Staff benefits lost with nationalisation

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Railway World

Spare a thought for those of us who will this weekend (25 May 2025) lose a major rail travel benefit as a result of South Western Railway (SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)) becoming the first rail operator to be nationalised by the Labour Government.

Over the past five years a major benefit for me of working part-time for a FirstGroup company has been an annual allocation of cheap day rover tickets that are valid on any of the First rail operations and, importantly for me, SWR.

But the change of ownership at SWR means losing that valuable perk that comes with role as a Rail Replacement Coordinator, although it will continue to be available on First’s two other franchises, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and Avanti, until they too are taken into the public sector.

Not so lucky are the many thousands of SWR staff, who will lose their entitlement to all of these Rover tickets as they have now become part of the public sector, and are no longer be employees of FirstGroup.

[snip]

After five years, I will bitterly miss the SWR Rovers that allowed me to begin longer distance trips with a cheap early morning journey to Waterloo, and it seems all the more regrettable when I realise that I will be back working for SWR next weekend (31 May 2025) on bus replacement duty!

[ChrisB]

My understanding is that SWT^▸ (South West Trains)(R) staff retain benefits over SWT metals but have lost them over First Group metals.

The DfTO TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have agreed a replacement arrangement over their routes, but of course needs DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) agreement. They are still waiting…

[Surrey 455]

Annual season ticket holders lost a nice perk when SWT^▸ (South West Trains) became SWR^» (South Western Railway - about). Six free all day tickets anywhere on the SWT network per year. I can't see that returning with a change of ownership.
I seem to recall GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) used to do something similar in the mid 2000s, although that may have been linked to not meeting the punctuality targets in the Passenger Charter.

I had some nice long day trips with both operators which I wouldn't have otherwise made due to the normal cost.

[Fourbee]

Annual season ticket holders lost a nice perk when SWT^▸ (South West Trains) became SWR^» (South Western Railway - about). Six free all day tickets anywhere on the SWT network per year. I can't see that returning with a change of ownership.

When FirstGroup MTR^▸ (Mass Transit Railway, based in Hong Kong) took over, these complimentary tickets (looked a bit like old library tickets in form) were no longer issued, but they would be honoured. As I remember it, they needed to be presented with an annual season ticket. As of yesterday though, they become museum pieces as DFTO will not accept them.

[LiskeardRich]

SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) staff have also lost access to First bus weekly tickets they could purchase for, I believe £5-6.

Other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) staff have also lost access to SWR.

First bus staff have lost their £6 SWR day Rovers too.

[johnneyw]

Would it be too unrealistic to suggest that these lost perks may be intended to be used as bargaining chips in future wage negotiations with the unions?

[grahame]

One of the stated benefits of nationalisation is that it will make systems and fares less complicated - and the means loosing some of the none-universal perks and benefits.  For staff as well as for the customers of the business. 

I'm aware when catching trains from Southampton to Bournemouth that customers using GroupSave have been able to use one operator's trains and not another's ... as both of those companies become part of the national operator, will groupsave be expanded to cover all service, or dropped in the interest of standardisation and simplification (and taking more money without it being a "fare rise")

[Electric train]

From Railway World

Spare a thought for those of us who will this weekend (25 May 2025) lose a major rail travel benefit as a result of South Western Railway (SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)) becoming the first rail operator to be nationalised by the Labour Government.

Over the past five years a major benefit for me of working part-time for a FirstGroup company has been an annual allocation of cheap day rover tickets that are valid on any of the First rail operations and, importantly for me, SWR.

But the change of ownership at SWR means losing that valuable perk that comes with role as a Rail Replacement Coordinator, although it will continue to be available on First’s two other franchises, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and Avanti, until they too are taken into the public sector.

Not so lucky are the many thousands of SWR staff, who will lose their entitlement to all of these Rover tickets as they have now become part of the public sector, and are no longer be employees of FirstGroup.

[snip]

After five years, I will bitterly miss the SWR Rovers that allowed me to begin longer distance trips with a cheap early morning journey to Waterloo, and it seems all the more regrettable when I realise that I will be back working for SWR next weekend (31 May 2025) on bus replacement duty!

This is nothing in comparison to the loss of travel facilities to new employees enjoyed by prior to privatisation