[News] Rant from RMT assistant general secretary during radio interview.

[JCL - the new kid in town]

For a job that could conceivably be automated in the fairly near future, I think they're overpaid.

If they were overpaid then surely there would be a lot of people wanting to do that job. Supply and demand

 

[User removed 4]

If they were overpaid then surely there would be a lot of people wanting to do that job. Supply and demand

there are a lot of people wanting to do that job.

 

[Ernest]

Because Bob crow threatened industrial action(often unreasonably) so often !

Most drivers are members of ASLEF so how does Bob Crow negotiate a pay deal for them ?

 

[User removed 4]

Most drivers are members of ASLEF so how does Bob Crow negotiate a pay deal for them ?

There are enough drivers who are RMT members for Bob Crow to wield enough power to frighten the LUL management whilst he was in power, read the rest of my posts , I'm on the union side in this dispute. As for the part about unreasonable action, I can remember a driver from Acton who was off sick with an ankle injury who was dismissed for being caught playing squash, needless to say there was a strike called, I can't remember the outcome.

 

[Ernest]

There are enough drivers who are RMT members for Bob Crow to wield enough power to frighten the LUL management whilst he was in power, read the rest of my posts , I'm on the union side in this dispute. As for the part about unreasonable action, I can remember a driver from Acton who was off sick with an ankle injury who was dismissed for being caught playing squash, needless to say there was a strike called, I can't remember the outcome.

As I said the majority of drivers are in ASLEF, they are the union that nationwide have set the going rate for train drivers wages including TfL

 

[User removed 4]

As I said the majority of drivers are in ASLEF, they are the union that nationwide have set the going rate for train drivers wages including TfL

Really , then why are tube drivers paid significantly more ?id also like to know your thoughts on unreasonable industrial action called by the RMT, there were plenty of instances of it over drivers during Bob Crows tenure.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

A urine test was done but both samples subsequently destroyed before testing,this alone should have had the case against our driver thrown out.
Other facts are as follows,the test was carried out by a trainee whilst the supervising official "popped out for a fag",this machine type has been recorded as failed in the past,a manager blew 3 times over the legal limit on one just a few months earlier.
Our driver offered to go ,escorted to London Underground occupational health to give an immediate blood test,this was declined.

I read yesterday that when the manager in Acton blew over the limit they instantly declared the machine as faulty. LU have cocked up and not followed the correct procedure and protocol.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

there are a lot of people wanting to do that job.

We're screaming out for drivers on the Northern line,need another 100 before the summer.

 

[Ernest]

Really , then why are tube drivers paid significantly more ?id also like to know your thoughts on unreasonable industrial action called by the RMT, there were plenty of instances of it over drivers during Bob Crows tenure.

Don't believe all you read in the papers, no strike would be called on a whim of Bob Crow or whoever, it is a last resort when all else has failed

 

[Frampler]

You seem to be resentful of drivers salaries,what sort of salary do think would be suitable for a train driver?

I would suggest that drivers' salaries - which I have it on numerous reliable sources as regularly topping 50k - are disproportionate relative to the pay of other jobs in the economy such as teachers, doctors and nurses. I would expect a job requiring a similar skillset to attract no more than 40K at the top end.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

I quite agree,doctors,nurses,policemen,firefighters should all be on higher salaries,but surely that is for them to take up with their union/fed reps,
I love the very British " race to the bottom " attitude of some on here.
Incidentally what sort of skill set would you imagine a train driver requires?In your opinion like.

 

[pastafarian]

I quite agree,doctors,nurses,policemen,firefighters should all be on higher salaries,but surely that is for them to take up with their union/fed reps,
I love the very British " race to the bottom " attitude of some on here.
Incidentally what sort of skill set would you imagine a train driver requires?In your opinion like.

pushing buttons and the odd lever innit.

piece of p1ss i should imagine.I have been a rollercoaster operator and i cant imagine it being any harder.

the fact that i crashed it is neither here nor there.

 

[drew]

and you ignored the comment that the test performed shouldn't be affected by being a diabetic (post 22). However it does seem silly to go down the dismissal route from one test, I wouldn't be comfortable with that. Don't the police have a system whereby you have to fail a breathalyzer and a second test (blood or urine) to be prosecuted for drink driving (i could be wrong)

Apologies as I didn't see that however, from the same BBC report is the comment :-

One of LU's own doctors conceded that type 2 diabetes, liver disease and even fasting can give false positives on hand-held machines.

Conflicting messages. I think you are right about the Police in that you fail a road side breath test then you have to undertake another at the Police station with better equipment.

 

[yxee]

Then you need to do a bit more research. Does due process include destroying evidence?

I can't imagine it is standard procedure to keep stores of urine after the appeal process has been concluded.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

I can't imagine it is standard procedure to keep stores of urine after the appeal process has been concluded.

Clearly states in LUL policy that samples should be kept for at least 1 year.
The samples in question we're destroyed without being tested.

 

[yxee]

I stand corrected.

Though I don't think a strike is the way to deal with this...

 

[Frampler]

I quite agree,doctors,nurses,policemen,firefighters should all be on higher salaries,but surely that is for them to take up with their union/fed reps,
I love the very British " race to the bottom " attitude of some on here.
Incidentally what sort of skill set would you imagine a train driver requires?In your opinion like.

If everyone was on a higher salary, we'd have rampant inflation, and the higher salaries would be meaningless. It's purchasing power that counts. Your union has been much more effective in securing pay increases than the teachers/doctors/nurses unions because of the economic effect of you going on strike. You have the nation by the balls, and you're not afraid to squeeze. The other professions I mentioned to tend to take industrial action very reluctantly.

As for skill set, I would expect that a train driver requires reasonable English and maths, excellent attention to detail and punctuality, stamina, a heightened awareness of the importance of safety and evacuation procedures, and the ability to retain all of the information imparted during the 12 months of on the job training that they receive. I'm not suggesting that anyone could do it, just that the skills shouldn't be so rare that the train operating companies can't recruit for around the median household income.

 

[drew]

I can't imagine it is standard procedure to keep stores of urine after the appeal process has been concluded.

Personally I would think that if your companies own internal appeal process is concluded you would be stupid to destroy evidence because anyone would be aware that an employee can then take you to court. Not sure a court would look favourably on a company that wilfully destroyed evidence be the legal process had been exhausted.

The fact that they destroyed the evidence would, rightly or wrongly, create the impression that they have something to hide. Especially as this isn't the only case where they have a dispute with the union regarding a member of staff and they have destroyed evidence that would resolve an issue one way or another!

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

You'd be quite right when you say not everyone can do it,can't speak for the train operating company's but on LUL there is a sizeable failure rate.
Mechanical reasoning is a very important skill set,on top of the ones you point out.drivers must be be able to literally strip a tube train down (often in the dark) and put the ******* back together again,exhaustive route knowledge,points,signals,gradients,cambers and such like.
From the day I joined(as a guard/emergency driver) to the position I hold now(driver/instructor) took me about 3 years of constant training,I've been doing it now for about 17 years and I ****ing love it.
Every day at work is a real pleasure for Me and I can't imagine doing anything else.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

I stand corrected.

Though I don't think a strike is the way to deal with this...

We agree with you,we have said to LUL we will Call off industrial action if the company abides by the ruling of an employment tribunal,LUL have declined this offer,strike action is our last resort.