or to join or start a new Discussion

Articles/all comments
These 106 comments are related to an article called:

Train Strikes

Page 3 of 5

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 57 seconds ago
comment by Jose Mauricio (U6489)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
Why shouldn't unions be able to foot the bill for strikes? That's surely one of their main functions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Because the whole point of a strike is that you're providing a service to your employer.

If you are refusing to work, you shouldn't be paid, in my opinion of course.

Otherwise it's too easy to say I'm going on strike, feck the economy, feck the tax payers, feck our customers and feck the people paying my salary.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Let unions foot the bill. The quicker they run out of money the better.

I know a few people who work in the railways and they say they are losing money hand over fist when these strikes happen. I know that may not be representative but in every case I can’t see how any financial settlement will replace the loss in income over the past year or however long it’s been.

posted on 23/6/23

Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid

posted on 23/6/23

I know a few people who work in the railways and they say they are losing money hand over fist when these strikes happen. I know that may not be representative but in every case I can’t see how any financial settlement will replace the loss in income over the past year or however long it’s been.

Loss is more than the gain, but it wasnt all over the pay deal

comment by Hector (U3606)

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Jose Mauricio (U6489)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
Why shouldn't unions be able to foot the bill for strikes? That's surely one of their main functions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Because the whole point of a strike is that you're providing a service to your employer.

If you are refusing to work, you shouldn't be paid, in my opinion of course.

Otherwise it's too easy to say I'm going on strike, feck the economy, feck the tax payers, feck our customers and feck the people paying my salary.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nobody wants to go on strike ffs! Not every union pays strike pay and those that do tend to pay a hardship allowance that is not equal to salaries.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 20 seconds ago
Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not by their employers. They are part subsidised by their unions. Think it was £50 a day although I believe I read that this has been reduced.

The employees are losing a lot of money here.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 2 minutes ago
I know a few people who work in the railways and they say they are losing money hand over fist when these strikes happen. I know that may not be representative but in every case I can’t see how any financial settlement will replace the loss in income over the past year or however long it’s been.

Loss is more than the gain, but it wasnt all over the pay deal
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Indeed. It’s mainly about refusing any potential redundancies, ticket office closures and changing to modern working practices and having staff who can multi task and operate between different sites a few miles away from each other.

Ridiculous isn’t it?

comment by Hector (U3606)

posted on 23/6/23

The comparison with other sectors who have been striking is valid because regardless of the actual level of pay, the differential in growth in pay is stark.
....

Compare it to private sector pay deals where 8% in 2023 is what's regarded as fair.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 2 seconds ago
The comparison with other sectors who have been striking is valid because regardless of the actual level of pay, the differential in growth in pay is stark.
....

Compare it to private sector pay deals where 8% in 2023 is what's regarded as fair.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

More like 6% and then you have to take into account the “average” differentiation in pensions, healthcare and benefits to get the complete picture.

The rail pensions are around the most generous in industry.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 20 seconds ago
Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not by their employers. They are part subsidised by their unions. Think it was £50 a day although I believe I read that this has been reduced.

The employees are losing a lot of money here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
aye? I never got anything when I was on strike

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 20 seconds ago
Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not by their employers. They are part subsidised by their unions. Think it was £50 a day although I believe I read that this has been reduced.

The employees are losing a lot of money here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
aye? I never got anything when I was on strike
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Good

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 20 seconds ago
Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not by their employers. They are part subsidised by their unions. Think it was £50 a day although I believe I read that this has been reduced.

The employees are losing a lot of money here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
aye? I never got anything when I was on strike
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Good


----------------------------------------------------------------------
so dont know where you are getting this £50 a day from

comment by Hector (U3606)

posted on 23/6/23

Good for them and their negotiating reps.

You have to take into account the training required, the legal personal liabilities, the shift work, the time away from home, rising inflation, rising housing costs, rising inflation blah-de-blah.
I'll say it again, I believe no wage dependant workers wants to strike and it's a ludicrous situation where our government refuses to negotiate.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 20 seconds ago
Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not by their employers. They are part subsidised by their unions. Think it was £50 a day although I believe I read that this has been reduced.

The employees are losing a lot of money here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
aye? I never got anything when I was on strike
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Good


----------------------------------------------------------------------
so dont know where you are getting this £50 a day from
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Others who work for train companies. Maybe they are in different unions

Telling you what I’ve been told is all

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 25 minutes ago
comment by Jose Mauricio (U6489)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
Why shouldn't unions be able to foot the bill for strikes? That's surely one of their main functions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Because the whole point of a strike is that you're providing a service to your employer.

If you are refusing to work, you shouldn't be paid, in my opinion of course.

Otherwise it's too easy to say I'm going on strike, feck the economy, feck the tax payers, feck our customers and feck the people paying my salary.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Still doesn't answer my question though? The workers pay dues into the unions and these dues are used to cover the wages of striking workers as far as I'm aware. It's basically a strike fund no?

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 7 minutes ago
The comparison with other sectors who have been striking is valid because regardless of the actual level of pay, the differential in growth in pay is stark.
....

Compare it to private sector pay deals where 8% in 2023 is what's regarded as fair.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I didnt get 8%

After 2008 i didnt get a pay rise for years, then 1 or 2 % for a good number of years and some colleagues had to take pay cuts to keep their jobs or work 4 days a week etc.

It is swings and round about's in the private sector and people get paid what the business can afford and what represents the success or otherwise of their business at the time.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Jose Mauricio (U6489)
posted 2 seconds ago
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 25 minutes ago
comment by Jose Mauricio (U6489)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
Why shouldn't unions be able to foot the bill for strikes? That's surely one of their main functions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Because the whole point of a strike is that you're providing a service to your employer.

If you are refusing to work, you shouldn't be paid, in my opinion of course.

Otherwise it's too easy to say I'm going on strike, feck the economy, feck the tax payers, feck our customers and feck the people paying my salary.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Still doesn't answer my question though? The workers pay dues into the unions and these dues are used to cover the wages of striking workers as far as I'm aware. It's basically a strike fund no?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Known as “hardship funds”. Think Fan might want to change his membership over to someone else

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 20 seconds ago
Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not by their employers. They are part subsidised by their unions. Think it was £50 a day although I believe I read that this has been reduced.

The employees are losing a lot of money here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
aye? I never got anything when I was on strike
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Good


----------------------------------------------------------------------
so dont know where you are getting this £50 a day from
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Others who work for train companies. Maybe they are in different unions

Telling you what I’ve been told is all
----------------------------------------------------------------------
guess different from Network Rail then cos we got feck all

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 33 seconds ago
comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 7 minutes ago
The comparison with other sectors who have been striking is valid because regardless of the actual level of pay, the differential in growth in pay is stark.
....

Compare it to private sector pay deals where 8% in 2023 is what's regarded as fair.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I didnt get 8%

After 2008 i didnt get a pay rise for years, then 1 or 2 % for a good number of years and some colleagues had to take pay cuts to keep their jobs or work 4 days a week etc.

It is swings and round about's in the private sector and people get paid what the business can afford and what represents the success or otherwise of their business at the time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This 8% figure being bandied around is driven by the increase in minimum wage levels. It’s way off the norms as I understand from many colleagues who work and run private sector businesses.

4-6% is more like the real figure although lowest paid workers (quite rightly) receive better pay deals in most cases.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 42 seconds ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by Fan Gillhaus 1903 (U3339)
posted 20 seconds ago
Rail Strikers DO NOT get paid
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not by their employers. They are part subsidised by their unions. Think it was £50 a day although I believe I read that this has been reduced.

The employees are losing a lot of money here.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
aye? I never got anything when I was on strike
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Good


----------------------------------------------------------------------
so dont know where you are getting this £50 a day from
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Others who work for train companies. Maybe they are in different unions

Telling you what I’ve been told is all
----------------------------------------------------------------------
guess different from Network Rail then cos we got feck all
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Yeah seems like it mate. Just been reading up on it and it certainly seems the case although as I’ve said earlier, I think the payments have decreased substantially.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 7 minutes ago
The comparison with other sectors who have been striking is valid because regardless of the actual level of pay, the differential in growth in pay is stark.
....

Compare it to private sector pay deals where 8% in 2023 is what's regarded as fair.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I didnt get 8%

After 2008 i didnt get a pay rise for years, then 1 or 2 % for a good number of years and some colleagues had to take pay cuts to keep their jobs or work 4 days a week etc.

It is swings and round about's in the private sector and people get paid what the business can afford and what represents the success or otherwise of their business at the time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

2% was the norm for many years until this latest crisis. Even if very successful we never paid much more than 3% because you never know what the next financial year might bring.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 4 minutes ago
Good for them and their negotiating reps.

You have to take into account the training required, the legal personal liabilities, the shift work, the time away from home, rising inflation, rising housing costs, rising inflation blah-de-blah.
I'll say it again, I believe no wage dependant workers wants to strike and it's a ludicrous situation where our government refuses to negotiate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Same for a lot of private company employees.

I probably do 5-10 hours a week over my contracted hours and dont get paid for it. I hope it gets recognised and im viewed as an important cog in the machine and rewarded accordingly but part of the reason why i do it is because we have clients, who pay the fees and they want and need their work done asap, so it gets done and that can mean a lot of hard work and long hours. If i dont then the company loses money, loses client and its very viability suffers.

I have a degree and a Masters and did 3 years in-job training before being qualified and able to practice fully...a train driver needs a few GCSEs and 9 months training, so lets not pretend that their life is any tougher or harder work than your average career.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 13 minutes ago
Good for them and their negotiating reps.

You have to take into account the training required, the legal personal liabilities, the shift work, the time away from home, rising inflation, rising housing costs, rising inflation blah-de-blah.
I'll say it again, I believe no wage dependant workers wants to strike and it's a ludicrous situation where our government refuses to negotiate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Most of those things apply to practically anyone at work.

Their negotiations aren't going too well now as it appears, and they are losing public support by the day. This latest round of planned strikes will just worsen the situation.

Why should the government cave in when they have already offered more than other publicly funded jobs? Especially when there is a flat refusal to change to modern practices.

This is public money we are talking about. Are the train operators themselves champing at the bit to give more money, or are they happily and quietly sitting with the government's stance? The latter I suggest.

Sorry, but until they realise it's not 1974 and instead enter real and focused negotiations with give and take on both sides, they can go fwck themselves as far as I'm concerned.

posted on 23/6/23

As for "negotiating"; essentially all they do is hold the public to ransom and blame the government of the day.

posted on 23/6/23

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 4 minutes ago
Good for them and their negotiating reps.

You have to take into account the training required, the legal personal liabilities, the shift work, the time away from home, rising inflation, rising housing costs, rising inflation blah-de-blah.
I'll say it again, I believe no wage dependant workers wants to strike and it's a ludicrous situation where our government refuses to negotiate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Same for a lot of private company employees.

I probably do 5-10 hours a week over my contracted hours and dont get paid for it. I hope it gets recognised and im viewed as an important cog in the machine and rewarded accordingly but part of the reason why i do it is because we have clients, who pay the fees and they want and need their work done asap, so it gets done and that can mean a lot of hard work and long hours. If i dont then the company loses money, loses client and its very viability suffers.

I have a degree and a Masters and did 3 years in-job training before being qualified and able to practice fully...a train driver needs a few GCSEs and 9 months training, so lets not pretend that their life is any tougher or harder work than your average career.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How many lives you responsible for on a day to day basis?

FFS

posted on 23/6/23

comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 20 seconds ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 4 minutes ago
Good for them and their negotiating reps.

You have to take into account the training required, the legal personal liabilities, the shift work, the time away from home, rising inflation, rising housing costs, rising inflation blah-de-blah.
I'll say it again, I believe no wage dependant workers wants to strike and it's a ludicrous situation where our government refuses to negotiate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Same for a lot of private company employees.

I probably do 5-10 hours a week over my contracted hours and dont get paid for it. I hope it gets recognised and im viewed as an important cog in the machine and rewarded accordingly but part of the reason why i do it is because we have clients, who pay the fees and they want and need their work done asap, so it gets done and that can mean a lot of hard work and long hours. If i dont then the company loses money, loses client and its very viability suffers.

I have a degree and a Masters and did 3 years in-job training before being qualified and able to practice fully...a train driver needs a few GCSEs and 9 months training, so lets not pretend that their life is any tougher or harder work than your average career.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How many lives you responsible for on a day to day basis?

FFS
----------------------------------------------------------------------

In terms of not crashing your method of transport when there is every failsafe device available to man?

Or failing to warn people not to stand too close to passing trains?

People on construction sites have far more responsibility, as do nurses, doctors, the care sector, airline staff etc etc etc

Page 3 of 5

Sign in if you want to comment