[Misc] Will the Unions bring everyone to their knees?

[Wardy's twin]

They are too late , Johnson has already brought the country to it's knees if not lower.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

I’ve chosen not to read the thread as the title is already loaded leading it in a certain direction.

On a personal level, I’ve served long stretches with two very big organizations, one didn’t recognize unions, the other has a strong one. One company constantly shit on the staff and the fact I didn’t get a pay rise for about 10 years finally prompted me to jump ship. My working conditions have improved ten fold and I now get a regular pay rise. Do I need to spell out which one was which?

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

I've always been fairly indifferent to Unions, having a profession which typically would never have union representation.

I think I've changed my view a bit having worked in the US for a while, and now see the need for them to protect workers rights. Most people in the US are engaged on an "At Will" contract which typically gives the employer the right to dismiss an employee for any reason without warning, as long as it's not for a reason which is illegal; race, religion etc. Also an employer may have worked with a company for many years but would only receive one months severance pay. It really is an outrageous contract but if you want the work that's what you sign up for. Major companies like Walmart and Amazon have always refused to allow unions, some States such as New York have refused to allow companies like Walmart to operate because of their employee relations records.

I am sure people like Johnson and his right wing chums would be only to happy for the UK to go down the same road as the US in reducing the power and influence of Unions so that the workforce has even fewer rights and remedies.

Employee protection and rights in the UK are much better than the US and it would be very sad to see those hard won rights lost as a result of people like Johnson

 

[Thunder Bolt]

But all stations I can think of have ticket machines, and southern / Trainline etc offer e-tickets now which are easy to use.

When the machines actually work. Two of us got on the train at Newhaven (ticket office closes at 12) machine not working, no guard on the train to pay on board, like we used to, but told the barrier chap at Brighton that we wanted to pay. He threatened us with fare dodging, and said we shouldn't have got on the train at all.
I pointed out the problems and had the money ready to pay (this was three or four years ago before somebody jumps on my comments on the card or cash thread)
I felt quite intimidated and made to feel humiliated.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I've always been fairly indifferent to Unions, having a profession which typically would never have union representation.

I think I've changed my view a bit having worked in the US for a while, and now see the need for them to protect workers rights. Most people in the US are engaged on an "At Will" contract which typically gives the employer the right to dismiss an employee for any reason without warning, as long as it's not for a reason which is illegal; race, religion etc. Also an employer may have worked with a company for many years but would only receive one months severance pay. It really is an outrageous contract but if you want the work that's what you sign up for. Major companies like Walmart and Amazon have always refused to allow unions, some States such as New York have refused to allow companies like Walmart to operate because of their employee relations records.

I am sure people like Johnson and his right wing chums would be only to happy for the UK to go down the same road as the US in reducing the power and influence of Unions so that the workforce has even fewer rights and remedies.

Employee protection and rights in the UK are much better than the US and it would be very sad to see those hard won rights lost as a result of people like Johnson

It is very much like turkeys voting for Xmas (or Thanksgiving...).

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

They are too late , Johnson has already brought the country to it's knees if not lower.

I too have not bothered to read the whole thread but agree 100% with the above post. The worst UK government in living memory is doing its best to destroy the UK. It is without doubt the most shameful, corrupt group of politicians and words cannot describe how bad they are. Is it any wonder that ordinary people need to fight for their rights? We really need a revolution!!

 

[clapham_gull]

I'm a member of a Union another one that is non affiliated with the Labour Party and I've never been on strike.

They negotiate terms, conditions and pay so I don't have to and I pay them to do so.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

2000 people losing their jobs, means no ticket offices (ticket machines rarely working) so no advice on the best types of ticket to buy, disabled people unable to get on trains, or off, because there’s no one to assist with the ramps. Females feeling unsafe because there’s no inspector/guard on board.

That’s just a small proportion of the problem. It might not affect you, but it does affect a large proportion of the population.

Quite. Just a trivial point. The best way for me to get to London and back is to buy an ordinary single up, and a 'super off peak return', the latter with an additional saving from my senior rail card. It took a clever person at Faversham station to work that one out for me. Previously when I had asked for the cheapest ticket for rush hour use was simply offered an ordinary return. The difference in price is around £10. If I travel up at just after 10.00 I don't need to buy the ordinary single and save £30. It is possible to buy these tickets from the machine but it requires two transactions and is quite complicated (not obvious when to attempt to apply the concession).

 

[darkwolf666]

Classic "divide and conquer" by Johnson. More smoke and mirrors that will let a lot of Little Englanders get their knickers in a twist about the bolshie evil trade unions whilst the Tories carry on ruining what's left of the UK, and this and similar stunts will no doubt propel them to another election victory

Sadly, I fear you are 100% correct.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Something I'm concerned about is that they're threatening to strike on and off for months, this could impact the football in that if there's strikes on matchdays, how are 30000 people expected to get to the amex or a few thousand get to away games?

My main point here though is I want to go to old Trafford for first day of the season, how likely is there to be a strike on that day?

My sincere condolences for your first word problem.

Why not team up with your mates and hire a minibus? You might even be able to get a driver thrown in.

 

[Swansman]

Except for the 10% that don't own smartphones! And also - when you buy online, you have to basically know the answer to the questions you have about routing and costs before you start - because the online system does not know the rail network as well as a human in the ticket office.

Some of those 10% instead have computers or tablets or whatever... some of those 10% are also soon going somewhere where you don't need any trains. Society won't be built around this ever decreasing minority.

The second part is also not true. You can build online systems that know more than humanly possible about the railroad network.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

How much is it usually?

May I introduce you to another new piece of kit? It;s called the internet and google search. Here, look, in one click I found this:

https://www.eventtravel-hub.co.uk/seagull-travel-8-c.asp

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Some of those 10% instead have computers or tablets or whatever... some of those 10% are also soon going somewhere where you don't need any trains. Society won't be built around this ever decreasing minority.

The second part is also not true. You can build online systems that know more than humanly possible about the railroad network.

Yes, I'm quite looking forward to going to the grave!

 

[Bry Nylon]

Some of those 10% instead have computers or tablets or whatever... some of those 10% are also soon going somewhere where you don't need any trains.

Venice? Lucky sods.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Looking forward to hearing the bile that will undoubtedly be directed towards teachers, who will also like be balloting for action soon.

 

[rippleman]

But all stations I can think of have ticket machines, and southern / Trainline etc offer e-tickets now which are easy to use.

But ticket machines can't issue all types of ticket (eg PlusBus)

Ticket machines break (and they aren't too swift to get them fixed).

Twice recently at Portslade:

- ticket office closed (during a time it was advertised it would be open)
- ticket machine (south side) broken
- barrier staff wouldn't issue tickets
- woman with pram / pushchair and young kids sent over the level crossing to buy ticket from machine at north side

Just because stations have ticket machines, it doesn't mean they are working.

Safety of passengers? Disabled access?

 

[keaton]

Some of those 10% instead have computers or tablets or whatever... some of those 10% are also soon going somewhere where you don't need any trains. Society won't be built around this ever decreasing minority.

The second part is also not true. You can build online systems that know more than humanly possible about the railroad network.

So they're going to carry their computer and just scan it through the turnstiles?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Nobody is trying to answer the disability problem. Apart from the fact it is discrimination, disabled people aren't restricted to being old people.

I know this is TFL but a small highlight of the problems faced. Lady Tanni-Grey campaigns a lot for disabled people on transport.

[tweet]1535714861992263682[/tweet]

 

[Thunder Bolt]

So they're going to carry their computer and just scan it through the turnstiles?

Tickets bought online are picked up from ticket machines (when they work) This hasn't been thought through, has it?

 

[keaton]

But all stations I can think of have ticket machines, and southern / Trainline etc offer e-tickets now which are easy to use.

But you can't use e-tickets at all stations. And also I can't remember the last time I went to Brighton station and people weren't fighting to get the machine to take a normal ticket and then asking a Southern member to get them through the turnstiles.

Added to the huge increase in fare dodging if people know they'll be no one checking your tickets on the train or stopping you climbing over the barrier at the end