MTLS Fare Strike to go National?

If there is another fare strike please can people realise that it is not about getting away without paying or cheating the system or putting a dent in FGW^▸ 's farebox or having an excuse to cowards rebel and break the law when part of a larger group, it is about getting publicity and embarassing the TOCs^▸ /DaFT^» into providing a decent and affordable public service.

This means that it is not a failure if most people buy a ticket just in case, and that whilst staff are perfectly entitled to pursue/fine/prosecute/etc anyone without a ticket for any reason (being part of a political protest doesn't excuse law breaking) please don't lump them together in your mind with the usual fare-dodging scrotes.

The saddest thing about the last farestrike is that it damaged the realtionship between the passenger and rail staff and the morale of both groups (I think some of the postings on this site would be evidence of that). We ought to be united against a common enemy.

So, any passenger taking part in a further strike should go out of the way to be especially nice to any FGW staff that they encounter - if you are prepared to break the law to make a political point then you should be prepared to take the consequences and therefore should cooperate honestly with any RPI^▸ trying to give you a penalty fare or take your details. If you believe in what you are doing you should be proud of your actions not underhand or evasive about them. If you are asked for a ticket and you haven't got one politely say so. If you asked for a penalty fare, politely pay it. If you are asked for your name and address politely give it (why not have it ready written out on a piece of paper to be especially extra nice and helpful to the RPI?)

My advice to staff on duty that day would be whatever they personally think of the strike - please do not take it personally. I know that many of you disapprove of what it at the root the encouragement of law breaking - but it is not aimed at you. the strike is not designed to make your life more difficult or to defraud your employer. It is aimed at getting the media to wake up to how unfairly the railway is treated by the Government. You should do your job as normal dealing with fare evaders as your normally would neither turning a blind eye nor being especially vindictive against them. and being expecially polite as you do your job.

Everyone should make an effort to smile. It really makes a difference

We have to make it as civilised protest as possible. The media will love it (witness the Stansted protest - the papers where full of stuff about how it was polite middle class middle Englanders in revolt; and a civilised protest will worry the government much more because they will rnot be able to write it off as being done by the "usual rentamob" but will realise that it is being made by the kind of people who are likely to be bothered to vote)