RMT Circular No. IR224/05
26 May 2005
To the Secretary; All Branches, Regional Councils & Regional Organisers

Dear Colleague

APPLICATION OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL POLICY: NETWORK RAIL (BR5/14/10)

At a meeting of the General Grades Committee earlier this year, consideration was given to a number of concerns relating to the Network Rail's application of their Drugs and Alcohol Policy, which it was felt was often heavy-handed and unnecessary. As a result it was decided to hold a meeting with our Network Rail Regional Council Chairs and Secretaries and Co-ordinators in order to further inform and develop Union policy in this matter.

At this meeting representatives cited a number of individual cases and highlighted the following specific areas of concern.

* Non-Issue of Employee Guidance
* Excessive Waiting Time for Screening
* Food and Drink Not Permitted While Waiting
* Inadequate Testing Facilities
* Post Incident Testing Criteria
* Loss of Earnings When Stood Down
* Principle of Unannounced Testing
* Selection Process for Unannounced/Random Tests
* Lack of Time off Following Any Unannounced/Random Test

Many of these issues had in fact already been raised in discussions with Network Rail under the umbrella of health and safety, without clear remedies. As such, the General Grades Committee felt there was now a danger that the consensus which has always existed in relation to the general problem of drugs and alcohol may be broken, and unless the company addressed our concerns there could also be a breakdown in industrial relations.

Accordingly, it was decided that an urgent meeting should be sought with the Network Rail Human Resources Director in order to impress this upon the Company and try and reach a settlement on each of these issues. A request for that meeting has now been made, and I will keep Branches advised of developments.

Yours sincerely,

General Secretary