Mo Makboul, a member of ticket office staff at Waterloo, was sacked in April when a customer complained of his aggressive behaviour. He told her he couldn’t refund her bus pass, then left the ticket office to return it to her. The customer first told the disciplinary panel that he had sworn at her, then said he hadn’t. Knowing that the customer was not a reliable witness and having no further incriminating evidence, the panel decided to sack him anyway.
This is one move in a widespread management attack across the tube to make us feel vulnerable in our employment, to make us fear management, and to test the strength of the union and the workforce to stand up to them.
85 staff at Waterloo and Westminster stations are standing up to this test by balloting for strike action. All staff on the group should vote yes to stand up to this injustice. The ballot closes on August 19th. Staff across the underground should give them their full support.