Make the bosses feel the heat

As we enter another dangerous heatwave, for which the Met Office has issued a red warning, we can expect some typical comms from management.

We'll get reminders to drink water. There may be added bromides like "Look out for each other!" Some local managers might encourage us to "Take regular breaks", but that's harder to do with a staffing level reduced by cuts, so there's fewer of us on stations in the first place.

LUL's Hot Weather Plan talks about "balancing" staff welfare against other concerns. We think staff welfare should be paramount. If staff aren't safe, we can't keep our passengers safe.

We shared some thoughts about working on stations during the last heatwave. Workers in every part of the job, including on outsourced contracts, need to be pressing management to improve welfare and safety measures. Demands might include:

- Sufficient staffing levels to ensure regular rotation and breaks in air-conditioned facilities
- Ensure all water points are working, with new ones installed wherever possible
- Sun cream to be provided by the employer, especially for workers mostly working outside, such as cleaners at open section stations
- Additional maintenance to ensure cab AC units are working — no driver should come under pressure from line controllers if they return a train with defective AC to the depot

What are the necessary adaptations you'd need in your workplace to ensure safety and welfare in the heatwave? Discuss with your workmates, draw up a list, and ask your rep to submit it to management.