Hot and Bothered

On a lot of stations, air conditioning hasn't been able to cope with the heat. It's either so ancient and badly maintained or it's brand new kit that's been installed on the cheap.

Platform duties in these temperatures are unbearable. An official temperature check on Central Line platforms came up at 104 degrees Fahrenheit!

These temperatures are dangerous. If the blood rises above 39C (102F) then there is a risk of heat stroke or collapse. In the recent heatwave a cleaner who picks litter from trains on sub-surface platforms at Elephant and Castle collapsed from heat exhaustion and later died. LU and Initial need to be made to answer for this tragedy.

It's disgraceful that there is no legal maximum workplace temperature, although workplace health and safety regulations state temperatures should be 'reasonable'. MPs and the TUC have started to call for a legal maximum temperature of 30C(86F).

But legal guidelines stipulate a minimum temperature of 16 degrees celcius, but that's never stopped LU sending staff to stand on gatelines in sub zero temperatures. Getting bosses to stick to the law is down to our militancy and organisation. LU is only considering issuing thermal underwear following RMT's survey into cold weather working.

It's ironic that LU keeps stressing to station staff to make sure passengers are OK, handing out leaflets on how we can assist. But LU doesn't care that its frontline staff are sweating, dizzy, sometimes without access to water and with nowhere to cool down.

But let's face it, LU only 'cares' about passengers because someone passed out on a train will cause service delays.

We ought to make them care about us by saying, 'if it's too hot, we'll book off'! If LU had multiple station closures, it'd soon fix the air con and provide enough staff to rotate platform duties.

We need to fight militantly for the right to work in comfort.