[News] Braking news - more train strikes over the Christmas period announced

[beorhthelm]

Some, if not most of those seem reasonable.

only one that looks unreasonable is closure of all ticket office, which i also dont believe is true. i particularly like adoption of new technology put there, as if learning new tools and advancing skills is an imposition. it also shows a union literally stuck in the past.

 

[wealdgull]

Might effect the trains to the Southampton game ..

And Everton, and Middlesbrough.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Services will be screeching to a halt.

Talks have hit the buffers.

 

[Justice]

wouldn’t happen in Qatar

 

[Saunders]

You say 'they', but who do you mean? Certain roles are reasonably paid, but by no means all. As you say, you can't fault them for fighting....yet you seem to contradict that with the last part of your comment.

Because they target days and times that affect the poor and this time of year is extremely cruel despite their good intentions for themselves

 

[Saunders]

Indeed, but they are a small proportion of rail staff, most of which are are earning far, far less.

They are earning what the rest of the country are earning and even the lower paid jobs are pretty good comparatively. The worst would be the ticket office roles and see how that compares to other ticket office jobs in the country.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

only one that looks unreasonable is closure of all ticket office, which i also dont believe is true. i particularly like adoption of new technology put there, as if learning new tools and advancing skills is an imposition. it also shows a union literally stuck in the past.

It is true, and although it says no redundancies until 2024, they’re heading for fire and rehire, so shareholders get more dividends from us the taxpayers as well as higher rail fares.
A lot of rail workers get less than £20K a year.
It’s ok saying close the ticket offices, but one ticket machine at a station isn’t working, and not everyone can buy online, so causing problems as there aren’t revenue collectors on the trains now.
No ticket offices also mean unmanned stations causing problems for disabled passengers.
Don’t believe what the government says, as they’re only interested in profits not maintenance (which was why Network Rail had to be publicly owned again)

Well paid train drivers belong to ASLEF, not the RMT.

 

[drew]

Indeed, but they are a small proportion of rail staff, most of which are are earning far, far less.

Irrelevant as most that are of the 'right' persuasion will still quote the salaries of drivers to deflect the argument.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Must be a rather healthy fund as it is going to take ages to recoup what they have lost otherwise.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......................

The unions are clearly considerably richer than yow

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Because they target days and times that affect the poor and this time of year is extremely cruel despite their good intentions for themselves

The government could have sorted this out by now. Mick Lynch received a call ten days ago with an offer to negotiate, and was due to meet the rail CEO last Monday, but Grant Schapps refused to let them meet.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It is true, and although it says no redundancies until 2024, they’re heading for fire and rehire, so shareholders get more dividends from us the taxpayers as well as higher rail fares.
A lot of rail workers get less than £20K a year.
It’s ok saying close the ticket offices, but one ticket machine at a station isn’t working, and not everyone can buy online, so causing problems as there aren’t revenue collectors on the trains now.
No ticket offices also mean unmanned stations causing problems for disabled passengers.
Don’t believe what the government says, as they’re only interested in profits not maintenance (which was why Network Rail had to be publicly owned again)

Well paid train drivers belong to ASLEF, not the RMT.

The only way I can buy a ticket (single, plus 'super' off peak return with an OAP card) for the next day (to avoid the massive queues down here) is from a nice friendly member of staff. The machine makes me think of a preliminary edition of the enigma device that Turing rejected as 'complete shite'.

This country is in a right old state.

 

[Saunders]

It is true, and although it says no redundancies until 2024, they’re heading for fire and rehire, so shareholders get more dividends from us the taxpayers as well as higher rail fares.
A lot of rail workers get less than £20K a year.
It’s ok saying close the ticket offices, but one ticket machine at a station isn’t working, and not everyone can buy online, so causing problems as there aren’t revenue collectors on the trains now.
No ticket offices also mean unmanned stations causing problems for disabled passengers.
Don’t believe what the government says, as they’re only interested in profits not maintenance (which was why Network Rail had to be publicly owned again)

Well paid train drivers belong to ASLEF, not the RMT

As with all companies they will be looking to replace ticket staff with automation. And online "self service" I am sure everyone has noticed it getting increasingly difficult to talk to a human when experiencing difficulties with their purchase. In other industries they can just do it but they have to deal with unions with the rail companies so not so easy.

 

[Zeberdi]

I’m getting fed up with all these strikes tbh - I don’t drive, and on a low income. I have had to repeatedly fork out for taxis over the past 6 mnths to get to alternative stations while travelling including when trying to get to the Amex from Norfolk and ended up missing one game I had a ticket for as well as being unable to get to one’s I wanted to.

I’ve had to pay out for taxis (on top of the cost of my rail tickets) to get to alternate station connections when one I would normally use has suspended services or excessive delays when travelling post strike days. More worrying is I’m also totally dependent on trains to get to my hospital appointments - several of which I’ve had to cancel (including having to wait another 2 weeks for urgent treatment in one instance) I have 4 hospital appointments between 12-22nd December one of which is a cancer check up which depend on trains running- all of which will be impacted and may need to be cancelled until after the new Year. If I am well enough, Im also supposed to be travelling to London on 22nd and returning on 26 which is also looking increasingly problematic!

I do have some sympathy for the rail workers and realise it’s not just about pay but all these strikes impact more heavily on people that don’t have alternative transport, who live in semi-rural areas, are on low income themselves and/or have disabilities.

Incidentally at rural stations, there are no open ticket office or manned stations for the bulk of the time anyway- you have to phone ahead for assisted travel if needed and if you are lucky, may get help from the conductor on the train ((if there is one).

I sometimes wonder if the people criticising others for not having enough sympathy for the railway workers are the same people bearing the brunt of the disadvantages when there are no trains running?

Rant over.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

As with all companies they will be looking to replace ticket staff with automation. And online "self service" I am sure everyone has noticed it getting increasingly difficult to talk to a human when experiencing difficulties with their purchase. In other industries they can just do it but they have to deal with unions with the rail companies so not so easy.

They can just do it, and sod the passengers. There is no customer service.

 

[mwrpoole]

RMT have just announced they’re putting this offer to members. Vote over next few days with recommendation to say no. Be interesting to see how that plays out. It wouldn’t surprise me if the vote was close.

 

[Saunders]

The government could have sorted this out by now. Mick Lynch received a call ten days ago with an offer to negotiate, and was due to meet the rail CEO last Monday, but Grant Schapps refused to let them meet.

Yea its not your fault except that it was your choice but how about affecting business hours of transport how about not doing it at christmas time.

 

[Springal]

As with all companies they will be looking to replace ticket staff with automation. And online "self service" I am sure everyone has noticed it getting increasingly difficult to talk to a human when experiencing difficulties with their purchase. In other industries they can just do it but they have to deal with unions with the rail companies so not so easy.

It’s not really automation though is it, it’s self service. Which I don’t really see as a big issue, as for at least 10 years I’ve been able to get better info myself rather than anyone working on the rail network

 

[Saunders]

They can just do it, and sod the passengers. There is no customer service.

same as everywhere except the rest of us cant strike because we have no union

 

[BBassic]

I blame Meghan.

 

[LamieRobertson]

same as everywhere except the rest of us cant strike because we have no union

I'm toying with starting my own