ASLEF drivers are balloting for industrial action on cab security, and Tubeworker hopes that RMT will soon follow. Their demand is for a secure locking system on the cab door.
But is a technical fix enough? Is it even possible for a lock to be so secure that it is impenetrable in every imaginable situation? And what about if a driver is attacked via another route, for example through the window when checking the PTI?
Drivers have become more vulnerable as the company has withdrawn staff from stations. When an attack happens, the driver needs immediate assistance from a colleague, but there are five hundred fewer of those colleagues around to help. The chances of getting someone there quickly are getting slimmer.
So for real cab security, let's demand an increase in station staffing too!
