What shall We Do With Rude Tube Workers?

You who know my style, and let's face it, there are only a handful of you out there, will have noticed by now that I simply never, or rarely write about my work, or its politics thereof. Those who know me in the context of work (London Underground) know that I am a bit of a disciplinarian, to put it mildly. I am capable of having a laugh with anybody, but be late for your duty and you'll find that I take no prisoners. So you'll be forgiven if you're taken aback by what I'm about to say.
Lay off the "Rudest Tube Worker".


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8325406.stm



I watched that short clip time and time again, trying to hear just what is said there. Here is my opinion, for what it's worth.

That guy's conduct is unreasonable, obsessive and slightly deranged. He is a man in a state of high agitation, frustrated and hostile. Why?
I could never accept his conduct as shown in the clip. But before we jump down his throat, like notably the Evening Standard's front page "Sack Him" headlines, I beg you to take some points into consideration.

The clip clearly starts well after the conflict has been triggered. The Customer Service Assistant is surrounded with what seems like a sea of people who have just been delayed (according to other eyewitnesses, the clip recorder included) by the person with whom the CSA had that ugly (and avoidable) argument. We all know what it means when a person's arm is trapped in the door of the train. It can only happen when someone shoves his arm into the closing doors, in the knowledge that comes with experience. The train will not be able to move, and the train operator will have to open the doors again sooner rather than later. It causes more congestion, delays and misery to others, but it increases your chances to get on board the train you couldn't take in the first place, so who cares about the rest of those suckers who chose to wait patiently for the next train?

All the while the CSA whose job is to stand on the platform throughout the peak period, and who is there to stop exactly this type of anti-social behaviour from occurring, has an incredibly stressful time. The CSAs on platform duties are as ordinary and extraordinary as the public they serve. But put anybody on a tinderbox of this kind, and you're never too far away from a flashpoint. Our CSAs get plenty of training, part of which is how to deal with what we coyly call "challenging behaviour". The man at the centre of the now infamous incident clearly didn't apply his training on this occasion. But what exactly preceded the bit we get to see? Has he been provoked, swore at? I must stress that no matter what mitigating circumstances there may be, the CSA could have handled the situation better. Specially if he was to dissect it at his computer in the comfort of his living room, like I am. The man he was shouting at - where is he? What has he got to say for himself? Is he, like the CSA who was rude to him, traumatised by the incident? I can't help wondering whether anybody bothered to put their arm around him and ask him how he were.

So there. You'd probably have thought I'd say: "you're finished mate". If you had, you'd be wrong. We, and London Underground have a duty of care to our colleagues we are so proud of. Now is as good a time as ever to put it to good use.