National Rail Strike

[Smeggers]

RMT have finally managed to get a National Rail Strike going, but what are the chances of them winning? How has it affected any of us? Bearing in mind that most of those striking are cleaners, signalmen and maintenance crews, their grievance being low pay, working conditions and safety.

 

[velcrostripes]

I drove past my local railway station and angrily waved my fist at them out of the car window .
The station is a small , unmanned one , but the gesture will not have gone un noticed .

 

[lokiuk]

There are plenty of people on low pay who daren't risk a strike without losing their jobs, not everyone has the chance to hold the country to ransom and bankrupt businesses

Seeing the RMT trying to hold the country to ransom just makes me wish for a new Thatcher to sort them out

 

[Swan Song]

Define winning.

Will they get a decent pay rise (when compared to virtually every other worker), yes, but if the union thinks it will be able to keep jobs for life, as Lynch(?) their leader seems to want, then they won't win.

ETA Mick Lynch is a total 1970s throwback of a union leader who talks like the front page of the Morning Star is being used as an autocue.

 

[re-stilly]

When all the trains are driverless we won't have to worry so much.. the fact they are on 59k and still have the temerity to complain is the thing that baulks.

 

[Teeblerone]

It's been brewing for a couple of years, apparently. It's the only 'tool' the workers have got left. They'll get strike pay, not normal pay, so it's not done for fun.
It'd be better to work as normal , but not collect fares - be popular with passengers.
Won't affect me too much, though the buses will be busy. Still a pain in the arse, but I'll put up with a bit of inconvenience.

 

[Teeblerone]

There are plenty of people on low pay who daren't risk a strike without losing their jobs, not everyone has the chance to hold the country to ransom and bankrupt businesses

Seeing the RMT trying to hold the country to ransom just makes me wish for a new Thatcher to sort them out

The politics of envy, wishing you could strike, but you can't.
They should get a new job if they don't like their low pay & they can't negotiate. (that's teh usual advice, isn't it? )

 

[Teeblerone]

I drove past my local railway station and waved my fist at them out of the car window .
The station is a small , unmanned one , but the gesture will not have gone un noticed .

I hope you shouted "I'll 'ave you, Butler!" as well.

 

[re-stilly]

If they don't like the pay then leave the job and find another job driving public transport that pays that well... if they want sympathy then you know where to find it in the dictionary

 

[lokiuk]

The politics of envy, wishing you could strike, but you can't.
They should get a new job if they don't like their low pay & they can't negotiate. (that's teh usual advice, isn't it? )

To be fair that's what I do, don't like a job I'll leave, life is to short to be working when you're unhappy

 

[Teeblerone]

When all the trains are driverless we won't have to worry so much.. the fact they are on 59k and still have the temerity to complain is the thing that baulks.

It's not the drivers that are striking (mostly) and those that are, are doing it in support of their lower-paid colleagues.
You should have joined a union that fought to get you a great pay packet.

 

[Smeggers]

When all the trains are driverless we won't have to worry so much.. the fact they are on 59k and still have the temerity to complain is the thing that baulks.

Feck all to do with drivers or guards. Read the introduction, cleaners, signalmen and maintenance crews

 

[RBMK]

RMT is run by hard left wingers who are taking home 6 figure sums out of union subs.

They have many working practices that date back to over 100 years ago. There are also numerous "local agreements" which also date from the days of steam.

Example: Sunday working is voluntary and hence if e.g. England were playing Germany in the Wrold Cup Final it's likely that there wouldn't be enought drivers available.

Example 2: Certain places have "walking time allowances" from a given location to the engine shed. This practice dates from WW1 FFS!

For interest:

Building a better railway

Appeal to rail unions and workers to not risk the future of the rail industry by striking, but rather work with government to reform our railway.

www.gov.uk

I've worked on preserved railways, both standard and narrow gauge, and alongside ex-railwaymen who were volunteering.

ETA that I'm not saying that the union is completely wrong, there are practices where I completely agree with them e.g. status and retention of guards.

 

[Signalman]

I'm a low-grade (Grade 3) signalman in a rural signalbox and still earn more than my wife, who is a senior office manager for a local authority quango, responsible for a large building and two-dozen minions. There is a regular flow of trains (averaging around 2 per hour), but there is still enough slack-time to engage in hobbies; everything I've posted in the Military Modelling thread (and a shedload more besides) was done at work.

At Network Rail we've had above-inflation pay-rises every year, all through the years of recession, austerity and covid. We've also had annual cash bonuses (averaging around £500 in every year apart from 2021 (don't know about this year yet).

The vast majority of signallers earn CONSIDERABLY more than I do, as they're either working in larger signalling centres or are rest-day relief grades. I also do the bare minimum of overtime, as I earn enough to live comfortably (three overseas holidays per year, covid/airlines permitting) and I'd rather have the time off.

We have a gold-plated pension, generous leave-entitlement, stacks of available overtime, cast-iron employment procedures and practices and quite frankly, the cushiest number I ever could have dreamed of.

The 'Brothers' of the RMT seem to think that while everyone else suffers from the after-effects of the covid epidemic and the resultant economic downturn, they can insulate themselves at the taxpayers' expense. They can therefore go and royally f&ck themselves with a pneumatic point-pumping handle.

This signal box will be open - just as it was in the last two national rail strikes.

 

[Grownup_Rafbrat]

It's not the drivers that are striking (mostly) and those that are, are doing it in support of their lower-paid colleagues.
You should have joined a union that fought to bring down a Government and watch your family go hungry whilst the leaders live in houses and draw salaries that you can only dream of, paid for by you.

It's more than 50 years since union leaders cared about members' pay and conditions.

 

[lokiuk]

Feck all to do with drivers or guards. Read the introduction, cleaners, signalmen and maintenance crews

They could get a better paying job elsewhere if they're conditions are as bad as they say they are

 

[Signalman]

(And that's aside from the RMT leadership's shameful support of the PIRA, Cuba and Putin, which is why I never have and never will join the c@nts)

 

[Teeblerone]

To be fair that's what I do, don't like a job I'll leave, life is to short to be working when you're unhappy

A good point, but if it's a job you like and are good at, where your pension is & your mates... you see profits rising and your bills rising and you've already been negotiating.

 

[wasteofrations2]

Lynch was moaning on BBC this morning about the announcement of redundancies. I doubt that he will be among them. IMHO, he was determined to have his strike, regardless. I think he sees himself as the successor to Bob Crow or even Scargill.

 

[re-stilly]

If I don't like my pay and conditions, I look for another job...simple. The Union bosses are using this as stick to try and beat BJ with..

Never have liked unions, never will. Marxist organisations with only the bosses interests at heart