Hello to new followers (not sure why you’d want to, but ok!)

I used to talk about trains/working in the industry, but as a result of being in my 95th day of shielding, I haven’t seen a train in all that time (despite currently residing next to the Maidenhead-Marlow line).

That said, as a result of having to put up w/over 13yrs of misogynistic crap, ageism, racism, bullying, harassment, & a load of other crap in the industry (& its transport museum counterpart), I don’t/won’t talk about it much now.

Like most institutions, it’s rotten to the core.

Let’s just make one thing clear: I still love trains though.

I just don’t like a lot of the people management processes, the rotten parts of ‘messroom’ culture, some of discourse from both management and unions. Oh - and the idea that ‘seniority’ equates to competence.

But yes. I still like trains. I still love driving the trains (when permitted). I still love the romance of travelling by train. And I love seeing the trains all over the world (with a soft spot for Japanese trains). I mean, my love for them is how I came to be in the industry.

(I don’t like pacers though. Soz.)

Honestly. There’s nothing I want more than for people that love and appreciate the railways in this country to sign up, and I don’t ever want any young people (or their parents) to be deterred from doing so. We need a skills-base from all works of life, but also with passion.

But as someone that joined the rail industry in 2007, fresh-faced at 18, forever the ‘baby’ of whatever location I came to work at (til I moved to the Met line in 2012, where I finally became the second youngest driver there); young women need to prepare for the harsh realities.

Yes it’s 2020. But to many in this industry, it means nothing. HR is also way out of touch when it comes to things like conflict resolution. How many HR advisors have frontline operational experience or understand the covert prejudices of ‘messroom culture’?

The complexities of this culture are massive and far-reaching. It is an issue that managers, TU officials and HR teams need to take into consideration. And neither of those parties are innocent - they are complicit in ensuring this toxic culture continues in their own ways.

If we are going to change & progress, it takes more than policies & sticking a generic equality-related.jpg in your work email signature. All parties in industry need to start having honest conversations & stop putting up faceless notices to go up in messrooms/booking-on points.

And if any of the work Social Media police are out there: Sit yourselves down & strap yourselves in. I tried Yammer, I tried face-to-face, and right now, it’s not just about *you* anymore. You need only see the replies on this thread/in my DMs.

Our work culture needs changing.

‘However, it is evident from Professor Brown’s research that the presence of ‘banter’ makes serious forms of sexual harassment more likely.’

At some point, I’ll share with you my Xmas Work Do 2016. Someone thought it was ok to touch my bottom, & the messroom crucified me for it. https://twitter.com/sarahcactus1/status/1251144892262170632

We work in an environment where it’s still rare to work alongside female members of family; daughters/sisters/mothers, etc., but not uncommon. I know of many families on the railway. But there appears to be a separation in thinking it’s ok to say certain things. Because railway.

Example: It appears perfectly fine for a colleague to say I was ‘asking for it’ when I got my bottom man-handled at the Xmas Work Do. Because I had climbed onto a high-chair to reach my handbag that somebody had placed out of my reach & apparently waving my bum around the place.

But then the same type of colleague would get outraged/calling for sackings because their daughter/niece/whoever had the same thing happen to them, but they don’t work on the railway. So it’s ok to be outraged and get others to be outraged with you.

Pardon me, but WTAF is that?