London underground staff

Bassmansam

Bassmansam

Bassmansam

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22 Nov 2007
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So i’m watching this documentary on youtube about customer service assistants in the underground. According to this one of their roles is to walk over live track to remove any obstructions if one becomes apparent.

Wtf? These people earn 16-22k max i would assume and they are expected to risk their lives. Has anyone ever done this job?


about 15 mins in
 
At the same time, there are live timetables showing when the trains are going to arrive, and I'm sure they would be in contact with the main office, who would hold a train if needs be.
I've used the undergound before and the trains have had to wait in the tunnel to be able to stop at the platform.
I doubt the staff would just hop onto the track to remove something from the track, there would be procedures in place for their safety, especially in today's nanny state.
 
Doing that above ground and doing it down in the tunnels are two very different things.

I’ve been stood at Lancaster Gate when a customer dropped a satchel onto the tracks. The CSA couldn’t retrieve the item safely using the insulated grabbers they have, so he got on the radio and the trains were halted. A bloke in full orange hi-vis arrived, got the traction current switched off, fitted a shorting link to ensure it stayed off and then hopped off the edge of platform to retrieve the satchel. Hopped back up, removed link and got on the radio.

All sorted in order 10 minutes.

Railtrack and GWR staff could learn a lot from TfL.
 
You'd have to put in some significant effort to get zapped by a rail. What the staff are expected to dl is wrong regardless, but you're not gonna get electrocuted that easily.
 
Bassmansam said:
So i’m watching this documentary on youtube about customer service assistants in the underground. According to this one of their roles is to walk over live track to remove any obstructions if one becomes apparent.

Wtf? These people earn 16-22k max i would assume and they are expected to risk their lives. Has anyone ever done this job?


about 15 mins in
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My other half is a CSA (Customer Service Assistant) for London Underground and she earns a lot more then 22K! There paid by the hour and when she got first got the job I worked out on an hourly basis she was earning more than me (at the time I was working as a management accountant for a US based insurance firm). The work staff that you see working for LU are backed up by the strongest union in the country, jobs are well paid and come with very generous benefits w(is why bloody train travel is so expensive in this country).

The people that can walk over live tracks aren't regular CSAs only managers and supervisors are authorised to do that and there paid 40K-80K depending on experience. CSAs can pick up objects at the side of tracks from the the edge of the platform once the service controller has confirmed the train has been stopped but are not allowed on the tracks.
 
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Freddie1980 said:
My other half is a CSA (Customer Service Assistant) for London Underground and she earns a lot more then 22K! There paid by the hour and when she got first got the job I worked it worked she was earning more then on an hourly basis and at the time I was a management accountant. The people that work for LU are backed up by the strongest union in the country, jobs are well paid and come with very generous benefits which is why bloody train travel is so expensive in this country.

The people that can walk over live tracks aren't regular CSAs only managers and supervisors are aloud to do that and there paid 40K-80K depending on experience. CSAs can pick up objects at the side of tracks from the theplatform edge once the service controller has confirmed the train has been stopped.
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Thats some impressive grammar and spelling for a management accountant. I think that maybe the reason she was earning more than you.
 
Tony Edwards said:
Thats some impressive grammar and spelling for a management accountant. I think that maybe the reason she was earning more than you.
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What is your problem? Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning or did your parents not give you enough attention when you were a child?
 
Bassmansam said:
So i’m watching this documentary on youtube about customer service assistants in the underground. According to this one of their roles is to walk over live track to remove any obstructions if one becomes apparent.

Wtf? These people earn 16-22k max i would assume and they are expected to risk their lives. Has anyone ever done this job?


about 15 mins in
Click to expand...

I don't understand how money comes into it. No one should be risking their lives for any money when it can be avoided.

These people won't be risking their lives. I don't think you've met the RMT.

Watching the video is it massively different from crossing a road with moving traffic?
 
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muon said:
I don't understand how money comes into it. No one should be risking their lives for any money when it can be avoided.

These people won't be risking their lives. I don't think you've met the RMT.

Watching the video is it massively different from crossing a road with moving traffic?
Click to expand...

er.. what if you slip when going over the live rail?
 
Mason- said:
Wow, who put 50p in the ********?
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T6nBq2J.gif


Bassmansam said:
er.. what if you slip when going over the live rail?
Click to expand...
Free crackling for everyone yaaay!
 
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