Malcolm Taylor, RMT Stations & Revenue Council rep, writes ...

I spy with my little eye a CSA not doing what I think s/he should be doing! Behold the new competence assurance, renamed: Competence Management System.

This is yet another new management tool forced through on the back of new laws, which enables assessors to monitor our work over a rolling two-year period. This will then be noted onto our files and supposedly on-the-spot feedback given to staff when the assessors are assessing. Glad to see management think we have the time, while staffing busy stations, to stand around and receive feedback.

Management are looking at three main areas – safety, performance and customer benefit – as the criteria for assessments. We will all receive a sparkly new booklet telling us how to do our jobs and explaining the three groups in detail. You will also be assessed as to your time-keeping when booking on duty and whether or not you are ready to work.

Most of these assessors will be duty managers. RMT fears that the system is wide open to abuse, with managers letting their personal views about staff affect their judgments. But LUL also wants Station Supervisors to assess other staff. We don’t accept this, as we see it as the latest in a long line of attempts to make Supervisors feel more like managers and less like part of the station workforce.

Management have told your union that any performance issue identified as a result of this unannounced assessing will not be used towards disciplinary action. Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor, but going on past records I am somewhat sceptical of this!

Watch this space for further updates.