• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Striking during olympics

Status
Not open for further replies.

GB

Established Member
Joined
16 Nov 2008
Messages
6,457
Location
Somewhere
I sincerely hope you will therefore report the standards of staff on this forum to the relevant employer, because standards, especially with regards addressing customers have slipped somewhat.

As I said, among other things, and you have no idea what I do now, nor am I prepared to discuss it. Suffice to say, I am aware of the training requirements for drivers.

Leaving that aside, we are now getting onto more interesting point. Because the unions have so much power, what can be done to curtail it? And should it be curtailed?

Is it really fair on the public or their employers to experience continuous walk outs in order to obtain better remuneration? considering the railway has got to reduce costs. In terms of tax payer input and fare prices.

Should markets for entry to railway jobs be opened up? College courses, university, home study, outside agency and so on?

Would you like to expand on that opening paragraph?

...and what is this about continuous walkouts???
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Ferret

Established Member
Joined
22 Jan 2009
Messages
4,124
As I said, among other things, and you have no idea what I do now, nor am I prepared to discuss it. Suffice to say, I am aware of the training requirements for drivers.

It's becoming plainly obvious what you do - not much bar spending all day on Rail UK arguing with people!:)

As for opening up training courses - not on your nelly. I would never trust an outside agency on something as important. Anyway - who would do the handling training, teach the routes, etc etc?
 

KA4C

Member
Joined
7 Mar 2012
Messages
403
I sincerely hope you will therefore report the standards of staff on this forum to the relevant employer, because standards, especially with regards addressing customers have slipped somewhat.

As I said, among other things, and you have no idea what I do now, nor am I prepared to discuss it. Suffice to say, I am aware of the training requirements for drivers.

Dear Metroland

I think that is unreasonable of you to use the fact that you now know my role within the industry to berate other members of this forum, who may also work within the industry, when you refuse to discuss your experience in the industry

Even more so when you hide behind a keyboard and the moderation team

It must also be pretty obvious to someone who claims to have once worked in the industry that any such reporting would need to have hard evidence of the identification of the culprits, plus details of their employer for such a complaint to be pursued. The fact that this seems lost on you also gives the game away in terms of your experience, or otherwise, of the industry

In addition, given that said culprits are posting on an internet forum, almost certainly off duty, how can you make such claims. For example, where are "their customers" in terms of their use of this forum

In terms of driver training requirements / management then it must be pretty obvious to most on here that your posts give the game away, that is, that you do not have a clue. it is to me
 

wigwamman

Member
Joined
20 Jul 2012
Messages
74
Location
wigan
I sincerely hope you will therefore report the standards of staff on this forum to the relevant employer, because standards, especially with regards addressing customers have slipped somewhat.

As I said, among other things, and you have no idea what I do now, nor am I prepared to discuss it. Suffice to say, I am aware of the training requirements for drivers.

Leaving that aside, we are now getting onto more interesting point. Because the unions have so much power, what can be done to curtail it? And should it be curtailed?

Is it really fair on the public or their employers to experience continuous walk outs in order to obtain better remuneration? considering the railway has got to reduce costs. In terms of tax payer input and fare prices.

Should markets for entry to railway jobs be opened up? College courses, university, home study, outside agency and so on?

I'm not a train driver,however I have no jealousy of the good wages they earn.
For me they are the last of the traditional working classes that continue to stick it to the government and get up the noses of daily mail readers.
For that I take my hat of to them.
Btw if say all drivers had their pay slashed by 15% overnight and all trains became DOO tomorrow as well do you think you would see cheaper train tickets and a cut in your income tax.







 

SS4

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2011
Messages
8,589
Location
Birmingham
Really the only two anti-union sentiments are jealousy and those who want to take advantage of a divided workforce.
 

Metroland

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2005
Messages
3,212
Location
Midlands
It's becoming plainly obvious what you do - not much bar spending all day on Rail UK arguing with people!:)

As for opening up training courses - not on your nelly. I would never trust an outside agency on something as important. Anyway - who would do the handling training, teach the routes, etc etc?

So you won't be flying any more then? Quite a lot of that training is done by outside agencies.

Arguing with people? You mean staff with vested interests, I don't see any other support much? I've just put a few points across, all valid, whatever picture you might like to paint. I'm sure people can make their own minds up about the legitimacy of these strikes and the attitudes of staff.
 

radamfi

Established Member
Joined
29 Oct 2009
Messages
9,267
I don't think there is anything wrong with jealousy if there is genuine unfairness. (I'm not necessarily referring to the rail industry in this case). For example, if a team loses a football game because of cheating not noticed by the referee, and the other team wins the World Cup as a result, jealousy would be understandable.
 

CarterUSM

Established Member
Joined
4 Jan 2010
Messages
2,495
Location
North Britain
If I remember correctly, Metroland was a signaller for a while, was in the RMT, though detested it's militant stance and left it. Has a good knowledge of operating procedures and signalling systems around the country and a sound understanding of the rule book from what I see. I don't care for some of his posts, but he his entitled to his opinion as am I and everyone else. Don't care much for these threads at the best of times either, always the same formula in attendance . Anti strike V pro strike, anti right to strike V pro right to strike, etc etc etc. As ever, union members have balloted for action, some don't like it, others are in agreement. There's certainly not constant walkouts, but there is a very steady stream of ballots throughout a year held by the RMT. To you Metroland , i certainly agree with your observation of the them/us situation . I don't know how this can be remedied however, and even why it still persists. What I do see, is a lot of head banging off of brick walls, from both sides, and a real institutional culture of bullying, blatant and not so blatant , from both sides again. Shame.
 

Robinson

Member
Joined
1 Aug 2010
Messages
623
Location
Helensburgh
Really the only two anti-union sentiments are jealousy and those who want to take advantage of a divided workforce.

I sincerely hope the strike does not happen, as I have an EMT 1st Advance from Sheffield to St Pancras booked for August 6th :|
 

KA4C

Member
Joined
7 Mar 2012
Messages
403
So you won't be flying any more then? Quite a lot of that training is done by outside agencies. .


Don't tell me you used to be a pilot as well (sorry, forgot, none our our business)

It just so happens that a friend of mine is a training captain for a major air carrier, he seems to have a different take on this than you do
 

blacknight

Member
Joined
19 Feb 2009
Messages
543
Location
Crow Park
Easy solution to this would be for Government to bring railways back into state ownership & in return for this rail unions sign up to a no strike deal. Cause of EMT dispute would not araise as same parties would be around to make good any shortfall in pension fund after present suggest pension break.
 

Monty

Established Member
Joined
12 Jun 2012
Messages
2,349
So you won't be flying any more then? Quite a lot of that training is done by outside agencies.

Arguing with people? You mean staff with vested interests, I don't see any other support much? I've just put a few points across, all valid, whatever picture you might like to paint. I'm sure people can make their own minds up about the legitimacy of these strikes and the attitudes of staff.

I'd like to think the staff who have posted within this thread have been rather reserved in their attitudes towards you, and of course as a customer you don't have vested interests either do you? You have given as good as you have got.
 

Metroland

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2005
Messages
3,212
Location
Midlands
Don't tell me you used to be a pilot as well (sorry, forgot, none our our business)

It just so happens that a friend of mine is a training captain for a major air carrier, he seems to have a different take on this than you do

I know pilots like you as well, my mate was trained by an outside agency and was the one that suggested train driver licenses! Small world eh?

Unfortunately unless you post your name and grade I have no way of knowing you are who you say you are, ditto me. I'm not going to force you to, or anyone else, because I don't think that's very fair. You should similarly respect my right to privacy. If you want to debate detailed aspects of the rule book, route knowledge, training, railway operating, feel free though.

There is a difference though, I no longer work for the railways, you do. You have more potential to lose your job than me. Believe me you don't have to be 'on duty' to represent the company. You can bring a company into disrepute quite easily at any time of day.
 

CarterUSM

Established Member
Joined
4 Jan 2010
Messages
2,495
Location
North Britain
So you won't be flying any more then? Quite a lot of that training is done by outside agencies.

Arguing with people? You mean staff with vested interests, I don't see any other support much? I've just put a few points across, all valid, whatever picture you might like to paint. I'm sure people can make their own minds up about the legitimacy of these strikes and the attitudes of staff.
I've rarely seen equal column space given in the mainstream press for both sides of the argument during disputes, It's generally skewed in favour of the company , though perhaps I'm reading the wrong papers.
 

Metroland

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2005
Messages
3,212
Location
Midlands
I've rarely seen equal column space given in the mainstream press for both sides of the argument during disputes, It's generally skewed in favour of the company , though perhaps I'm reading the wrong papers.

I generally read what's on the union website, the papers, the company website. Then I make up my mind. I don't think that's very rare!
 

Monty

Established Member
Joined
12 Jun 2012
Messages
2,349
I've rarely seen equal column space given in the mainstream press for both sides of the argument during disputes, It's generally skewed in favour of the company , though perhaps I'm reading the wrong papers.

Opinion is always divided depending on the paper you read, for example if you pick up a copy of the Mirror of Guardian the argument may well be in favour of the staff rather than the company.
 

KA4C

Member
Joined
7 Mar 2012
Messages
403
Unfortunately unless you post your name and grade I have no way of knowing you are

You have had enough info from me on that and you abused that info.

You on the other hand, continue to hide behind a keyboard

That says enough for me

You can bring a company into disrepute quite easily at any time of day.

Do you have the evidence of anyone doing that, names, employers, nature of offence ....?
 

ANorthernGuard

Established Member
Joined
8 Oct 2010
Messages
2,662
I know pilots like you as well, my mate was trained by an outside agency and was the one that suggested train driver licenses! Small world eh?

Unfortunately unless you post your name and grade I have no way of knowing you are who you say you are, ditto me. I'm not going to force you to, or anyone else, because I don't think that's very fair. You should similarly respect my right to privacy. If you want to debate detailed aspects of the rule book, route knowledge, training, railway operating, feel free though.

There is a difference though, I no longer work for the railways, you do. You have more potential to lose your job than me. Believe me you don't have to be 'on duty' to represent the company. You can bring a company into disrepute quite easily at any time of day.

All you had to say was "I was a Signaller" then all this none of your business rubbish would have been put to bed very easy. Still my point still stands that when it comes to the 99.9% of your Arguments, your judgement seems to be so impaired it destroys what credibility you had at the start of the conversation. I have no problems with anti-union stances, what I do have a problem with is taking away any right from the employee away to please a few people who would be "inconvienenced". That attitude is exactly what this government want as they hate the working classes and would love us to have no power to bring an employer to task over different issues. If that happened you would take away a basic right of a worker.
 

Metroland

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2005
Messages
3,212
Location
Midlands
If I remember correctly, Metroland was a signaller for a while, was in the RMT, though detested it's militant stance and left it. Has a good knowledge of operating procedures and signalling systems around the country and a sound understanding of the rule book from what I see. I don't care for some of his posts, but he his entitled to his opinion as am I and everyone else. Don't care much for these threads at the best of times either, always the same formula in attendance . Anti strike V pro strike, anti right to strike V pro right to strike, etc etc etc. As ever, union members have balloted for action, some don't like it, others are in agreement. There's certainly not constant walkouts, but there is a very steady stream of ballots throughout a year held by the RMT. To you Metroland , i certainly agree with your observation of the them/us situation . I don't know how this can be remedied however, and even why it still persists. What I do see, is a lot of head banging off of brick walls, from both sides, and a real institutional culture of bullying, blatant and not so blatant , from both sides again. Shame.

Thank you for that, sincerly appreciated!
 

SS4

Established Member
Joined
30 Jan 2011
Messages
8,589
Location
Birmingham
I've rarely seen equal column space given in the mainstream press for both sides of the argument during disputes, It's generally skewed in favour of the company , though perhaps I'm reading the wrong papers.

Me too in that case.

I generally read what's on the union website, the papers, the company website. Then I make up my mind. I don't think that's very rare!

You'd be surprised, you need only look at the weather reporting to get an idea of how a biased media can sway the population.
 

Metroland

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2005
Messages
3,212
Location
Midlands
You have had enough info from me on that and you abused that info.

You on the other hand, continue to hide behind a keyboard

That says enough for me



Do you have the evidence of anyone doing that, names, employers, nature of offence ....?

I've already posted *some* information about me, much more would reveal my identity. As I said, without getting names and grades it's impossible to verify these things anyway. I don't want names and grades, I think you should all be able to debate these things freely.

I don't hide behind my keyboard, as I said, feel free to debate the point at hand, you can discuss detailed operating practices if you like.
 

blacknight

Member
Joined
19 Feb 2009
Messages
543
Location
Crow Park
There is a difference though, I no longer work for the railways, you do. You have more potential to lose your job than me. Believe me you don't have to be 'on duty' to represent the company. You can bring a company into disrepute quite easily at any time of day.

Some might take that as a rather threatening stance to take, you beginning to sound like Joey Barton "how many can I take with me?" Do you want rail staff on this forum to voice an opinion or should staff just be seen but not heard for fear of being reported.
Think thread is little worn now as I posted earlier ATM rail staff are still entitled to withdraw labour at their time of choice regardless of Olympics, as in couple of weeks games will be over, EMT dispute & this thread might be still going on & on & on.
 
Last edited:

Metroland

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2005
Messages
3,212
Location
Midlands
Me too in that case.



You'd be surprised, you need only look at the weather reporting to get an idea of how a biased media can sway the population.

Yes, I think I have addressed that point in other posts at other times ad-nausea. I do, try and get both sides of every story and I don't automatically rubbish every strike. There are some good reasons when there is no other option. But the public also have a right to go about their business without being disrupted and this seems to get forgotten at times.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Some might take that as a rather threatening stance to take, you beginning to sound like Joey Barton "how many can I take with me?"
.

It's not a threatening stance at all, I said don't post names! Some peoples CV might reveal who they are as well, mine included. You might find many people on the forum would dearly like to take them to the papers and companies involved.
 
Last edited:

Wolfie

Established Member
Joined
17 Aug 2010
Messages
6,047
Blah, Blah, Blah.

Quite honestly the way rail staff come on a public forum and insult members of the public because they don't agree with them is disgrace. I think some of you ought to seriously consider what you write. If I was your managers I'd have you in the office for disciplinary action the way you talk to customers.

It's not mess room bully boy tactics here, I won't be silenced for an alternative point of view.

I have suffered months of strikes in my area, and as a regular user of trains I have every right to complain whether you like it or not.

I am NOT a rail worker. I have come onto a public forum out of interest. I wonder why some sad pathetic individual thinks that because someone works providing a "public service" (actually dear old John Major did that one to death the day he privatised the railways) they should tug their forelock to a "customer" despite the fact that said individual is coming out with a pile of male bovine excrement......

Hey, this is a forum where people have different ideas. If you offer yours and others don't agree, well tango foxtrot lima!
 

GB

Established Member
Joined
16 Nov 2008
Messages
6,457
Location
Somewhere
I've already posted *some* information about me, much more would reveal my identity. As I said, without getting names and grades it's impossible to verify these things anyway. I don't want names and grades, I think you should all be able to debate these things freely.

I don't hide behind my keyboard, as I said, feel free to debate the point at hand, you can discuss detailed operating practices if you like.

Debate freely? How does one do that with the threat of you (or anyone else) running to someones employer claiming disrepute?
 

Metroland

Established Member
Joined
20 Jul 2005
Messages
3,212
Location
Midlands
Debate freely? How does one do that with the threat of you (or anyone else) running to someones employer claiming disrepute?

Eh? That's why I said it's a bad idea posting CVs, grades etc.

For the record, while I don't like one or two people's attitudes (I'm sure they don't like mine, but I don't work for the railway) and I think they simply show themselves up I would not report them. I really don't like the idea of someone getting in trouble and losing their livelihood. This is a debate where people are going to get hot headed and say things they might come to regret. We don't know who is reading, even PMs are not secure. It's really not a good idea giving too much away.
 

GB

Established Member
Joined
16 Nov 2008
Messages
6,457
Location
Somewhere
So what is all this about then?

I sincerely hope you will therefore report the standards of staff on this forum to the relevant employer, because standards, especially with regards addressing customers have slipped somewhat.

While you didn't specifically say you would do it on this occasion, you have threatened to do it in the past.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top