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All across the Great Western territory => Across the West => Topic started by: grahame on September 20, 2022, 15:30:59



Title: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 20, 2022, 15:30:59
New PM (Liz Truss), new SoS (Anne-Marie Trevelyan), new King (Charles III), new thread?

The story so far - RMT, ASLEF, TSSA (and Unite?) rail strikes effecting GWR service so far this summer:
* 21, 23, 25 June 2022
* 27, 30 July
* 13, 18, 20 August
* 15, 17, 26 September (but cancelled due to passing of Queen Elizabeth II)
-> Have I missed any dates?

The above covered at
http://www.passenger.chat/26295
http://www.passenger.chat/26400
http://www.passenger.chat/26438
http://www.passenger.chat/26544
http://www.passenger.chat/26678
http://www.passenger.chat/26684
http://www.passenger.chat/26712
http://www.passenger.chat/26737 <- This thread

New strikes called
* 1, 5 October

Conservative Party Conference - 2nd to 5th October
Melksham ClimateFest - 2nd October
London Marathon - 2nd October




Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: ChrisB on September 20, 2022, 17:39:47
Lucy Frazer KC MP I believe was appointed Rail Minister of State this morning


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 20, 2022, 18:03:18
Lucy Frazer KC MP I believe was appointed Rail Minister of State this morning

Ely, Waterbeach, Soham, Dullingham, Shippea Hill, Histon (if you call that a station) ...


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 22, 2022, 15:56:05
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62999136

Quote
More than 40,000 workers from Network Rail and 15 train operators will strike on 8 October, their union has said.

The RMT said it would be "effectively shutting down the railway network" as part of a long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 23, 2022, 01:28:05
Lucy Frazer KC MP I believe was appointed Rail Minister of State this morning

Ely, Waterbeach, Soham, Dullingham, Shippea Hill, Histon (if you call that a station) ...

Confirmed on twitter to be Kevin Foster….appears Truss had a change of mind

Torre, Torquay, Paignton, Goodrington Sands


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 25, 2022, 05:42:28
Also rail strike on 8th October - so that's 1st, 5th and 8th - set a couple of days ago

On a potentially more positive basis - from the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63023276)

Quote
The head of the RMT union has said talks with the new transport secretary were a "good start" in attempts to solve issues that have led to crippling strikes on the railways.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan held talks with Mick Lynch and Aslef's Mick Whelan last week, days after getting the job.

It represents a change of approach from her predecessor, Grant Shapps, who refused to meet union leaders.

But Mr Lynch warned: "We have got to see some concrete change."

Ms Trevelyan invited Mr Lynch and Mr Whelan for introductory talks as one of her first actions as transport secretary.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 25, 2022, 05:48:44
From https://www.gwr.com/strike

Quote
Trade unions have announced industrial action at a number of train companies, including GWR, and Network Rail on Saturday 1, Wednesday 5 and Saturday 8 October.

On these days train services will be severely disrupted and some parts of the GWR network will have no train service at all. Train services on the days following the industrial action will also be disrupted.

On strike days an extremely limited service will operate between 07:30 and 18:30, and the last trains will leave much earlier.

Where we are able to run services, they are expected to be extremely busy and we are not able to provide bus replacement services. Online journey planners will be updated with the latest timetable information as soon as possible.

Passengers are advised to find alternative ways to travel on these days. Only travel by train if absolutely necessary. The majority of train services will not operate and there will be no services on many routes.

Quote
Unions taking action:

1 October
Strike Action: Aslef, RMT and Unite
Action short of a strike: TSSA

5 October
Strike Action: Aslef
Action short of a strike: TSSA

6 October
Strike Action: TSSA managers and office staff only

7 October
Strike Action: TSSA managers and office staff only

8 October
Strike Action: RMT


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 29, 2022, 09:13:08
From GWR:

Quote
This will be followed by further strikes on:
 
Wednesday 5th October – ASLEF
Thursday 6th October – TSSA (GWR management staff including our control centre)
Friday 7th October – TSSA
Saturday 8th October – RMT
 
There will be no service whatsoever on strike days on the majority of our network.


I understood the near-shutdown on 5th and 8th (as well as on 1st) - but is this now telling us that 6th and 7th are pretty close to shutdown too, and that staff like the senior management who sent out this email, won't be at work either?
 


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on September 29, 2022, 09:28:08
Answering my own question (from reading the links we were given ;-) )

Quote
Thursday 6 October – Strike Day

An extremely limited service will operate. Services will start at 07:30 and all journeys must be completed before 18:30.

A very limited service will run on the following routes:

London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads (some extensions to Exeter/Plymouth)
London Paddington to Swansea (only to Cardiff Central until midday)
London Paddington to Oxford
Reading to Didcot Parkway
Didcot Parkway to Oxford
Windsor, Marlow, Henley-on-Thames, and Greenford branch lines
Reading to Basingstoke
Gloucester to Bristol Temple Meads
Cardiff Central to Plymouth (via Weston-super-Mare)
Cardiff Central to Westbury
Westbury to Swindon (via Melksham)

Avoid travelling and seek alternative ways to make your journey. If you are intending to travel on these routes, please only do so if absolutely necessary. Trains that are operating will be extremely busy.



Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: IndustryInsider on September 29, 2022, 10:06:39
I understood the near-shutdown on 5th and 8th (as well as on 1st) - but is this now telling us that 6th and 7th are pretty close to shutdown too, and that staff like the senior management who sent out this email, won't be at work either?

Good question regarding senior management.  At a guess I would say that the director level managers will not be striking, but any management below that level will be.  Perhaps I’ll be wrong and we’ll see Mark Hopwood stood by a burning drum at a picket line, but I somehow doubt it!

You can run a normal service for several days without most managers of course, except for things like control staff as you need a full, or near full, complement of them to deal with the operational side of things 24/7.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: Timmer on September 29, 2022, 11:22:52
I understood the near-shutdown on 5th and 8th (as well as on 1st) - but is this now telling us that 6th and 7th are pretty close to shutdown too, and that staff like the senior management who sent out this email, won't be at work either?
This was news to me as well until it appeared the other day on the GWR strike web page. Not affecting every TOC by any means:
https://www.tssa.org.uk/news-and-events/tssa-news/tssa-confirms-new-strike-dates


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: ChrisB on September 29, 2022, 13:41:09
It's the staffing in control, I think.

No service on the North Cotswolds from the 5th to the 8th....inclusive.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: Electric train on September 29, 2022, 17:37:56
It's the staffing in control, I think.

No service on the North Cotswolds from the 5th to the 8th....inclusive.

1st and 8th are Network Rail Ops and Maintenance staff strikes


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: PhilWakely on September 29, 2022, 18:04:50
It's the staffing in control, I think.

No service on the North Cotswolds from the 5th to the 8th....inclusive.
Journey Planners currently have no GWR data for 6th and 7th October as the services are still being finalised. Should be loaded by the weekend.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: ChrisB on September 29, 2022, 20:00:13
No need to wait….the strike page on GWR website explains already where services will & will not run


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: REVUpminster on October 01, 2022, 06:28:15
Lucy Frazer KC MP I believe was appointed Rail Minister of State this morning

Ely, Waterbeach, Soham, Dullingham, Shippea Hill, Histon (if you call that a station) ...

Confirmed on twitter to be Kevin Foster….appears Truss had a change of mind

Torre, Torquay, Paignton, Goodrington Sands
Goodrington Sands hasn't been open for some time and Edginswell still to open.

I've met Kevin Foster a few times. He knows a 143 from a 150. Last time I saw him was on the platform at Newton Abbot (stilll no sign of the second entrance there) when he was getting an early train to Paddington and he showed me an app on his phone to get a £10 upgrade to first class.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on October 05, 2022, 12:24:09
Hardly any trains today or Saturday ... a few more tomorrow and Friday.  But then no further dates set, am I right on that?   Didn't I read that our new SoS has met the rail union bosses, and also that she has told the TOCs to be a bit more flexible and meet the unions somewhere in the middle?   If so, is that "meet in the middle" properly supported from the DfT or an instruction to do something pretty darned impractical?

If things are moving forward, why are we enduring a strike today and continued action for the next three days?  Muscle has already been shown and perhaps it's time for talking?


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: IndustryInsider on October 05, 2022, 14:04:10
Have dates for future action been advertised before when already announced dates are still to pass?

The Tory conference was an obvious target, but it might well be that there will be a little bit of a pause now, but still send a very strong message of intent by completing these already announced dates.

For the unions it’s a case of not risking the strike collapsing by taking too frequent  action and staff not being able to afford the dent in their wages.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: ChrisB on October 05, 2022, 15:35:39
The new SoS has said that she met the unions to get a handle for herself….norhing I’ve seen about any instruction to TOCs though.

With the RMTs mandate running out at the snd of November, they’ll be re-ballotingvto extend their mandate for a further 6 months this week or next. But I think they’ll try & fit another ‘round’ of strikes in before this one expires…

The SoS is the first to be more flexible as it is the Government requiring no higher than 2% without additional changes to T&Cs. See the RDG’s thread on twitter this morning setting out the cost of £280million for a 5% rise which is more than the total ‘profit’ built into the TOCs management contracts. Thus an additional cost to the taxpayer, unable to he covered by the TOCs profits as the unions say should happen.


Title: Re: Rail Strikes - Truss / Trevelyan / Charles era
Post by: grahame on October 06, 2022, 20:04:54
The new SoS has said that she met the unions to get a handle for herself….norhing I’ve seen about any instruction to TOCs though.

From the BBC - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63158807

Quote
On Wednesday, Ms Trevelyan told the BBC she wanted unions and train operators to "come together and find something that we can all live with".

She continued "nothing is ever perfect, negotiations are compromises, but what we need is for our customers, our passengers to be at the centre of everyone's decision making."

Since taking up her post last month, the Transport Secretary has met the leaders of the RMT and Aslef unions. She also told the BBC she would also meet the train companies over the next few weeks.



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