alexdodds
Member
Anyone notice today a lot of Northern Rail trains canceled or delayed as a result of staff shortages.
They’re a fair bit better than Arriva Trains Northern and First North Western that went before them, in my view. Do you recall the dire straits that I seem to remember both companies getting into with regards to the sheer volume of staff shortages they experienced?Ah....Northern Rail.....
That company makes me wish we could lay tarmac on the tracks and run buses :cry:
Probably caused by drivers not working their rest days due to the dispute over the pay offer.
Northern are short of drivers and rely on the remaining drivers to work rest days just to keep the trains moving.
The last RDW agreement ran out last week, therefore no rest days are being worked presently. Also the agreement was strictly for training purposes only, so they couldn't just ask a driver in to work uncovered trains.
Ah; the good old trades unions. As ever, doing their best to curb the enthusiasm of the punters for the revitalised railways. I'll bet Christmas isn't too far away either.
Ah; the good old trades unions. As ever, doing their best to curb the enthusiasm of the punters for the revitalised railways. I'll bet Christmas isn't too far away either.
I think we need a nationwide taxi driver strike, with any train crew that doesn't turn up for work given a formal warning, that way the unions would find what it's like when their members can't get to work.
As Sunday is apparently a rest day aren't Northern advertising a reduced timetable or anything? Does rest day not include Sundays as they get paid double for working it?
Wrong. The unions wanted RDW with no strings, which would have enabled Northern to run many services which were subsequently cancelled, as a driver would have been brought in to work a rest day to cover the job. Northern would not sanction this so we had the "for training only" agreement, where a rest day could only be worked for example to release a driver for route learning, and then only a limited number per day.
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Northern Drivers do not get paid double time for Sunday's.
Get your facts right before spouting drivel on here.
You all forget that your salaries are paid by the punters and the taxpayers.
How can they possibly forget. They are told the same thing near enough daily on here, it's a very tiresome line.
Why should that 'fact' compel them to work their rest days? Whether there's an RDW agreement in place or not, they're probably unlikely to actually make themselves available to work if they're all fed up of the place.I couldn't care less what your disputes are about. Go and get them sorted. You all forget that your salaries are paid by the punters and the taxpayers.
The fact remains that industrial action, more accurately defined as industrial inaction, is as predictable as the passage of the seasons. If it's autumn and the Christmas peak is coming into view, you can bet your bottom dollar that the TOCs and the unions will be slugging it out at the passengers' cost and inconvenience.
I couldn't care less what your disputes are about. Go and get them sorted. You all forget that your salaries are paid by the punters and the taxpayers.
Northern Drivers do not get paid double time for Sunday's.
Get your facts right before spouting drivel on here.
Funny that you chose to blame the union though and not the TOC management.
As you know how much extra drivers get paid for working Sunday why not post it in response? I've only said what people who call themselves crew members have posted on forums before. If no-one posts the correct information then everyone believes the wrong information.
It might be something to do with my perception that these problems seem to occur at a time of maximum inconvenience for rail USERS. To be honest, I'm struggling to understand why a TOC would want to forego revenue during a period when services are in high demand. Still, perhaps I should blame prospective passengers for wanting to travel at busy periods. It's the passengers who get the flak after all.
Me; well I'll probably just have to get in the car
Doen't it occur to you that if the facts are that easy to discern then the arguments are at an end. Facts are facts and are therefore indisputable. What we get on here are plenty of opinions, yours and mine included.May I suggest finding out the facts then and not rely on perception that can be skewed quite easily.
Doen't it occur to you that if the facts are that easy to discern then the arguments are at an end. Facts are facts and are therefore indisputable. What we get on here are plenty of opinions, yours and mine included.
I think we need a nationwide taxi driver strike, with any train crew that doesn't turn up for work given a formal warning, that way the unions would find what it's like when their members can't get to work.
As Sunday is apparently a rest day aren't Northern advertising a reduced timetable or anything? Does rest day not include Sundays as they get paid double for working it?
The other problem is route knowledge , in some depots there are loads of drivers who are short on routes so that adds to the problem when you cant bring someone in to cover someones job that they dont sign . Or the men that are rostered to spare signs very little .They have 5 or 6 "spare" shifts at each depot but of course once they are gone or elsewhere it soon starts to fall apart, it doesnt help either if the person rostered to the spare shift is also off!
Why should that 'fact' compel them to work their rest days? Whether there's an RDW agreement in place or not, they're probably unlikely to actually make themselves available to work if they're all fed up of the place.
I'm interested in the other side of that coin, so to speak: why is it anything to do with the Unions if additional work is on offer and an individual driver wishes to take advantage of that? The Union has an important role in protecting the interests of the drivers, in terms of making sure that the contract in place between the TOC and the employee is enacted fairly, and in representing the drivers collectively and individually in certain respects, but working overtime on a voluntary basis is about an arrangement directly between the driver and the TOC. I guess I am saying that I don't entirely understand the purpose of or need for a RDW agreement.
You all forget that your salaries are paid by the punters and the taxpayers.