Nationalised Railway & Driver Pay/ Overtime

[Treetops]

Hi all

Just wondered what those who might have a bit of understanding around nationalising the railway - as Labour have promised to do if they get into power - think would happen to driver pay and the availability of rest day working as a result?

Is it a good thing or a less good thing?

Pay up or pay down?

Rest day working staying or stopping?

Asking as it is a current topic in the news and ASLEF are obviously affiliated to Labour and whilst I have seen a few speculative posts about what it might mean in terms of TOC compensation or buy outs etc I haven’t seen much thought about if the lower paid TOCs might be lifted up to the higher paid TOCs if indeed it happens etc?

Thoughts?

 

[LBMPSB]

I suspect it will go the same as it has with Track Maintenance Staff being brought back into Network Rail. Hundreds of staff doing the same job but on many varying different contracts and pay conditions, which the unions will then fight to keep staff's terms and conditions. And when new staff are employed, they have different contracts and pay decided by Network Rail. So with re-nationalisation, effectively Driver A, B & C at the same depot could be on different Pay, Terms and Conditions until either the unions and the nationalised Railway Company( i.e. The Government) can come to an agreement. It causes arguements and disharmony between staff.

I work for Network Rail and was ex BR so kept my Free Rail Passes, even get free travel to from work. Several of my colleagues doing the same job, get paid less and have to pay for their travel, how is that fair and why does both the Company and Unions even allow it? It will be the same with Drivers if nationalised, Driver (of TOC A) does same job as Driver (of TOC B), but has a different wage, different terms and conditions and work at the same depot. Not good for worker morale.

 

[43066]

Hi all

Just wondered what those who might have a bit of understanding around nationalising the railway - as Labour have promised to do if they get into power - think would happen to driver pay and the availability of rest day working as a result?

Is it a good thing or a less good thing?

Pay up or pay down?

Rest day working staying or stopping?

Asking as it is a current topic in the news and ASLEF are obviously affiliated to Labour and whilst I have seen a few speculative posts about what it might mean in terms of TOC compensation or buy outs etc I haven’t seen much thought about if the lower paid TOCs might be lifted up to the higher paid TOCs if indeed it happens etc?

Thoughts?

Difficult to predict at this early stage.

There will in theory be less competition for staff, which could have a dampening effect on pay rises. However it’s a virtual certainty that the former TOCs will continue on wildly disparate pay and conditions for the foreseeable future, as harmonisation will be too difficult/expensive. There are open access and freight operators, who didn’t exist as separate entities during BR, who will provide some competition, so it remains to be seen what the overall effect is.

It’s hard to imagine RDW disappearing as we all know eliminating it would cost money and, outside of industrial disputes, the arrangement generally works pretty well for both train crew and operators. It was also prevalent under BR.

I suspect it will go the same as it has with Track Maintenance Staff being brought back into Network Rail. Hundreds of staff doing the same job but on many varying different contracts and pay conditions, which the unions will then fight to keep staff's terms and conditions. And when new staff are employed, they have different contracts and pay decided by Network Rail. So with re-nationalisation, effectively Driver A, B & C at the same depot could be on different Pay, Terms and Conditions until either the unions and the nationalised Railway Company( i.e. The Government) can come to an agreement. It causes arguements and disharmony between staff.

I work for Network Rail and was ex BR so kept my Free Rail Passes, even get free travel to from work. Several of my colleagues doing the same job, get paid less and have to pay for their travel, how is that fair and why does both the Company and Unions even allow it? It will be the same with Drivers if nationalised, Driver (of TOC A) does same job as Driver (of TOC B), but has a different wage, different terms and conditions and work at the same depot. Not good for worker morale.

Indeed. Individual TOCs still have groups of staff with differing pay and Ts and Cs due to historical variations between depots/areas, so it’s hard to see this getting any better.

 

[dk1]

I can’t see how anything can change and it certainly won’t in my working life. We will be in a similar position with T&C as well as pay disparities at the next GE around 2029/30.