Rail strike next month?

[Fambo Number Mive]

All RMT members working for 15 train operating companies have been balloted for a national rail strike, with the deadline for ballot papers to be returned being in late May.

TSSA is currently consulting reps across all TOCs about next moves.

The proposed rail strike is over the proposed removal of over 2,500 maintenance roles, which the RMT say " will have a devastating impact on our members livelihoods and will lead to a stronger likelihood of serious accidents on the network" and salary freezes.

I imagine most strike dates will be at the weekend as most people are travelling for leisure rather than commuting.

I support the strike (like I do all strikes) although not being able to travel by train at the weekend will be a massive issue for me.

The comments of director of communications at Network Rail have made the strike even more likely with her comments on Yammer:

"Yes, there are some people in our business who are on high salaries," Ms Hughes, a communications director at the organisation, said in a post on the company's internal social network defending top executive pay.

"We are a massive multibillion pound business, with complex finances, risks, governance, public and political scrutiny and we also have some of the UK's biggest construction projects. Managing businesses like these are [sic] enormously complex and complicated... it's certainly not a job I or many other people can do.

"That doesn't mean senior managers and leaders are always right... far from it, but equally we should be fair and recognise that all businesses – public and private – compete for managers who have these skill and pay accordingly. It's a lesson to those of us who should have probably worked harder at school."

Ms Hughes added that "the alternative" to such pay inequality "is socialism where you don't have pay differences like this", noting: "Sadly again, there's not much evidence of successful, fair and open socialist countries in the world who've managed to do this either."

I'm not sure how long there has to be between the ballot results and the first strike dates but we will likely see strikes in June. It's shameful how Network Rail is considering getting rid of 2,500 vital workers and not trying to reduce the pay inequality in the railway industry, and I hope the RMT and TSSA manage to get them to think again.

[Fambo Number Mive]

The government in their reply to the unions claimed that many taxpayers didn't use the railways. Surely this is something the government should be doing a lot more to fix. It would get a lot of people out of their cars and help make railway routes more viable.

Is it the government or the TOC who runs the station who decides if a railway station should be closed and/or if services should be cut? My understanding is that this government is keen to be seen as reversing some of the Beeching cuts, but we know how what this government wants to be seen doing and what it actually does are very different. There's no levelling up, for one thing.

[bgmnts]

All RMT members working for 15 train operating companies have been balloted for a national rail strike, with the deadline for ballot papers to be returned being in late May.

TSSA is currently consulting reps across all TOCs about next moves.

The proposed rail strike is over the proposed removal of over 2,500 maintenance roles, which the RMT say " will have a devastating impact on our members livelihoods and will lead to a stronger likelihood of serious accidents on the network" and salary freezes.

I imagine most strike dates will be at the weekend as most people are travelling for leisure rather than commuting.

I support the strike (like I do all strikes) although not being able to travel by train at the weekend will be a massive issue for me.

The comments of director of communications at Network Rail have made the strike even more likely with her comments on Yammer:

I'm not sure how long there has to be between the ballot results and the first strike dates but we will likely see strikes in June. It's shameful how Network Rail is considering getting rid of 2,500 vital workers and not trying to reduce the pay inequality in the railway industry, and I hope the RMT and TSSA manage to get them to think again.

Absolute fucking rancid cunt.

[Paul Calf]

It really fucking infuriates me that they only ever strike on weekends and Bank Holidays.

[olliebean]

Bugger. I need to travel by rail in June. I have some leeway as to when, but I need to know pretty soon what dates will be safe to book for. Am I likely to be OK if I travel midweek?

[Old Thrashbarg]

Absolute fucking rancid cunt.

This seems a bit harsh. Fambo's only relaying the news.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Bugger. I need to travel by rail in June. I have some leeway as to when, but I need to know pretty soon what dates will be safe to book for. Am I likely to be OK if I travel midweek?

It's possible they may decide to strike midweek as well, while it is less likely it is certainly possible. I don't think at this stage any date in June is off the cards, I imagine if they can strike around the Jubilee they will.

Could you look into coach travel as a backup? What TOC/s would you have be using? (see my 11:22:07 post)

[Fambo Number Mive]

The ballot will be among RMT members on Network Rail and the train operators Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern, South Western Railway, Island Line, GTR (including Gatwick Express), TransPennine Express, Avanti West Coast, and West Midlands Trains.

So it's not every TOC - I can't see Southern Trains, Hull Trains or Greater Northern on there, for example.

[bgmnts]

This seems a bit harsh. Fambo's only relaying the news.

Hehe.

It's strange though, the interesting thing about Marxist theory is it mostly just verbalises everything you would assume most people would have known way before they even knew of Marx. Yet, you listen to twats like this and you just think what the fuck?

[olliebean]

It's possible they may decide to strike midweek as well, while it is less likely it is certainly possible. I don't think at this stage any date in June is off the cards, I imagine if they can strike around the Jubilee they will.

Could you look into coach travel as a backup? What TOC/s would you have be using? (see my 11:22:07 post)

Not sure what TOC, it'd be London to Oxford. It'll probably be a couple of weeks after the jubilee. Coach is an option, but probably crammed as hell if there's a rail strike on.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Surely midweek striking disrupts business/the economy more and is more likely to exert political/business pressure on the employers to take the hit and cave.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Not sure what TOC, it'd be London to Oxford. It'll probably be a couple of weeks after the jubilee. Coach is an option, but probably crammed as hell if there's a rail strike on.

If there is a strike on for the dates you are travelling look into the Oxford Tube or the Oxford Bus Company's version which used to be called the Oxford Espress or something. Oxford is served by Crosscountry, GWR and Chiltern trains, all of which are being balloted. 

The Oxford Tube runs pretty frequently I think, I've never used it, used the OBC ones years ago. Not sure how full they would be during a rail strike.

[Gurke and Hare]

So it's not every TOC - I can't see Southern Trains, Hull Trains or Greater Northern on there, for example.

Southern and Great Northern are part of GTR. Hull Trains are probably not there because they're an open access company, so not part of the regular franchising cartel but that's only an educated guess.

[Psybro]

Since 2019 I've kept booking leisure trips to London and getting fucked by strikes or engineering works, which can now get announced as close as four weeks away from the date. 

I don't see how leisure travel by train can appeal to anything but a captive audience at the moment, you just get no certainty at all.  People will sooner get a three hour line at airport security and destroy the planet for their children knowing their method of transport will actually be there as advertised.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Surely midweek striking disrupts business/the economy more and is more likely to exert political/business pressure on the employers to take the hit and cave.

I know some of the Tube strikes earlier this year were on weekdays. I think so many commuters are able to work from home now if needed that weekday strikes aren't as effective as weekend strikes, but I could very well be wrong.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I know some of the Tube strikes earlier this year were on weekdays. I think so many commuters are able to work from home now if needed that weekday strikes aren't as effective as weekend strikes, but I could very well be wrong.

Yeah it might not disrupt white-collar work much but if you consider something like Tesco, by halting rail you're stopping their service staff getting in, and because they use rail for logistics you're messing with their supply chain as well.

[Fambo Number Mive]

That's a good point, I hadn't thought about people who couldn't WFH or supply chains. Although I don't know if RMT members who drive freight trains are striking, I thought it was just passenger trains.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I couldn't work it out from the information but if there's network staff striking then it would probably disrupt the freight regardless of whether their drivers are in the union.

[Pink Gregory]

Mouth made for the guillotine, that one.

[Paul Calf]

Surely midweek striking disrupts business/the economy more and is more likely to exert political/business pressure on the employers to take the hit and cave.

On the other hand, weekend striking doesn't disrupt anyone wealthy or important but makes it look as though you're flexing.

[Replies From View]

THE NEW GWR FM
WITH DAVE BARRATT

[holyzombiejesus]

Previously strikes have been on a weekend. They really screw us over as we don't drive and live in a relatively rural town. (Obviously sympathy is with the workers rather than me not being able to get my son to Eureka.)

If anyone does get a (not prebooked) train regularly, I always recommend getting paper tickets rather than electronic ones as you can then scour that days cancellations/ late departures, and use Delay Repay to get free tickets. The simple introduction of an erasable biro means I've not had to pay for a train for several weeks now. Before lockdown, when I had an annual pass, I claimed back enough cash to pay for our Christmas food and drink and most presents!

[shoulders]

If it is not one thing to worry about then it is another, I mean if there's not one thing to worry about there is another. Honestly, if you aren't busy enough worrying about one thing then there's something else that comes along. As if I'm not already worrying worrying about one thing or other before this other thing comes along. Be sure to check the station for up to date travel information and mites.

[Kankurette]

I don't drive. That's me screwed then. Though luckily I can get to Manchester Airport by tram.

[Fambo Number Mive]

One wonders how long the rail strike will go for before Network Rail make an offer to the unions. Surely the government would put pressure on Network Rail to make an offer to try to end the strike if it went on for more than a few weeks? Leisure travel is essential to help the economy.

[holyzombiejesus]

It went on for months last time. The bosses were trying to stop puuting trained-up guards on trains and, from what I remember, went on for about 6 months.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Scotrail had Sunday strikes for ages as well, I think they managed to get a hiatus for COP26 but it looks like there's a series of summer strikes planned as well. This is via RMT as well.
https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/scotland-rail-strikes-scotland-facing-biggest-rail-strike-in-modern-history-as-workers-balloted-over-industrial-action-this-summer-3661927

[Fambo Number Mive]

The votes have been counted. 71% of those balloted voted with 89% voting for strike action.

The following companies have voted for strike action and action short of strike:

Network Rail

Chiltern Railways,
Cross Country Trains,
Greater Anglia,
LNER,
East Midlands Railway,
c2c,
Great Western Railway,
Northern Trains,
South Eastern
South Western Railway
Transpennine Express,
Avanti West Coast,
West Midlands Trains

The following company voted for action short of strike:

GTR (including Gatwick Express)

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch says the RMT NEC will now meet  to discuss a timetable for strike action from mid-June.

At least 14 days notice needs to be given for a strike unless both the union and the management agree 7 days is ok, not sure why the management would do that though.

[shoulders]

Leisure travel is essential to help the economy.

It is? Oh no! Oh no!!!!!

[Fambo Number Mive]

It is? Oh no! Oh no!!!!!

Not sure what your point is. Are you just being silly?