If these workers are so handsomely paid, why do so many want to leave?
In relation to the 7:42 article. If "nothing is off the table", why is the first thing put on the table (and the only thing mentioned in the article) a threat?
It could have been pay. It could have been conditions. It could have been reviewing Redundancies. It could have been in relation to job security. It could have been an Independent body to review pay (good enough for MPs). It could have been any sort of Olive Branch to show good faith.
I just don't get why the newspapers only ever tell 1 side of a story.
The Rail Companies are allowed to put fares up by at least inflation, and sometimes more than that.
At the same time, many of them are refusing to give their workers any sort of pay rise. In addition, various Rail Companies are seeking to scrap the Final Salary Pension schemes. This can lead to an effective pay cut of as much as 25%.
So. The Rail Companies expect the taxpayer to give them a pay rise via fares. While drastically reducing costs. Not only on pay/pensions-proposing at least 2,500 redundancies in relation to track maintenance, on top of the largely unmanned rural stations.
The Rail companies are not discussing these proposed changes. They are implementing them disregarding any consultation. In order to make staff poorer. And shareholders richer.
Train strike chaos set to continue because ministers ‘won’t allow’ rail firms to negotiate pay with RMT union
I just don't get why the newspapers only ever tell 1 side of a story.
The Rail Companies are allowed to put fares up by at least inflation, and sometimes more than that.
At the same time, many of them are refusing to give their workers any sort of pay rise. In addition, various Rail Companies are seeking to scrap the Final Salary Pension schemes. This can lead to an effective pay cut of as much as 25%.
So. The Rail Companies expect the taxpayer to give them a pay rise via fares. While drastically reducing costs. Not only on pay/pensions-proposing at least 2,500 redundancies in relation to track maintenance, on top of the largely unmanned rural stations.
The Rail companies are not discussing these proposed changes. They are implementing them disregarding any consultation. In order to make staff poorer. And shareholders richer.
Train strike chaos set to continue because ministers ‘won’t allow’ rail firms to negotiate pay with RMT union
I find this sort of thing rather demoralising. As well as true, of course.
I don't want a Government that wants to "win" at all costs-particularly if those costs are the rail users.
I don't want a Government who wants to keep everything on the table to defeat the strike. Any more than I would want any Government just to capitulate to every demand of every worker.
I want a Government that wants to keep everything on the table to resolve the strike. In a way that sufficiently satisfies all sides.
Previous Governments (both Labour and Conservative) created and ran a privatised Railway with in-built protections for the workers.
This Government wants to scrap those protections. And force the Rail Companies to do this. And blame the workers. That is not honest.
If this Government has decided that its previous promises can no longer stand, then at least be honest about it. And don't blame the Rail companies and the Workers for it. Or pretend that the Rail users are not paying the price for a Governmental decision.
I think I agree with the union on this one, yes the majority of workers do have a decent wage but if I am reading it right the rail company is wanting to cut loads of jobs, give them worst terms and conditions, shut all the ticket offices. The union want 7%, they're being offered 2-3 % , 5 % would seem to be the middle ground, fair all round, the rail companies want to cut jobs back to the bare minimum, automate lots of things and put prices up whilst still making a healthy profit.
This Government is so bad that it has Grant Shapps in it.
Someone who is not brave enough to admit this Government are the effective employer for Network Rail. That are the instigator behind change. That are the paymaster that are refusing to allow the Train companies to negotiate freely.
If they want to tear up agreements made by previous Governments, fine. But be honest about it. Don't blame workers. Don't make passengers suffer and pretend it is nothing to do with Government. Sometimes, Governments have to make tough decisions. But, don't hide behind everyone else.
Meanwhile, as Government wage war on you and me, guess what? Different rules for people already earning massive amounts of money. Apparently, Government wants to change rules for the super rich, so they can be free to vote themselves massive pay rises.
The paper that caters for the educated, retired Right winger who regards the Daily Mail as not Right Wing enough. People whose first sentence on pretty much everything is "in my day"...
Let's start with some basic Maths. One minute this article is talking about "average" pay. Then casually morphs into "median" pay. Which is it? They are totally different measures, with totally different results.
Then move on to the mangling of the English Language to try and prove a point.
Network Rail employees represent a small fraction of "rail operatives"-they are the people who work for the old British Rail in roles other than the Franchisees etc. And (of course) include the Government-led Senior Civil Servants I mentioned earlier. So-of course-that small section earn rather more than the larger group.
It is about time Newspapers (and politicians) stopped trotting out salaries of teachers, nurses and PMs every time.
Firstly, because these are not equivalent jobs-because, if they were, all those people would have claims.
Secondly, it always ignores the other factors. So-lots of teachers become better-paid Head Teachers (and their salary is pro rated to take into account longer holidays), Nurses go up in Pay Bands/Job Titles, PMs earn more when they retire etc.
Turning briefly to drivers. More pay is always a factor. But rather more at the forefront of their minds will be driverless trains and the proposed redundancies of 2,500 people who make the track safe. And, of course, not wanting to drive trains on days when the signals and track are largely being maintained by people with no training or experience.
Funny how these papers never mention the additional risks passengers and staff are running on the trains that do run on strike days.
Again. The Telegraph is exactly the reverse of the Morning Star.
RMT Union Boss Calls Tory MP A Liar To His Face On News Night!
Another example of this Government's lies is them constantly banging on about "rail operatives" railway workers" and the like.
The people who are going on strike are the RMT members. Not "rail operatives".
Why does the Idiot Shapps use the wrong group?
Because lots of the best paid people in the Rail industry are not in the RMT. From Senior Civil Servants to Train Drivers. none of which are in the RMT. So he can bang on about the "median pay" of a better-paid set than the reality. Quoting £43,000-ish. Rather than £33,000.
Whereas Railway cleaners, for example, are not included in "rail operatives". But are in the RMT. And are paid rather less than the people wrongly included.
Sh1t Shapps cannot have it both ways. Either
1. This strike has nothing to do with the Government, and they keep out of it; or 2. It has everything to do with them, and they are entitled, as effective Employer, to take an active role on behalf of (and even beyond the wishes of) the Rail companies
The paper that caters for the educated, retired Right winger who regards the Daily Mail as not Right Wing enough. People whose first sentence on pretty much everything is "in my day"...
Let's start with some basic Maths. One minute this article is talking about "average" pay. Then casually morphs into "median" pay. Which is it? They are totally different measures, with totally different results.
Then move on to the mangling of the English Language to try and prove a point.
Network Rail employees represent a small fraction of "rail operatives"-they are the people who work for the old British Rail in roles other than the Franchisees etc. And (of course) include the Government-led Senior Civil Servants I mentioned earlier. So-of course-that small section earn rather more than the larger group.
It is about time Newspapers (and politicians) stopped trotting out salaries of teachers, nurses and PMs every time.
Firstly, because these are not equivalent jobs-because, if they were, all those people would have claims.
Secondly, it always ignores the other factors. So-lots of teachers become better-paid Head Teachers (and their salary is pro rated to take into account longer holidays), Nurses go up in Pay Bands/Job Titles, PMs earn more when they retire etc.
Turning briefly to drivers. More pay is always a factor. But rather more at the forefront of their minds will be driverless trains and the proposed redundancies of 2,500 people who make the track safe. And, of course, not wanting to drive trains on days when the signals and track are largely being maintained by people with no training or experience.
Funny how these papers never mention the additional risks passengers and staff are running on the trains that do run on strike days.
Again. The Telegraph is exactly the reverse of the Morning Star.
RMT Union Boss Calls Tory MP A Liar To His Face On News Night!
The RMT Union Boss was impressive on the National News yesterday and said at the time "That presenter has met her match with that one". He speaks well and did not pause or accept any interruption from the anchor. Well played that man and that's a good Boss and someone you want on your side.
These headlines are a farce too. Nothing like nailing your colours to the mast, maybe I am bonkers however would be nice to have a non biased paper to read.
Comments
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/rail-workers-inundate-voluntary-redundancy-scheme-despite-strikes-over-job-cuts/ar-AAYnudI?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=73821b3670bb480ba68ee01edcfcb017
Striking rail workers may find themselves banned from overtime under plans being drawn up by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10909983/Grant-Shapps-plans-BAN-overtime-striking-rail-staff-bring-agency-staff.html
If these workers are so handsomely paid, why do so many want to leave?
In relation to the 7:42 article. If "nothing is off the table", why is the first thing put on the table (and the only thing mentioned in the article) a threat?
It could have been pay. It could have been conditions. It could have been reviewing Redundancies. It could have been in relation to job security. It could have been an Independent body to review pay (good enough for MPs). It could have been any sort of Olive Branch to show good faith.
But it was not.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/train-strike-chaos-set-to-continue-because-ministers-won-t-allow-rail-firms-to-negotiate-pay-with-rmt-union/ar-AAYAQbW?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=e050b079be9047b0b59e9dc58a47719c
I don't want a Government that wants to "win" at all costs-particularly if those costs are the rail users.
I don't want a Government who wants to keep everything on the table to defeat the strike. Any more than I would want any Government just to capitulate to every demand of every worker.
I want a Government that wants to keep everything on the table to resolve the strike. In a way that sufficiently satisfies all sides.
Previous Governments (both Labour and Conservative) created and ran a privatised Railway with in-built protections for the workers.
This Government wants to scrap those protections. And force the Rail Companies to do this. And blame the workers. That is not honest.
If this Government has decided that its previous promises can no longer stand, then at least be honest about it. And don't blame the Rail companies and the Workers for it. Or pretend that the Rail users are not paying the price for a Governmental decision.
The union want 7%, they're being offered 2-3 % , 5 % would seem to be the middle ground, fair all round, the rail companies want to cut jobs back to the bare minimum, automate lots of things and put prices up whilst still making a healthy profit.
Someone who is not brave enough to admit this Government are the effective employer for Network Rail. That are the instigator behind change. That are the paymaster that are refusing to allow the Train companies to negotiate freely.
If they want to tear up agreements made by previous Governments, fine. But be honest about it. Don't blame workers. Don't make passengers suffer and pretend it is nothing to do with Government. Sometimes, Governments have to make tough decisions. But, don't hide behind everyone else.
Meanwhile, as Government wage war on you and me, guess what? Different rules for people already earning massive amounts of money. Apparently, Government wants to change rules for the super rich, so they can be free to vote themselves massive pay rises.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tories-want-cut-pay-limits-27286568
This Government has no moral compass. And absolutely no sense of shame.
Another example of this Government's lies is them constantly banging on about "rail operatives" railway workers" and the like.
The people who are going on strike are the RMT members. Not "rail operatives".
Why does the Idiot Shapps use the wrong group?
Because lots of the best paid people in the Rail industry are not in the RMT. From Senior Civil Servants to Train Drivers. none of which are in the RMT. So he can bang on about the "median pay" of a better-paid set than the reality. Quoting £43,000-ish. Rather than £33,000.
Whereas Railway cleaners, for example, are not included in "rail operatives". But are in the RMT. And are paid rather less than the people wrongly included.
Sh1t Shapps cannot have it both ways. Either
1. This strike has nothing to do with the Government, and they keep out of it; or
2. It has everything to do with them, and they are entitled, as effective Employer, to take an active role on behalf of (and even beyond the wishes of) the Rail companies
But not both.