Rail Strike Looming

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Whilst it may lead to further disruption in the short term I do hope TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) suspend overtime and rest day working during the dispute. If employees want to withdraw their labour then they shouldn't be given the opportunity to make up for lost earnings.

I'm actually surprised that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) didn't opt for 'Action short of a strike' (i.e an overtime and rest day working ban) as that would have been far more effective as it is not so easy to plan against. More trains would run so the public wouldn't be quite so inconvenienced and it would not generate as much negative publicity.

Not dramatic enough for Lynch and his mob (see what I did there? ;-) ), their political agenda wants and needs the visible confrontation.

Negative publicity isn't something that bothers them, having just heard Lynch ranting on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) that much is clear.

There are many decent Trade Unionists who do a vital job. Sadly the RMT Leadership are not amongst them.

They will fail, and they may well drag their industry and their members down with them.

[Electric train]

Whilst it may lead to further disruption in the short term I do hope TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) suspend overtime and rest day working during the dispute. If employees want to withdraw their labour then they shouldn't be given the opportunity to make up for lost earnings.

I'm actually surprised that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) didn't opt for 'Action short of a strike' (i.e an overtime and rest day working ban) as that would have been far more effective as it is not so easy to plan against. More trains would run so the public wouldn't be quite so inconvenienced and it would not generate as much negative publicity.

Not dramatic enough for Lynch and his mob (see what I did there? ;-) ), their political agenda wants and needs the visible confrontation.

Negative publicity isn't something that bothers them, having just heard Lynch ranting on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) that much is clear.

There are many decent Trade Unionists who do a vital job. Sadly the RMT Leadership are not amongst them.

They will fail, and they may well drag their industry and their members down with them.

The Union's are going to use the ongoing trouble at air and sea ports during the summer holidays to their advantage, especially as the Government are sitting on the hands regarding the problems with airlines etc blaming overbooking as the problem ..................

[TaplowGreen]

Whilst it may lead to further disruption in the short term I do hope TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) suspend overtime and rest day working during the dispute. If employees want to withdraw their labour then they shouldn't be given the opportunity to make up for lost earnings.

I'm actually surprised that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) didn't opt for 'Action short of a strike' (i.e an overtime and rest day working ban) as that would have been far more effective as it is not so easy to plan against. More trains would run so the public wouldn't be quite so inconvenienced and it would not generate as much negative publicity.

Not dramatic enough for Lynch and his mob (see what I did there? ;-) ), their political agenda wants and needs the visible confrontation.

Negative publicity isn't something that bothers them, having just heard Lynch ranting on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) that much is clear.

There are many decent Trade Unionists who do a vital job. Sadly the RMT Leadership are not amongst them.

They will fail, and they may well drag their industry and their members down with them.

The Union's are going to use the ongoing trouble at air and sea ports during the summer holidays to their advantage, especially as the Government are sitting on the hands regarding the problems with airlines etc blaming overbooking as the problem ..................

I don't see how it's to the RMT's advantage.

Most people are informed enough to understand the difference between the reasons for and problems caused by staff shortages at airports and striking railway employees, and the various owners of responsibility for each.

[Electric train]

Whilst it may lead to further disruption in the short term I do hope TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) suspend overtime and rest day working during the dispute. If employees want to withdraw their labour then they shouldn't be given the opportunity to make up for lost earnings.

I'm actually surprised that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) didn't opt for 'Action short of a strike' (i.e an overtime and rest day working ban) as that would have been far more effective as it is not so easy to plan against. More trains would run so the public wouldn't be quite so inconvenienced and it would not generate as much negative publicity.

Not dramatic enough for Lynch and his mob (see what I did there? ;-) ), their political agenda wants and needs the visible confrontation.

Negative publicity isn't something that bothers them, having just heard Lynch ranting on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) that much is clear.

There are many decent Trade Unionists who do a vital job. Sadly the RMT Leadership are not amongst them.

They will fail, and they may well drag their industry and their members down with them.

The Union's are going to use the ongoing trouble at air and sea ports during the summer holidays to their advantage, especially as the Government are sitting on the hands regarding the problems with airlines etc blaming overbooking as the problem ..................

I don't see how it's to the RMT's advantage.

Most people are informed enough to understand the difference between the reasons for and problems caused by staff shortages at airports and striking railway employees, and the various owners of responsibility for each.

Ah but you see I am not talking about the reasonable average person on the Clapton Omnibus, the folks that have no rhyme or reason live in Westminster village ie the media and politicos

[broadgage]

"Agency staff could be used in place of strikers" According to press reports, the government are considering repealing a law that, at present prohibits use of agency workers to replace strikers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61773437

[Electric train]

"Agency staff could be used in place of strikers" According to press reports, the government are considering repealing a law that, at present prohibits use of agency workers to replace strikers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61773437

This could lead to a real mess, if the dispute turns into attrition the Union's could start to 'black' anything operated, worked on, used ect by contractors, the employers would then threaten disciplinary which could result in walkouts like I side very messy.  The use of contractors will put many mangers in an awkward position as they will still have to interact with their teams when there are no strikes.

The Union's will use the 'P&O Ferries' inference against the Government and employers

[Timmer]

"Agency staff could be used in place of strikers" According to press reports, the government are considering repealing a law that, at present prohibits use of agency workers to replace strikers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61773437

That won’t end well if they do.

[ellendune]

Not sure where they are going to find drivers with appropriate and up to date traction and route knowledge.  If they are going to use staff without that knowledge I am not going anywhere near a train. 

[broadgage]

Not sure wherethey are going to find drivers with appropriate and up to date traction and route knowledge.  If they are going to use staff without that knowledge I am not going anywhere near a train. 

I agree, but I suspect that they were not thinking of drivers.
Platform staff, gateline staff, extra person needed on a 10 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train), and the like.
Unless of course it is a really long strike in which case they could train drivers.

[stuving]

Not sure wherethey are going to find drivers with appropriate and up to date traction and route knowledge.  If they are going to use staff without that knowledge I am not going anywhere near a train. 

I agree, but I suspect that they were not thinking of drivers.
Platform staff, gateline staff, extra person needed on a 10 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train), and the like.
Unless of course it is a really long strike in which case they could train drivers.

From Friday's Times:

A source close to the Aslef union insisted that its actions were not comparable with the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers). "It is a different kind of union," the source said. "The RMT feel they are under an existential threat, which I understand, and they are striking to protect their members' jobs.
"What Aslef is doing is completely different. There are no redundancies of drivers proposed in any of the train operating companies. For the drivers it's simply about pay as many of them haven't had an increase since 2019."

[eightf48544]

Whatever the merits of the unions case it seems to me that the government would welcome  the strikes as an excuse to down size the railways and decrease the deficit. 

It reminds me of the prelude to the 1984 of the miners strike

It's going to get messy.

[Electric train]

Not sure wherethey are going to find drivers with appropriate and up to date traction and route knowledge.  If they are going to use staff without that knowledge I am not going anywhere near a train. 

I agree, but I suspect that they were not thinking of drivers.
Platform staff, gateline staff, extra person needed on a 10 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train), and the like.
Unless of course it is a really long strike in which case they could train drivers.

You are forgetting NR^» (Network Rail - home page) signallers, Electrical Control Room staff, Mobile Ops staff etc. there are not contractors that supply these skills 

There are some tasks that maintenance do that potentially could be done by contractors but even this will be difficult to cover for example many S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) contractors do not hold SMTH, the same fof a number of PWay maintenance competencies, OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") maintenance competencies, Electrical Power maintenance competencies.

All of the above are maintenance competency are a requirement of the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) (the railway equivalent of the HSE^▸ (Health and Safety Executive)) for NR to operate a railway, so unless the Government overwrite these requirements it could be difficult to bring in contractors. 

It is political hype on the part of the Government, the Unions know this and I suspect senior Exc leaders know it as well

[TaplowGreen]

Here we go again.......

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62154070

[Clan Line]

I am starting to get the feeling that the railway strikes are not having the huge effects that the Unions hoped/predicted. The media are trying to hype things up as much as possible (as expected) but the general public doesn't seem that bothered.
Two years of Covid disruption and all that went with it seem to have taught the public/business/industry how to get by reasonably well, with or without a "normal" train service. In fact many people are relishing the opportunity to "work from home" again. Perhaps Arthur Scargill appearing on the picket line was not a good omen for the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers).......he called an all out strike at completely the wrong time too. 

[IndustryInsider]

Bit too early to say either way if you ask me.  Mick Lynch was widely admired for his media performance - totally nullifying even the most seasoned journalist - and doing his cause no harm at all.  But the longer it goes on…