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Train strikes

It’s worth separating the issues, strikes and unions taking action.

The RMT strike has my full backing. One of the worst (now sacked) transport ministers in living memory systematically provoked, lied and twisted the truth at every opportunity.
The RMT battle is over huge cuts to maintenance staff and safety of the line workers and draconian cuts to terms and conditions. The lack of a pay rise for three years (minimum) trails in importance.

With Shapps-the-bastard now gone things will hopefully move on.

Drivers represented by ASLEF and, to a lesser degree, RMT will find it harder to justify their stance.
 
I was planning a walk with mates and some serious beer consumption at the end. First world problems!

I have to say I have little sympathy as they are paid pretty well anyway. I work in the Civil Service, a highly specialist role running a team of people. I earn a lot less than a train driver.
 
JezmondTutu said:
I was planning a walk with mates and some serious beer consumption at the end. First world problems!

I have to say I have little sympathy as they are paid pretty well anyway. I work in the Civil Service, a highly specialist role running a team of people. I earn a lot less than a train driver.
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In my experience, Technical and other Specialist grades attract a small premium over mainstream staff in the same grade. Not sure what grade you are but you will have the remuneration appropriate to your grade.

Many earn less than train drivers.
 
Bob McC said:
Nope.
No one is rostered.
Sundays have always been voluntary overtime.
What a way to run a National business essential to the nation.
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Hmm, that’s poor. My wife is contracted to work weekends, she’s not keen but it’s the nature of her industry. Why is transport not the same?
 
JezmondTutu said:
I was planning a walk with mates and some serious beer consumption at the end. First world problems!

I have to say I have little sympathy as they are paid pretty well anyway. I work in the Civil Service, a highly specialist role running a team of people. I earn a lot less than a train driver.
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It's not about train drivers, it's about the thousands of others that aren't drivers who keep the whole thing going that aren't "paid pretty well", do at least a little research before making daft comments like that.
 
Bob McC said:
Nope.
No one is rostered.
Sundays have always been voluntary overtime.
What a way to run a National business essential to the nation.
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That’s not necessarily true - some TOCs have Sundays included in the working week as do all freight companies.
Most TOCs have Sundays outside the working week but there is a contractual commitment that means staff either work what is rostered or find others prepared to work it as o/t.

Contrary to popular belief, Unions have pushed to have Sundays included in the working week - it means more staff required, a higher ‘establishment’ and more potential union members.
Most TOCs are against it because of cost.

Shapps and certain TOCs (I’m looking at you Avanti…) issued weasel worded press releases muddying the facts which a client media were delighted to report as fact.

In my earlier post I said differing disputes with different grades and unions should be separated.
Yes, drivers are fairly well paid but that has nothing to do with a NR track worker making £27K being forced to agree to working 39 weekends a year, up from 22 for example.
 
matt j said:
It's not about train drivers, it's about the thousands of others that aren't drivers who keep the whole thing going that aren't "paid pretty well", do at least a little research before making daft comments like that.
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Actually I had. Which IMO makes your comment pretty daft.
 
Why shouldn’t train drivers earn good money? It’s a highly skilled job requiring a long training period. The fact that they are comparatively well paid does not mean that their own petrol, heating and food has not risen in price. Tory cabinet ministers earning more than train drivers line up to portray them as greedy, selfish etc when their own noses are stuck so deeply into the trough of expenses and lucrative extra-parliamentary consultancies. Nauseating. It’s not a race to the bottom.

Moreover, train drivers have won decent pay, terms and conditions by being well organised and taking no shit from hypocritical politicians or private operators. I wish more sectors were as organised and confident as transport workers.
 
Finnegan said:
Why shouldn’t train drivers earn good money? It’s a highly skilled job requiring a long training period. The fact that they are comparatively well paid does not mean that their own petrol, heating and food has not risen in price. Tory cabinet ministers earning more than train drivers line up to portray them as greedy, selfish etc when their own noses are stuck so deeply into the trough of expenses and lucrative extra-parliamentary consultancies. Nauseating. It’s not a race to the bottom.

Moreover, train drivers have won decent pay, terms and conditions by being well organised and taking no shit from hypocritical politicians or private operators. I wish more sectors were as organised and confident as transport workers.
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Yup, level up, not down. Workers have to organise and fight for better pay and conditions. No-one's going to give it to us on a plate.
 
From the perspective of a retired train driver (limited experience, only 18 years after about 30 years in other jobs) I loved it. Some tocs include Sundays in the working week, it costs them as people generally want to have some days that tie in with friends/relatives free time. It's not an easy job, it takes a hell of a lot of concentration especially when it's dark/underground/in fog. Trains take about half a mile to stop from 100mph, you need to know the route/stopping patterns/gradients/leaf fall risks and reams of rules. The shifts (one week early the next lates with the odd week of nights thrown in) are not healthy. Still it's a great job but only for a small number who can deal with it, hence the system for recruitment and training. The pay was good but hasn't changed (in my old toc) since I retired, yet mortgages, fuel, food etc have gone up.

Workers generally live to their income, especially if they have a mortgage/young family so while drivers are paid a reasonable salary they are not rich, can just about cover a families requirements but the DM and it's readers will demonise them because they are one of the few groups not driven into penury by a choice to redistribute wealth to the already wealthy.
 
Tony L said:
One problem is the very concept of a ‘fair deal’ in a death-spiralling economy with >10% inflation in a world market running at a fraction of that. I support the unions, but I support them in ultimately bringing this government down. I don’t think pay can be logically addressed in this catastrophic economic climate, especially with a government wedded to entirely failed Thatcherite ‘trickle-down’ tax cuts for millionaires etc.

One thing that is very clear is this government will fight hard and dirty. They are already attempting to remove basic workers rights to strike activity, legalise unskilled strike-breakers etc etc. There is a real fight brewing for sure. Maybe a very long one. I don’t see how the unions can win, the economy is just too broken, but I’ll stand with them against Tory idiocy and class belligerence at every step.
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I'll give it a go; that is to predict the future.

Once upon a time, my 'job' was 'socialbly acceptable'. I have heard the pay and conditions had parity with Train Drivers on the 'Tube'.

That is absolutely not the case now. Operations were separated into different Regional Sectors.

These were then subjected to Tenders- this had the effect of needing to reduce costs.

That was always going to be pay and conditions; the loss of amenities that some of you take for granted like Toilets; Places to rest and eat meals, etc.

A pay week typically runs from Saturday to Friday; seven day runs are split into two working weeks to give the appearance of a 38-42 hour working week.

The reality is that colleagues are expected to work through seven days in a row- over two working pay weeks- and the total period over that seven days is 70+ hours.

And we're encouraged* to opt out of the European Working Time Directive.

So think please consider that lot before forming an opinion.
 
flatpopely said:
Hmm, that’s poor. My wife is contracted to work weekends, she’s not keen but it’s the nature of her industry. Why is transport not the same?
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Because there is a shortage of drivers/others prepared to work anti-social hours.

It comes down to this; are you (personally) prepared to work the hours- in the conditions I've alluded to- without some kind of enhancement to your pay?

If you were, you'd be either doing it or thinking about it.

If you aren't, then you have your answer.
 
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