Tube staff punished for avoiding alcohol tests

Tokyo Metro has taken action against 19 members of staff after discovering nine deputy stationmasters avoided compulsory blood-alcohol tests before work by using colleagues as stand-ins.

The deputy stationmasters, aged between 30 and 60-years-old, were in charge of supervising conductors on the Marunouchi, Tozai, Yurakucho and Fukotoshin underground lines.

After being tipped off by another employee in early November this year, Tokyo Metro began an investigation and found that the device used to photograph the person taking the blood-alcohol test contained pictures showing they were not the deputy stationmasters.

According to the Japan Times, the men claimed they wanted to avoid trouble, as they were aware they would be dismissed from their roles if alcohol were found in their systems.

Across 17 tests, colleagues were used as stand-ins between May 2013 and October 2014, two of whom were used four times each.

The nine stationmasters were demoted in addition to a further stationmaster who instructed an assistant to stand-in for one of the tests.

Furthermore, the nine who agreed to be stand-ins have been issued an official reprimand.

Earlier this year, French rail staff embarked on a 24-hour strike in defence of two signalmen suspended for drinking rum cocktails while operating a major signal box.

Meanwhile, earlier this month London Underground tube drivers also went on strike after a colleague was dismissed for “failing an alcohol breath test”.