HEALTH and safety are at the core of everything we do as a trade union. Transport workers play a vital role in keeping our communities moving. However, many still face unacceptable risks, including workplace violence and hazardous conditions.

RMT is committed to ensuring that all transport staff can work safely and with dignity, and we believe that stronger protections are needed to achieve this.

That is why we are bringing together safety representatives from across the country for our Health & Safety Advisory Conference. This important event provides a platform for trade union activists, legal experts and campaigners to examine the current challenges facing transport workers and to push for practical solutions that will make workplaces safer.

Our focus is clear: improving workplace safety, strengthening legal safeguards and ensuring employers prioritise the wellbeing of their staff.

The conference, taking place in York, will bring together hundreds of RMT safety representatives over two days, with a key focus on the Labour government’s approach to workplace protections. 

Trade unions have long advocated for stronger safety regulations in industries like transport, where workers face unique risks. Labour’s plans, outlined in its Next Steps to Make Work Pay document, include extending legal protections against blacklisting, updating health and safety regulations, improving awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace, modernising safety guidance for extreme temperatures, and reviewing protections for workers suffering from long Covid. While these proposals represent positive steps, it is essential that they translate into meaningful improvements for workers on the ground.

Speakers at the conference will include Lord John Hendy KC, a leading workers’ rights lawyer, and Janet Newsham from the National Hazards Campaign, who will assess whether Labour’s pledges meet the needs of workers. A key discussion point will be whether the UK can use its post-Brexit position to enhance health and safety laws beyond outdated EU regulations, ensuring a modern framework that properly protects today’s workforce.

RMT believes there is a real opportunity to work constructively with the government to deliver practical and enforceable protections for transport workers. By engaging in dialogue and sharing the experiences on the ground of our members, we can help shape policies that genuinely improve safety at work.

One of the most pressing issues facing our members is the escalating violence against transport staff. The dreadful killing of Jorge Ortega, a customer experience assistant on the MTR Elizabeth Line and a dedicated RMT member, who lost his life following an assault at Ilford train station last December, has deeply affected transport workers across the sector. His death will be remembered at the conference as we discuss ways to ensure stronger protections for front-line staff.

RMT members have raised growing concerns about the increasing number and severity of assaults on station staff, train crews and other transport workers. The union believes that proactive steps must be taken by both employers and the government to improve safety and provide workers with the support they need.

Doug Russell, former national health and safety officer for Usdaw, will speak at the conference about his union’s Freedom from Fear campaign, which has successfully advocated for stronger protections for retail workers facing abuse. Many of the challenges faced by transport workers — lone working, a lack of enforcement against offenders, and insufficient employer support for staff affected by violence — are similar to those in the retail sector.

One positive development has been the Protection of Workers Act in Scotland, which provides enhanced legal protections for shop workers by making it a specific offence to assault or abuse them. Our union believes that similar protections should be introduced across the UK for transport workers, who also face regular exposure to abuse and violence from the public.

Proactive measures to improve safety

We are calling for a clear and practical strategy to reduce workplace violence and improve staff safety. Key measures include:

• Increasing staffing levels to reduce lone working and provide additional support in high-risk areas.
• Investing in security measures such as CCTV, body-worn cameras, panic alarms and improved lighting in stations and on trains.
• Providing specialist training for workers in conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques.
• Ensuring all incidents are properly investigated by both employers and law enforcement.

Employers also have a responsibility to support workers who experience violence or abuse in the workplace. All transport sector employers must implement clear policies for dealing with workplace violence, including:

• Providing aftercare for affected staff, including access to medical and psychological support.
• Offering legal assistance for workers who wish to pursue prosecution against offenders.
• Ensuring robust reporting procedures so that all incidents are recorded and acted upon appropriately.

Our members should feel confident that reporting violence or threats will lead to action, rather than being ignored or treated as if such incidents are a routine part of the job when they are not.

By having strong industrial trade unionism where members are prioritised and not afraid to fight, along with a constructive dialogue with employers, we can work towards creating a transport sector where safety is not just a priority, but a guarantee.