Work event in London on Thursday

[DevonRules]

We have an all day strategy event in central London on Thursday. People will be travelling from all over the country. On the basis there is now a red weather warning for London on Thursday, does that really sound like something that should be taking place? The trains are going to be a nightmare. I know the office will be air conditioned, but is it really sensible to have 50 or so people travelling for a non essential reason that day?
If I was allowed to be in a union, I’d be asking them, but I’m not.

Why don't you ask the organisers what their thoughts are ? & tell them your concerns.

This map shows the London tube/train lines that have air conditioning. Try and travel on those and you'll be fine.

<<image might take a while to load so check back if you can't see it >>

Some people might not be able to make it, most will. Presumably the venue has AC? Travel early or late, carry a fan and plenty of water. It will be fine.

What do you think people who work in London all the time do?

It’s not the London bit that’s the problem. It was more the employment rights / sensibleness of continuing with an event where people need to travel on trains across the country when there is a red weather warning. The advice in terms of red weather warnings is that you should travel only where essential and I just wondered what people’s thoughts were. Not wanting to drip feed but I have a medical condition which does mean I’m a bit more concerned than perhaps I should be - as I say if I was allowed to be in a union I’d seek their advice. I’m not someone who does this sort of thing at the drop of a hat - I’m actually pretty conscientious (hence asking the question rather than just making excuses and not turning up!)

Your company should have a risk assessment that covers all your work activities including office work and travel including extreme weather.

It should also have a business continuity plan that considers what it would do if there were disruptive events such as extreme weather, which doesn't just include storms, flooding etc, but hot weather, eg if travel disruption is likely.

ACAS has advice:

Extreme temperatures in the workplace - Acas

Talk to your Health and Safety advisor, they should advise the company on whether it is reasonable to continue.

But I don't understand what you mean by 'if I was allowed to be in a union I'd ask their advice'. Who is stopping you joining a union? I hope it's not your employer because it is illegal for them to 'not allow' you to join a union.

Joining a trade union: Trade union membership: your employment rights - GOV.UK

Thank you so much @BasiliskStarefor such a helpful and comprehensive reply. I really appreciate it.

My son was meant to be going to a uni open day in London on Wednesday, but the university has postponed it, if it helps to know that

Lner are recommending not to travel on Thursday

National Rail says avoid travel within, to or from the red alert area.

Re unions - you don’t need to work in a unionised workplace to join one. There are several general unions which are open to anybody regardless of what sector or employer you work in eg Unite, GMB.

I'm actually holding a work event on Weds morning because believe it or not it's London Climate Week this week - you could cut the irony with a knife but we are worried no one will turn up. The venue is air conditioned and it starts early in the morning so I'm really hoping people make the effort!

Yes, I'm a member of Affinity, as I work in a sector without a dedicated union. Always worth having membership to help you in situations such as this. They can't prevent you seeking union advice, or having them attend meetings where your choice is colleague or union member (and the latter will / should always be an option).

I'm supposed to travel London to Glasgow on Thursday for work and am worried about severe travel disruption too

The union thing is basically because I’m in an industry sector where people just don’t join one. Big 4 - it would effectively be career suicide.

I was due on a residential course tomorrow until Thursday evening in Milton Keynes. I was looking forward to an air conditioned conference room and hotel, but alas, it has been cancelled due to concerns for those travelling on trains. Now I have to do it from home, in my sweltering hot house

I think you’re right to be worried about train travel into London. There was a notice at Marylebone Station this evening saying that Chiltern would be cancelling half their services over the coming days and their advice was you should only travel if it was essential.

And you should join a Union if you want to - why would your employer even know?

I'm in an industry which doesn't join a union either. They're not allowed to treat you detrimentally for being a union member (and they'd only know once it's gone tits up, so worrying about 'career suicide' is rather pointless).

I work in London every day, rain or shine. Retail. I commute from outside of London. It actually amazes me how many threads I have seen about people with office jobs complaining they have to travel in during the heatwave. All whilst ‘essential’ businesses and healthcare professionals have to just suck it up.

No-one needs to know you're in a union, until you need them, and then they can help you.

And I get what a perk it is to be able to work from home. But if the railways are saying travel only if essential, and if services are being cut as others have said, then isn’t it better for people like you (and like most of my family) if you take the 100 or so people travelling to my (really not essential) strategy day out of the train network?

But surely it’s better if those able to work from home do, so the commute is more pleasant for those who can’t avoid it?

My point isn’t about what would be nice in theory. The Piccadilly line is as stuffy in 25 degrees in the mornings as it is in 30.

We cannot pretend that all the posters are worried about the essential workers - it’s about their own comfort.

And in regards to this strategy day OP has - the office manager has probably put weeks of planning in to this - booked catering etc, people have built content, perhaps even booked in external partners to come. It’s not just a regular day at the office that can be postponed.

Exactly. Whether its hot weather, cold weather, COVID or whatever reason, its the most effective way of reducing pressure on the system and yet huge numbers of people seem to willfully misunderstand this very obvious point.