London train strikes: From telling Richard Madeley he's talking twaddle to calling a Tory MP a liar 16 times - why people are calling RMT leader Mick Lynch 'the hero the country needs'
Mick Lynch is a treasure - as said earlier in the thread he called a politician a liar to his face on live tv on the BBC. He's ballsy!
I am quite disgusted and sick to the back teeth of our "representatives". They have got away with things for too long - time to make them accountable and call them out each and every time they use "politician answers".
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.
Have done a 180 on this issue. I'm on board with them - I hope an agreement is made
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.
Have done a 180 on this issue. I'm on board with them - I hope an agreement is made
Some of the ticket offices sell less than one ticket per hour.
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.
Have done a 180 on this issue. I'm on board with them - I hope an agreement is made
Some of the ticket offices sell less than one ticket per hour.
Really? There are about 3 stations left in the country with that level of usage that are still manned.
Let's take as an example my nearest train line. That is Clacton/Walton to Colchester (various trains run direct to London from Clacton/Walton).
There are 12 stations on that line.
Manned stations in 1990? 11. In 2000? 10. In 2010? 9. Now? 2. Colchester and Clacton. Everywhere with a population of less than 50,000 has an unmanned station.
As an example, Thorpe-le-Soken became unmanned in 2020. Not a big place. But large footfall, as that is where thousands of people change daily from/to the Kirby Cross/Frinton/Walton spur. In addition, for a wheelchair user to access/egress at Thorpe, they have to be wheeled across the Railway line. That now has to be done by the Guard (and requires advance notice), and causes havoc with the timetables. Which were already running slower than in 1955.
The latest proposed cuts? Less people checking the track-even though the people with the local knowledge, the train station staff, have gone. Seeking to reduce train guards, despite the added problems on safety that unmanned stations brings.
Of course the Railway has to modernise. But it is important to bear in mind that comparable nations spend double supporting their Rail Network compared to us. As an example, during a typically shoddy Rail journey, the passenger opposite me said that this would never be allowed in his country, Holland. That's when I told him that the principal owner of Greater Anglia Rail is Abellio.
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.
Have done a 180 on this issue. I'm on board with them - I hope an agreement is made
Some of the ticket offices sell less than one ticket per hour.
Really? There are about 3 stations left in the country with that level of usage that are still manned.
Let's take as an example my nearest train line. That is Clacton/Walton to Colchester (various trains run direct to London from Clacton/Walton).
There are 12 stations on that line.
Manned stations in 1990? 11. In 2000? 10. In 2010? 9. Now? 2. Colchester and Clacton. Everywhere with a population of less than 50,000 has an unmanned station.
As an example, Thorpe-le-Soken became unmanned in 2020. Not a big place. But large footfall, as that is where thousands of people change daily from/to the Kirby Cross/Frinton/Walton spur. In addition, for a wheelchair user to access/egress at Thorpe, they have to be wheeled across the Railway line. That now has to be done by the Guard (and requires advance notice), and causes havoc with the timetables. Which were already running slower than in 1955.
The latest proposed cuts? Less people checking the track-even though the people with the local knowledge, the train station staff, have gone. Seeking to reduce train guards, despite the added problems on safety that unmanned stations brings.
Of course the Railway has to modernise. But it is important to bear in mind that comparable nations spend double supporting their Rail Network compared to us. As an example, during a typically shoddy Rail journey, the passenger opposite me said that this would never be allowed in his country, Holland. That's when I told him that the principal owner of Greater Anglia Rail is Abellio.
The Dutch National Railway Company.
I cant stand Grant Shapps, I think he is an idiot. On the other hand, I think that Mick Lynch has acquitted himself well in his interviews. Redundancies dont always happen with the purpose of putting more money in shareholders pockets. They also occur due to many other reasons. Ticket offices are under pressure due to online purchases, and ticket machines. Staff currently employed to check the track in dangerous conditions, can be replaced by trains that are capable of taking thousands of pictures per minute, and drones. Nobody in their right mind would advocate a reduction in staffing levels that would put passenger safety at risk. Nor should they wish to employ staff that arent needed, just for the sake of it. We surely shouldnt be returning to the days of the old print unions? Without dividends there would be no shareholders. Large pay increases can only be at the expense of consumers. They dont seem particularly badly paid.
There seems to a long queue to take similar action, which will undoubtedly contribute to the exacerbation of the cost of living crisis.
Those last 2 articles sum up much that is wrong in this country.
That Telegraph headline was pretty desperate. Trying to claim that support in 1 isolated sector of the Rail industry has somehow "plummeted" from 76% to 71%. Ignoring the fact that the people turning up are the ones not in the RMT, and thus not part of the strike.
Any rational person would easily be able to recognise that, when Unions vote to strike, they do so in a far more Democratic way than our Parliament ever achieves. As an example, when Boris gets support from less than 60% of his own MPs, that is apparently a "Mandate" to carry on. Compare/contrast with the hoops a Union has to go through.
Then the TUC one. Was it really necessary to have those moody stair shots? Any chance of being able to focus on the very real issues public/private sector employees and employers are currently facing?
Comments
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/london-train-strikes-from-telling-richard-madeley-he-s-talking-twaddle-to-calling-a-tory-mp-a-liar-16-times-why-people-are-calling-rmt-leader-mick-lynch-the-hero-the-country-needs/ar-AAYKpw8?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=335d8ef092c24f72989fe6831f23ff73
Definitely Trainsphobic
On a similar note, got to admire the sheer chutzpah of Priti ("Priti Vacant") Patel in wearing an anti-bullying badge in the Commons yesterday.
As someone cleverer than me said:-
"What next? King Herod with a Children in Need badge?"
I am quite disgusted and sick to the back teeth of our "representatives". They have got away with things for too long - time to make them accountable and call them out each and every time they use "politician answers".
3 minute highlight reel
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61946038
Let's take as an example my nearest train line. That is Clacton/Walton to Colchester (various trains run direct to London from Clacton/Walton).
There are 12 stations on that line.
Manned stations in 1990? 11.
In 2000? 10.
In 2010? 9.
Now? 2. Colchester and Clacton. Everywhere with a population of less than 50,000 has an unmanned station.
As an example, Thorpe-le-Soken became unmanned in 2020. Not a big place. But large footfall, as that is where thousands of people change daily from/to the Kirby Cross/Frinton/Walton spur. In addition, for a wheelchair user to access/egress at Thorpe, they have to be wheeled across the Railway line. That now has to be done by the Guard (and requires advance notice), and causes havoc with the timetables. Which were already running slower than in 1955.
The latest proposed cuts? Less people checking the track-even though the people with the local knowledge, the train station staff, have gone. Seeking to reduce train guards, despite the added problems on safety that unmanned stations brings.
Of course the Railway has to modernise. But it is important to bear in mind that comparable nations spend double supporting their Rail Network compared to us. As an example, during a typically shoddy Rail journey, the passenger opposite me said that this would never be allowed in his country, Holland. That's when I told him that the principal owner of Greater Anglia Rail is Abellio.
The Dutch National Railway Company.
On the other hand, I think that Mick Lynch has acquitted himself well in his interviews.
Redundancies dont always happen with the purpose of putting more money in shareholders pockets.
They also occur due to many other reasons.
Ticket offices are under pressure due to online purchases, and ticket machines.
Staff currently employed to check the track in dangerous conditions, can be replaced by trains that are capable of taking thousands of pictures per minute, and drones.
Nobody in their right mind would advocate a reduction in staffing levels that would put passenger safety at risk.
Nor should they wish to employ staff that arent needed, just for the sake of it.
We surely shouldnt be returning to the days of the old print unions?
Without dividends there would be no shareholders.
Large pay increases can only be at the expense of consumers.
They dont seem particularly badly paid.
There seems to a long queue to take similar action, which will undoubtedly contribute to the exacerbation of the cost of living crisis.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/support-for-rail-strikes-shrinks-as-workers-tire-of-union-spin/ar-AAZ0sTd?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=f5bdbc712e7c4d3081329ab4ac582f86
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/backfiring-uk-response-to-strikes-must-change-union-chief-urges/ar-AAYZmif?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=48b5a1317403422cbfe89d535e63c85e
That Telegraph headline was pretty desperate. Trying to claim that support in 1 isolated sector of the Rail industry has somehow "plummeted" from 76% to 71%. Ignoring the fact that the people turning up are the ones not in the RMT, and thus not part of the strike.
Any rational person would easily be able to recognise that, when Unions vote to strike, they do so in a far more Democratic way than our Parliament ever achieves. As an example, when Boris gets support from less than 60% of his own MPs, that is apparently a "Mandate" to carry on. Compare/contrast with the hoops a Union has to go through.
Then the TUC one. Was it really necessary to have those moody stair shots? Any chance of being able to focus on the very real issues public/private sector employees and employers are currently facing?
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/bt-staff-vote-for-first-national-strike-in-35-years/ar-AAZ2qAK?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=5fd67d408fa04e679d5bc0018374ca71
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/stagecoach-can-easily-afford-to-pay-its-workers-a-decent-wage-bus-strike-set-after-new-pay-offer-rejected/ar-AAZ2tAX?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=1bf39ad5365b4afbaaf44ec7626864f5