You might think that by 21:30, well after a very demanding evening peak, it would be OK for a CSA to sit in the GLAP. After all, you are very visible to passengers and ready to help at a moment's notice.
But one particular manager was so distressed by the sight of a seated CSA when s/he travelled through a station late one evening that s/he felt cause to complain. So, said manager contacted the line manager, who contacted the local manager, who contacted the supervisors, who were told to give the hard word to the CSAs. Tubeworker can not help but wonder whether all those messages were sent standing up, or whether the aforementioned managers sat down to communicate their displeasure at seeing someone, erm, sitting down.
Apparently, we should only sit in the GLAP if we need to use it as a place of safety. But hang on, why then is it called the GLAP (Gate Line Assistance Point)? Why not the GLPS (Gate Line Place of Safety)?!
In fact, it can be easier for passengers to find staff who are sitting in a large box marked 'Assistance', especially outside the peak.
And hey, we all have the right to take the weight off our feet from time to time. (Actually yes, legally we have that right.) There are considerable health risks in standing for too long (lick here for more info).
If snitching us up for sitting down is the best thing that managers have to do with their time, maybe stations are wrong place to be looking to make job cuts.
