RMT announce Rail strikes are on for this week

Originally Posted by Mick

My heart doesn’t bleed for them. They want to try working in the Healthcare industry as it is now, utterly decimated, far harder job for significantly less pay and we can’t strike for obvious reasons.

That is also unfair though and they're taking more advantage of you because you can't strike as easily. Why shouldn't you get a better pay rise after years of below-inflation pay rises, being on the front line of COVID and now having to contend with even further inflation?

I don't know much about the issue RMT has. I guess it's the point of a union to get their members better terms and conditions. Stike action is penalising some of those who can't work from home though and those tend to be people on lower-paid (retail workers, cleaners, manual workers and so on).

Not sure if it's connected but I do know the Government has been playing games with TFL's budget. TFL is obviously underwater after COVID and they keep doing emergency budgets.

[GrimUpNorth]

Originally Posted by Mick

My heart doesn’t bleed for them. They want to try working in the Healthcare industry as it is now, utterly decimated, far harder job for significantly less pay and we can’t strike for obvious reasons.

Putting my Conservative hat on, people in healthcare should look to changing sectors if their not happy with their lot. Maybe consider working for the railways, as you seem to consider it a much easier and better paid profession to be in. I'm sure the solitary gaurd on the last train Friday/Saturday night would agree with you.

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I've forgotten how public sector disputes used to get resolved. As Network Rail is publicly owned and funded, I imagine that the government may have to get involved if more cash is involved.

Network Rail isn’t British Rail. The British Railways Board was entirely appointed by government, which continually watched over their shoulders (frequently making things worse in the process). Network Rail is state owned but operates at arm’s length. It isn’t a government department and there is no role for government ministers in its management, even when it comes to pay bargaining. It is regulated by the Office of Rail and Road which while it’s a government department, does not itself have a minister running it so as to distance it from political interference. The operation of the railways has been deliberately designed so as not to make them a daily political issue. This of course is exactly why the RMT, with all the subtlety of a half-brick, is trying to make it into one. The trade union movement is spoiling for a fight with a Tory government and the RMT thinks it is in with a chance here.

Direct political influence over the railway occurs at the strategic level - new infrastructure, long-term agreed operational goals, etc. pay bargaining isn’t that.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by Mick

My heart doesn’t bleed for them. They want to try working in the Healthcare industry as it is now, utterly decimated, far harder job for significantly less pay and we can’t strike for obvious reasons.

Who utterly decimated the healthcare industry? Do you think Boris will be fighting to give you a decent pay rise Mick? One that would at least keep up with inflation, which isn't a pay rise at all ...
They've cocked up the economy and the country.

Originally Posted by Mr K

Who utterly decimated the healthcare industry? Do you think Boris will be fighting to give you a decent pay rise Mick? One that would at least keep up with inflation, which isn't a pay rise at all ...
They've cocked up the economy and the country.

I can put my hand on my heart and say how utterly annoyed I am with the Conservatives for how they ran and continue to run, our health industry in to the ground.

The money they spent on Test and trace, £36 Billion, and it was a disorganised agency, they could open up several hospitals, or keep investing in the skilled workforce for years to come.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Mick

My heart doesn’t bleed for them. They want to try working in the Healthcare industry as it is now, utterly decimated, far harder job for significantly less pay and we can’t strike for obvious reasons.

There is nothing legally stopping those in the healthcare industry from striking as far as I'm aware - although the manner of the strikes would be different I'd think to ensure continued support and care for those needing healthcare services.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...se/ar-BB1egqau

Matt Hancock defends 1pc increase to nurses pay as they threaten to strike

https://www.theguardian.com/business...er-covid-debts

Pharmacists in England considering strike action over Covid debts

Industry association says chancellor must intervene to waive repayment of £370m of government loans

And back in 2016

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...doctors-strike

When will the five-day strikes happen?
The BMA announced that junior doctors will strike from 12 to 16 September, in a significant escalation in their dispute with the government over a proposed new contract. The walkout will occur between 8am and 5pm on those days, so technically it is not five-day strike but a strike on five consecutive days. There are also walkouts proposed for 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11 October, 14-18 November and 5-9 December

[tweetiepooh]

I used to work in the NHS, poor pay but safe job, great pension, pay increments as well as pay rises, some perks offered by companies to NHS staff and the knowledge you were helping people.
Now they've mucked up the pensions and many other factors that make the lower pay more of a burden. I know people in healthcare now who are fed up but still love their jobs and taking care of people, even if indirectly (IT etc).
But I can't believe all the wastage that was present when I was in the NHS has all been got rid of, it's the same as always, if something needs doing employ more admin types to form a committee and never actually get anything done.


At the moment though we are in an inflationary cycle and if wages are kept in control that will cause things to cycle upwards even faster. I don't know how it can be done, especially with fuel price rises, but we need to keep costs down, including wages, and to protect the lower paid and less well off without so impacting the middle classes that they stop the spending they can make. (The very rich will always find a way to be OK.)

I support all those 'vital' workers who we all clapped for when asked to by the government and then got rewarded with a totally useless pay increase that got eaten up by the recent surge in prices for fuel.I still support them now they are in danger of being shafted by the SAME government when asking for a wage increase that will allow them to deal with surging costs in living and travel costs.

Originally Posted by BenMcr

There is nothing legally stopping those in the healthcare industry from striking as far as I'm aware - although the manner of the strikes would be different I'd think to ensure continued support and care for those needing healthcare services.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...se/ar-BB1egqau



https://www.theguardian.com/business...er-covid-debts



And back in 2016

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...doctors-strike

I get the legal argument but it’d be a moral ethical risk. Striking health workers would put thousands of lives a day at risk, public would soon lose respect and stop backing us.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Mick

I get the legal argument but it’d be a moral ethical risk. Striking health workers would put thousands of lives a day at risk, public would soon lose respect and stop backing us.

I get the moral and ethical dilemma which I'm sure would dissuade many from taking part in strike action.

I'm less sure of the benefit of the public support as that has not fed through into a pay rise.

From Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/train-str...ption-12637169

This strike is about safety more than pay, Network Rail worker tells Sky News

A Network Rail employee who "works on the infrastructure daily" has been in touch to counter what he suggests are widespread misconceptions about the cause of this week's strikes.

The worker, who provided his name to Sky News but asked to remain anonymous, said the action was not primarily being driven by pay.

"The issue that I have is nothing to do with money," he said.
"Every reporter and news station across the country is just focusing on pay - this strike is mainly about safety. Network Rail want to cut 2,000 operative jobs just on my route alone.

"They want all operatives across the country to be gone and replaced with a job role called assistant technician.

"The duties of this role would include travelling to various locations throughout the country in your own vehicle, therefore using more fuel and having to change your insurance policy to allow for business use, therefore costing the worker more money.

"They also want to bring in cross-discipline working so they want staff to be able to work with various departments using skills that people have mastered over years of experience.

"However, they expect us to do their highly skilled work even though we are not trained to do the task.

"Network Rail wants to attack our pension scheme and make us work more weekends with reduced rest periods between shifts, therefore making staff more fatigued and increasing the risk of serious injury."

The worker went on to criticise Andrew Haines, Network Rail's chief executive.

"This is the man that claims we need to save money as the company has no money to give us a pay rise, while he sits there on his £635,000-a-year job," he said.

The latest available figures indicated Mr Haines's salary was between £585,000 and £589,999 annually.

You can actually start to understand why these strikes are on when a CEO comfortably sits on more than half a million pound salary.

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by Mick

From Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/train-str...ption-12637169

This strike is about safety more than pay, Network Rail worker tells Sky News

A Network Rail employee who "works on the infrastructure daily" has been in touch to counter what he suggests are widespread misconceptions about the cause of this week's strikes.

The worker, who provided his name to Sky News but asked to remain anonymous, said the action was not primarily being driven by pay.

"The issue that I have is nothing to do with money," he said.
"Every reporter and news station across the country is just focusing on pay - this strike is mainly about safety. Network Rail want to cut 2,000 operative jobs just on my route alone.

"They want all operatives across the country to be gone and replaced with a job role called assistant technician.

"The duties of this role would include travelling to various locations throughout the country in your own vehicle, therefore using more fuel and having to change your insurance policy to allow for business use, therefore costing the worker more money.

"They also want to bring in cross-discipline working so they want staff to be able to work with various departments using skills that people have mastered over years of experience.

"However, they expect us to do their highly skilled work even though we are not trained to do the task.

"Network Rail wants to attack our pension scheme and make us work more weekends with reduced rest periods between shifts, therefore making staff more fatigued and increasing the risk of serious injury."

The worker went on to criticise Andrew Haines, Network Rail's chief executive.

"This is the man that claims we need to save money as the company has no money to give us a pay rise, while he sits there on his £635,000-a-year job," he said.

The latest available figures indicated Mr Haines's salary was between £585,000 and £589,999 annually.

You can actually start to understand why these strikes are on when a CEO comfortably sits on more than half a million pound salary.

To add to this, there was something i saw on twitter from a lady who works as a platform attendant, I can't remember the exact words were that were user, but it was along the lines of

what people see is me standing on the platform blowing a whilstle, and they think it looks easy.

What they don't see

supporting a domestic abuse sufferer
waiting with an ill patient because an ambulance has been delayed
chasing after and sitting on suicidal kids trying to throw themselves on the lines.

The above had happened all in the past six weeks....

BREAKING: Labour Party bans front bench from joining Rail strike picket lines according to reports. - GB News.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Mick

BREAKING: Labour Party bans front bench from joining Rail strike picket lines according to reports. - GB News.

That broke last night, hasn't really worked though

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-b2105709.html

Two frontbench Labour MPs have defied an order from Sir Keir Starmer not to join striking rail workers on the picket line in the biggest industrial action on the network for three decades.

Which two Labour front benchers?

Link is behind a paywall.