Rail unions strike action 2022/2023

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

I guess as far as the Unions are concerned it generates more headlines and keeps them in the News, although the Government know that overall the rail strike is causing only inconvenience rather than any serious disruption so are content to let it run on until it peters out................I suspect a face saving solution for both sides will be found at some stage that enables them both to claim victory (......that's the Unions and the Government, not City and United!!!) 

I think that’s true, but only partially true.

The phrase ‘best and final offer’ has been used several times only for a better offer to then materialise soon after.  Sure, the better offer is nowhere near what the Unions are demanding, but they are improved offers nonetheless. 

If at some point it becomes clear it really is a best and final offer then I would expect staff to fairly quickly accept that fact and settle.

[TaplowGreen]

I guess as far as the Unions are concerned it generates more headlines and keeps them in the News, although the Government know that overall the rail strike is causing only inconvenience rather than any serious disruption so are content to let it run on until it peters out................I suspect a face saving solution for both sides will be found at some stage that enables them both to claim victory (......that's the Unions and the Government, not City and United!!!) 

I think that’s true, but only partially true.

The phrase ‘best and final offer’ has been used several times only for a better offer to then materialise soon after.  Sure, the better offer is nowhere near what the Unions are demanding, but they are improved offers nonetheless. 

If at some point it becomes clear it really is a best and final offer then I would expect staff to fairly quickly accept that fact and settle.

Provided of course they are given the chance to vote on accepting it, rather than Bruvver Mick and co deciding for them?

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, though I don’t think there has been an offer yet that would have been accepted that hasn’t been put to the membership.  But it would be interesting to know how close these offers are.

[TaplowGreen]

Despite tomorrow (1/6) not being a strike day, looking at the map/Journeycheck services seem to be pretty badly clobbered.

[ChrisB]

There is action tomorrow short of a strike by ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) - so no uncontracted overtime or rest-day working

[TonyN]

Today's Times cartoon

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/peter-brookes-times-cartoon-june-1-2023-7dl0bcc9t

[ChrisB]

Behind their paywall

[plymothian]

Behind their paywall

You can get a brief glimpse before the paywall comes up.  It's a [presumed] commuter asking an AI bot how soon before it can drive a train.

[IndustryInsider]

A.I. already drives some trains of course, and in theory it could drive all of them with technology that already exists.  And the same can be said for pilots and planes.

Whether the public will ever accept there being no driver when hurtling through the countryside is a different matter.  I think it will become a generational thing as we get more used to A.I. and in a couple of generations it will have become normalised.

I see A.I. as a potential threat to humanity over the coming decades.  It’s adapting incredibly quickly…just look at ChatGPT and recent updates to Photoshop which threatens to make lots of forms of photography and videography obsolete.  You simply won’t be able to tell what’s real and what’s fake very soon…which could be very dangerous.

[TaplowGreen]

Another voice of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) on the Ukraine situation - it's not just Dempsey and Lynch giving Putin a free pass, apparently it's war crimes and American vehicles "invading Russian territory" now.............one does wonder which planet these people inhabit..........and what RMT members think of their Leadership's rather bizarre take on events..........

https://twitter.com/habibi_uk/status/1664555018848989187?s=20

[broadgage]

Support for then communist russia, was taken for granted by the more left wing trades unions during the cold war.
The facts that we won the the cold war, and that russia is no longer communist have obviously not yet penetrated the minds of the bruvvers.

[Timmer]

Paul Clifton reporting that Train Drivers have voted overwhelmingly to continue industrial action:
https://twitter.com/PaulCliftonBBC/status/1668937816150093830

[ChrisB]

Includes ALL SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) drivers too this time, not just their depot drivers....

[ray951]

It was Albert Einstein, apparently, who said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) strikes have been going on for a year now and don't seem to be any closer to resolution, so by voting for more strikes what are the union and their members expecting to change?

It appears that the Government don't care about the railways and are just ignoring the unions and passengers just shrug their shoulders and make alternative arrangements, which may include not travelling by train again.

So is there anything that the RMT and ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) could do to change this situation?

Maybe an all-out strike would work, although I have been doubts given the lack of interest from the Government who would probably just use it as an excuse to close the railways down (or at least some of it) , or should they just cut their losses and accept what they have been offered?

[IndustryInsider]

I think a change of tactic is likely.  Either an indefinite RDW/favours ban or an escalation of the number of days of action.  I think the RDW/favours ban is more likely, as that will cause huge disruption over summer weekends, but we will see.