduced after the staff requested it themselves. This has also disappeared under the OSP roster. The extra weekend working and lack of 3 rest days after nights are un-acceptable to the grades concerned. Duty 3 (SA (CR)) has un-acceptable ‘split’ rest days.

Further, the station supervisor is allocated gateline duties between 1530-1730. This leaves the station without adequate supervision during the peak hour, resulting in either contractors being denied access, or gatelines left un-attended.

The loss of five CSA positions and 1 part time CSA position is un-acceptable. Not only does this leave no CSA during the middle of the day to be able to assist with any emergency, it also means the Station Supervisor is rostered on the gateline during these times. This would mean that the supervisor would be un-able to deal with any contractors booking on etc, or that the gateline would be left un-attended during any incidents during this time. Platform staffing has also all but disappeared, resulting in a lack of available staff to assist in any emergency or assist train operators, or during normal station control incidents. There will also be a dramatic reduction in the availability of customer service at Bermondsey. The proposed CSA roster has staff working 7 late turns, with a rest day, a spare day, followed by another rest day. This is probably the worst example of an un-family friendly roster that duty schedules have ever produced, and is clear that these people have not the slightest idea of what a ‘work life balance’ is!

The SAMF roster & schematics are also un-acceptable, as it seems to have more gateline working on it than actual ticket selling. Whilst we welcome that no positions have been withdrawn, this seems to be at the expense of the CSA grade, which we can-not accept. If, as management said, this review is about ‘ticket office staffing’, then why have the SAMF full time positions at Bermondsey been un-affected, but the CSA’s decimated.

It was ‘suggested’ that should the supervisor require assistance when there is no CSA ‘rostered’ on duty, then the SAMF can be used to assist. This would then lead to the closure of the ticket office (which the BNS says needs to be open during this time), and also the SAMF has to sign off their TOM, secure their cash etc (LUL rules), all of which adds up to a delay which could lead to a minor delay or incident becoming a major one.

London Bridge

Whilst management stated that both Station Supervisors and Control Room staff would be unaffected by the OSP proposals, it is clear this is not the case.

The station Supervisor positions have been reduced by 2, with the ‘double cover’ on nights withdrawn, and the meal break turns withdrawn. There is no indication as to who will now provide the meal relief’s for Bermondsey (and London Bridge), and the ‘double cover’ has been withdrawn despite management’s so called ‘assurances’ stating that double cover would be un-affected. These positions need to be re-instated forthwith. There are also problems with split rest days (Duty 6).

The control room roster has staff working at Canada Water and Canary Wharf, as well as Bermondsey. It also has them rostered on the gateline. The staff nominated to work at LOB, and not to be a reserve. Also, the proposed roster is more unsociable than the current one, with only one duty that could be considered a ‘sociable’ shift’, as nights are then followed by 2 weeks of late’s.

Despite repeated requests at level one meetings for increased gateline coverage, the opposite seems to have happened. In fact, the establishment has actually been reduced by one. Of particular note is that on Saturdays, the Jubilee gates are single staffed until 1000, and the northern gateline single staffed until 0915. Also, after 2000, both gatelines are single staffed again. On Sunday, the Jubilee gateline is single staffed all day, and the northern gates single staffed until 1015 and again from 1915. The consequences of an emergency occurring with this amount of staffing does not bear thinking about, considering the amount of passengers passing through London Bridge at weekends during these times, an also the failure of management to provide sufficient WAG gates in the ticket hall. Even during the week, single staffing of gatelines after 2000 with the amount of passenger traffic is nothing but a disgrace, apart from putting staff at risk of assault.

At the Borough High Street side of the station, management have reneged on an agreement made at the time of the SWW that this side of the station would be ‘double staffed’ at all times, due to the remoteness of it from the rest of the station, and for the safety and security of both staff and passengers. This needs to be corrected. Also, will the BHS side of the station remain unstaffed until 0615 M-F, and 0600 on Sat, or is it closed until this time, as no staff are rostered on this side of the station until then.

Between CSA duties 19 and 22, there are two examples of 8 day working, rather than this being eliminated, or at least spread over the roster, and also there seems to be a large variance in hour’s works week by week. Also, as there is a duty worked by an SAMF and also a SA (CR), have management taken account of anyone with a medical restriction having to cover this duty.

The SAMF roster has been reduced by 4, despite there being no justification in this. The ticket office at LOB is constantly busy, and if anything needs an increase in establishment rather than a reduction. There is also a large variance on hours week by week on the SAMF roster, which needs to be addressed. Further, no provision seems to have been made on these schematics for POM servicing, or banking, despite the reduction in staff which will inevitably lead to more passengers using the machines, meaning they will need servicing more often. Also, duty 6 has un-acceptable ‘split’ rest days.

Clarification needs to be given with regards to the ‘B’ office, as this seems to have disappeared from all schematics.

Southwark

Whilst management stated that Station Supervisors would be unaffected by the OSP proposals, it is clear this is not the case.

Whilst the supervisory coverage has increased from 4 to 5, the reduction in other posts far outweighs any benefits this provides. There is also a very unusual booking off time on this roster of 1836. (Duty 3)

Also, the station supervisor is allocated gateline duties between 0745-1030, on the Waterloo East side of the station. Not only does this leave the station without adequate supervision during the peak hour, resulting in either contractors being denied access, or gatelines left un-attended, but the Waterloo East gateline is the remotest point of the station, and should the fire alarm activate, then there will be insufficient time for the supervisor to return to the other side of the station before it goes into ‘evacuation’ mode.

The supervisor is also allocated gateline duties during the PM peak on the main gateline, which is also undesirable.

The loss of 4 F/T and 2 P/T CSA positions is un-acceptable, and will lead to a massive deterioration to passenger service at the station. The CSA roster also has the staff booking on at 0520, and the station opening at 0520, which is impossibility, as all staff need to book on/be in position before the station opens to the public.

The Waterloo East gateline according to the schematics is only staffed between 0615-1115 and 1530-1945 M-F, remaining unstaffed all weekend. Is this part of the station now only going to be open during these times, or are we just going to abandon staffing it? Also, the main gateline appears unstaffed until 0645 on a Saturday.

On week 2 (CSA), following 7 dead lates, there is only one rest day before returning to a 1200 duty, which is hardly allowing anyone’s body clock to adjust to these changes. There should always be 2 rest days when coming off of late turns.

Platform coverage also seems to be in-consistent with as it is currently, with SATS having been withdrawn from the E/B during the AM peak, but introduced during the PM peak.

The reduction in SAMF’s is also of concern, and no POM servicing or banking time is shown on the schematics.

Conclusion

This summary of all three stations on the current London Bridge Group considers the detrimental impact management’s cuts to front line staff will cause under the OSP rosters. The reduction of PED staffing, whilst the Jubilee line introduce the TBTC system is astonishing, apart from being foolish and dangerous. The ‘Oyster’ effect has been exposed as nothing but an excuse to cut other grades, as can be seen by the decimation of the CSA establishment at Bermondsey, which will lead to more problems than any reduction could ever save financially.

The fact that management have ‘lied’ to staff, as can be borne out by the withdrawal of double cover on nights at London Bridge is not surprising, and the incidents of split rest days (i.e. 7 days on, 1 day off then back on again) fails to address any work life balance that staff may have. It is quite clear that these rosters, and the schematics that go with them, have been devised by people with no knowledge or interest in public service, and no understanding of what a work life balance is.

The RMT clearly reject all of LUL’s proposed OSP rosters, and have to record, for the minutes, a ‘failure to agree’ at this level.

Jason Humphreys
RMT Representative – London Bridge Group