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ChrisB
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« on: April 20, 2022, 11:52:10 » |
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From Hull Live via MSNThousands of workers with some of the UK▸ 's biggest train operators and Network Rail will be asked to vote on strike action in disputes over jobs and pay. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT▸ ) union said a yes vote among its 40,000 members could lead to the biggest rail strike in modern history.
The union claimed Network Rail is planning to cut at least 2,500 safety-critical maintenance jobs as part of a £2 billion reduction in spending, while workers at train operators have been subject to pay freezes and changes to their terms and conditions. Strike action could begin in June if workers vote to walkout in the ballot running from April 26 to May 24.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have had to contend with pay freezes, the prospect of losing their jobs and repeated attacks on their terms and conditions. Removing 2,500 safety-critical jobs from Network Rail will spell disaster for the public, make accidents more likely and will increase the possibility of trains flying off the tracks.
“Train operating companies have praised our members for being key workers during the pandemic but have refused to keep staff pay in line with inflation and soaring living costs. As a result, thousands of railway workers have seen their living standards plummet and have run out of patience.
“The way for trade unions to effectively take on the cost-of-living crisis is to stand up for their members at work and take industrial action when employers are not moved by the force of reasoned argument. A national rail strike will bring the country to a standstill, but our members’ livelihoods and passenger safety are our priorities.”
The ballot will be among RMT members on Network Rail and Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER» , East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern Railway, South Western Railway, Island Line, GTR (including Gatwick Express), Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, and West Midlands Trains. |
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Timmer
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« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2022, 12:09:00 » |
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Thanks for the heads up Chris. Sadly, I think it's an odds on certainty that the vote will go the way of strike action. Won't be booking any rail related travel for June.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2022, 15:52:35 » |
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Given the virtually daily disruption between Reading and Paddington due to points failures, customers could be forgiven for thinking that Network Rail are already on strike.
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JayMac
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« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2022, 16:23:41 » |
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Rail travel is beginning to recover. Strikes will turn passengers away again. The RMT▸ seem incapable of dialogue with employers and go immediately to ballots for strike action. Always shooting first. Trouble is what the RMT aim at...  |
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2022, 16:33:46 » |
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They don't want two-way dialogue - they think they are strong enough to only require one-0way dialogue and that their members are due, every year, inflation-busting pay-rises. Not inflation-equalling, but busting. So more money for doing the same job, with extra on top should their working habits change (even a different, bbut no harder way of checking tickets, for example. "New Tech, innit!")
One day, they'll lose out. It's coming....
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2022, 16:35:57 » |
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I will be voting ‘no’ to any ballot for strike action or action short of a strike. Though it’s difficult to gauge the general mood amongst employees. Many are now being asked to forgo a pay rise for the third year running. Is it greedy to want some kind of award this year, given the cost of living crisis?
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2022, 16:45:57 » |
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One has been offered, but the RMT▸ wants one over the RPI▸ again.
Might suggest a move to CPI being their first move, that's what the majority of workers get awards against these days.
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Henry
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« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2022, 17:37:19 » |
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Talking to Rail staff at my local station (Devon), pay is not an issue.
Perhaps you should and go and talk to some of the staff.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2022, 17:44:08 » |
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I guess you mean "Perhaps you they (the RMT▸ to which I assume they belong) should and go and talk to some of the staff.
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Henry
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« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2022, 17:53:29 » |
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No, I talk to rail staff about local issue's , forget the RMT▸ .
It's local management 'festering' the low morale amongst the rail staff
in this area. Of course due to this I think it is highly likely that their will be a
Yes vote .
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Electric train
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« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2022, 18:23:09 » |
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Rail travel is beginning to recover. Strikes will turn passengers away again. The RMT▸ seem incapable of dialogue with employers and go immediately to ballots for strike action. Always shooting first. Trouble is what the RMT aim at... You just do not know what is going on within NR» and how long the discussions have been going on NR Senior Ex and Unions Suffice to say the is driver is a political decision taken at the Treasury to reduce the funding NR receives and the plan is fares will be going up in line with July RPI▸ in Jan 23 |
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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ChrisB
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« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2022, 18:51:48 » |
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RpI is currently 9% for last month…..ouch
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #12 on: April 20, 2022, 23:09:11 » |
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One has been offered, but the RMT▸ wants one over the RPI▸ again.
What has been offered, Chris? And does that offer extend to all RMT members? |
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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Electric train
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« Reply #13 on: April 21, 2022, 06:47:30 » |
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One has been offered, but the RMT▸ wants one over the RPI▸ again.
What has been offered, Chris? And does that offer extend to all RMT members? As far as the NR» part of the industry is concerned there is no pay rise negotiations until the talks on re-organisation of maintenance is complete; this is causing some unrest with operations grade. Management grades have not seen a pay rise in several years. |
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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CyclingSid
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« Reply #14 on: April 21, 2022, 07:08:45 » |
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ONS» (Office of National Statistics) themselves seem to have problems with the existing inflation measures: In the ONS publication – Shortcomings of the Retail Prices Index as a
measure of inflation – the then National Statistician in his foreword referred to “general inflation” in relation to the RPI▸ . nflation. In the 12 months to March prices rose by:
CPI 7.0% up 0.8% from 6.2% (most used measure)
RPI 9.0% up 0.8% from 8.2% (still widely used)
CPIH 6.2% up 0.7% from 5.5% (ONS prefers it but no-one uses it except Ofwat) The original document for those suffering from insomnia https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/shortcomingsoftheretailpricesindexasameasureofinflation/2018-03-08
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