Just as Santa has his little helpers, so London Underground has its ICSAs - and they are coming back for Christmas.
Although they are supposed to be on the 'unpaid' side of the barrier only, during the Olympics, we saw ICSAs deployed around the stations in places where they shouldn't be. This led to several near-disasters, with admin staff minimally-trained in stations work making mistakes on platforms that could have caused chaos.
This is not to insult admin staff - we wouldn't want to see station staff doing admin work with minimal training either.
Thankfully, RMT's 'action short of strike' gave staff protection to refuse to go along with this nonsense. That action is still on, so stand your ground over the festivities.
And a note to admin staff who are 'asked' (browbeaten, more like) into being ICSAs: The company is using you to undermine your stations workmates jobs. When they come for your job, their gratitude will count for nothing. You don't have to do it. Just say no.
