Tube Drivers: What's The Deal? Average salary £37,800.

[Barrel of Fun]

London tube train drivers have voted in favour of striking on Boxing Day in a row over pay, it was announced today.

Members of Aslef backed industrial action by a ratio of 9-1, threatening disruption to football fans and Christmas shoppers in the capital.

The union is claiming triple time and a day off in lieu for its members working on 26 December, saying London Underground is refusing to offer any extra pay.

The Aslef general secretary, Keith Norman, said: "It is painfully obvious to any reasonable person that Boxing Day is not an ordinary working day and therefore it is no surprise that Aslef members have reacted in the way they have."

The vote was 1,025 in favour of striking, with 127 against.

The tube has been hit by a series of strikes in recent weeks by members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association in a separate row over jobs.

A Transport for London spokesman said: "It is disgraceful that Aslef should try to hold Londoners and London Underground to ransom in this way.

"London Underground has a long-standing agreement with all of its trade unions which cover staff working arrangements on bank holidays, and Boxing Day is included in that agreement.

"LU has made every effort to resolve this issue with the Aslef leadership, which has refused to attend talks at Acas to discuss its claim for triple time and a day in lieu for its members."

 

[KneeOn]

On the one hand yeah, its boxing day. and they don't have an amazing job. you have to have high levels of concentration and to be fast enough to make a time table. Its a hard and mentally straining job.

On the other though they can f*** RIGHT OFF. I think I get time and a half for boxing day and new years eve. Thats it. No extra pay on bank holidays, and we are only closed 2 days a year. I get dodgey shifts and get burnt constantly. The wages are shit, for a more demanding and a job that requires more skill than filling in stock/running things through a check out does. They earn a fair wedge...

I'm just about with them though.

 

[fruitnveg]

On the one hand yeah, its boxing day. and they don't have an amazing job. you have to have high levels of concentration and to be fast enough to make a time table. Its a hard and mentally straining job.

On the other though they can f*** RIGHT OFF. I think I get time and a half for boxing day and new years eve. Thats it. No extra pay on bank holidays, and we are only closed 2 days a year. I get dodgey shifts and get burnt constantly. The wages are shit, for a more demanding and a job that requires more skill than filling in stock/running things through a check out does. They earn a fair wedge...

I'm just about with them though.

So its only alright when you do it?

Not that i support them, greedy bar stewards.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

isnt this a job for which there is a waiting list?

.

I imagine this is the case for most jobs given the current climate.

 

[Superphil]

From what i understand (my missus step dad is a tube driver) they're striking because of the cuts to on platform staff.

There’s a job about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Why the f*** do we need a bloke (or laydee) standing on the platform telling us the doors are closing, the f***ing doors bleep at you, then close, it's not f***ing rocket science? OK, so they tell you to move down the carriage, but they do f*** all about it if someone doesn’t. What exact purpose do Underground platform staff serve? And come to think of it, half the time you don't get platform staff anyway, I use the tube regularly, and I would say much less than 50% of the time is there someone on the platform, and I've never seen anyone struggling with the concept of getting on a train, or off it. If I have seen someone having difficulties, there certainly isn't a yellow jacketed Stormtrooper Nazi Gestapo Thug* Underground operative rushing to their aid, it's normally a decent sort who helps someone on or off the train with a pushchair/suitcase etc.

* I believe that is the correct NSC term for someone in a high visibility jacket.

 

[smudge]

Wish I had a union as strong as theirs representing me in my job.

Also, if you think that platform staff aren't needed on the tube, I think you mean that YOU don't need any platform staff to assist you. Try & think of those people that do require assistance.

 

[Simster]

All those whinging about their better halves earning less in a care home or nursing or whatever - why tell the tube drivers to f*** off? Couldn't you direct your anger at certain others being paid obsene amounts of money for shit results instead (and there are plenty of these types running corporate Britain) or footballers with no morals or something.

Tube drivers earn what they do because they are properly protected by unions, that much is clear. What's to stop your wives applying for a job as a tube driver? Or alternatively, joining a care-worker union that is actually effective?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

All those whinging about their better halves earning less in a care home or nursing or whatever - why tell the tube drivers to f*** off? Couldn't you direct your anger at certain others being paid obsene amounts of money for shit results instead (and there are plenty of these types running corporate Britain) or footballers with no morals or something.

Tube drivers earn what they do because they are properly protected by unions, that much is clear. What's to stop your wives applying for a job as a tube driver? Or alternatively, joining a care-worker union that is actually effective?

This!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Also, if you think that platform staff aren't needed on the tube, I think you mean that YOU don't need any platform staff to assist you. Try & think of those people that do require assistance.

This

 

[KneeOn]

So its only alright when you do it?

Not that i support them, greedy bar stewards.

I'm more jealous of their union to be honest. I do support them when I look past my own shallow materialistic views on my pay.

And no, anyone can protest its just some things are more worthy than others, and that is why people never totally agree with eachother about what is and isn't worth protesting.

 

[Superphil]

Also, if you think that platform staff aren't needed on the tube, I think you mean that YOU don't need any platform staff to assist you. Try & think of those people that do require assistance.

This

Thanks for not reading my post, I'll try to make it clearer. When I do see platform staff, they appear to do f*** all except tell you the doors are closing, or to move down the carraige. There is generally only one of them, so they can do f*** all to help at busy times apart from on the carraige they are standing opposite. I've helped pushchairs off the tube, I've seen people struggling, and I do not believe I have ever seen the platform staff do anything to help. Of course, I haven't sat there all day watching, so I guess they probably do some of the more invaluable work when I am not around.

 

[Simster]

Thanks for not reading my post, I'll try to make it clearer. When I do see platform staff, they appear to do f*** all except tell you the doors are closing, or to move down the carraige. There is generally only one of them, so they can do f*** all to help at busy times apart from on the carraige they are standing opposite. I've helped pushchairs off the tube, I've seen people struggling, and I do not believe I have ever seen the platform staff do anything to help. Of course, I haven't sat there all day watching, so I guess they probably do some of the more invaluable work when I am not around.

I read your post and throught it was a load of shit. You got short thrift because you deserved it. Referring to platform staff, this is what you said:

There's a job about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

And now you're contracting yourself:

I haven't sat there all day watching, so I guess they probably do some of the more invaluable work when I am not around

Make your mind up, FFS.

 

[redneb]

All those whinging about their better halves earning less in a care home or nursing or whatever - why tell the tube drivers to f*** off? Couldn't you direct your anger at certain others being paid obsene amounts of money for shit results instead (and there are plenty of these types running corporate Britain) or footballers with no morals or something.

Tube drivers earn what they do because they are properly protected by unions, that much is clear. What's to stop your wives applying for a job as a tube driver? Or alternatively, joining a care-worker union that is actually effective?

Sim you cant compare soccerball players and politicians to train drivers.

If youre a premier league footballer it's usually because youve got a talent you were born with combined with a lot of hard work. Not only that, it's a huge risk if you spend your teens training to be a footballer then you get let go by your club coz you've got f*** all talent - what do you fall back on to? Politicians like us have to spend years at Uni. You and I both know that if you go to Uni, you have to think twice if you want to buy a CD or pair trousers up until the age of 21.

Train drivers on the other hand have usually left school at 16 with no qualifications, get a £200 a week job (or whatever) at a supermarket whilst still living at home, then apply to be a train driver being trained on the job. Basically no real sacrifices there - no real periods in their lives of being properly skint.

 

[Simster]

Sim you cant compare soccerball players and politicians to train drivers.

If youre a premier league footballer it's usually because youve got a talent you were born with combined with a lot of hard work. Not only that, it's a huge risk if you spend your teens training to be a footballer then you get let go by your club coz you've got f*** all talent - what do you fall back on to? Politicians like us have to spend years at Uni. You and I both know that if you go to Uni, you have to think twice if you want to buy a CD or pair trousers up until the age of 21.

Train drivers on the other hand have usually left school at 16 with no qualifications, get a £200 a week job (or whatever) at a supermarket whilst still living at home, then apply to be a train driver being trained on the job. Basically no real sacrifices there - no real periods in their lives of being properly skint.

No-one made you go to university. No-one made you take a job that required some sort of sacrifice. Have you ever applied to be a train driver? If not, why not? (seeing as you insist it is so cushy). I can understand why you might complain about strike action over specific issues but I don't understand why people like you are whining at them for having the temerity to demand a comfortable standard of living.

 

[redneb]

No-one made you go to university. No-one made you take a job that required some sort of sacrifice. Have you ever applied to be a train driver? If not, why not? (seeing as you insist it is so cushy). I can understand why you might complain about strike action over specific issues but I don't understand why people like you are whining at them for having the temerity to demand a comfortable standard of living.

I went to Uni coz I was taught you get what you put in. I don't agree (like most people) that there should be a shortcut to a comfortable standard of living.

There's no reason why train drivers should get paid more than nurses, firemen, even teachers ffs. Saying "why didnt you decide to become a train driver then" is a weak argument.

 

[Simster]

I went to Uni coz I was taught you get what you put in. I don't agree (like most people) that there should be a shortcut to a comfortable standard of living.

There's no reason why train drivers should get paid more than nurses, firemen, even teachers ffs. Saying "why didnt you decide to become a train driver then" is a weak argument.

It's far less weak than your line that teachers and nurses get paid less. Our cousin is a sister at Guys having been to nursing college to take a degree. I've decided I value her work more than your job in IT. And I've decided that consequently you should take a paycut.


You can't compare people in completely different lines of work because life isn't fair. That's why we have a progressive taxation system.

 

[redneb]

It's far less weak than your line that teachers and nurses get paid less. Our cousin is a sister at Guys having been to nursing college to take a degree. I've decided I value her work more than your job in IT. And I've decided that consequently you should take a paycut.
.

NO. She should have a pay increase.

 

[Simster]

NO. She should have a pay increase.

That's what a tube driver is saying about everyone else.

 

[redneb]

That's what a tube driver is saying about everyone else.

So everyone should be on about 40k then.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Sim you cant compare soccerball players and politicians to train drivers.

If youre a premier league footballer it's usually because youve got a talent you were born with combined with a lot of hard work. Not only that, it's a huge risk if you spend your teens training to be a footballer then you get let go by your club coz you've got f*** all talent - what do you fall back on to? Politicians like us have to spend years at Uni. You and I both know that if you go to Uni, you have to think twice if you want to buy a CD or pair trousers up until the age of 21.

Train drivers on the other hand have usually left school at 16 with no qualifications, get a £200 a week job (or whatever) at a supermarket whilst still living at home, then apply to be a train driver being trained on the job. Basically no real sacrifices there - no real periods in their lives of being properly skint.

How the hell do you know that train drivers have usually left school by 16 with no qualifications?
So you think that I should be low paid then? I left school at 17, did an apprenticeship with the company that I still work for and got paid whilst doing on the job training. I also got an ONC whilst being pad by the company. I earn a similar wage as a tube train driver, but because I didn't choose to got to university and had to live on a low income for three years I am according to you not entitled to a decent wage.
Out of interest what job do you do now and what grade did you get when you finished university?