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London underground strike

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Bookd

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Unless there is already a thread somewhere what, briefly, does FFtFS involve, and what do the union not like? I searched for this on the internet and can only find a link to a long list of pdf discussion documents which I don't really want to wade through!
 
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SunSeeker

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Unless there is already a thread somewhere what, briefly, does FFtFS involve, and what do the union not like? I searched for this on the internet and can only find a link to a long list of pdf discussion documents which I don't really want to wade through!

http://www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/files/sfc_news_29.1.16.pdf

From www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/content/stations-functional-news-january-2016

Read that .pdf thats the latest for the weekend strikes. Look at page 2 - specificaly regarding SRT (Special Requirements Team) which I am part off.

They want to be able to give us 24 hours notice to change our shifts...and basically cover anyone...complete and utter joke.

Its a shame as us Station staff get left behind, as even if we strike trains will still run.
 

455driver

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Must be a bunch of stubborn d-heads in management.

Noooooooo, everyone KNOWS its the militant staffs fault, I mean they should be grateful they have a job, if they don't like it they can oh you know the rest etc! :lol:
 

Kite159

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And the RMT have announced yet more strikes, this time by maintenance staff. Although their true colours are showing with Steve Hedley claiming the Tories "should be shot", must be still bitter after wasting money backing Eddie last year.

They must really hate the tourism London generates which the strikes will kill (do you think tourists will risk visiting the capital when it has an unreliable transport system?).

Makes me wonder if they actually sit down to talk with management before announcing strike action (which destroyed the British motoring industry).
 
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dcsprior

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I am not a member of a trades union, and my employer (nothing to do with tube/rail) does not do collective bargaining... However I have experience of how media reports of industrial action differ from the reality, from when my girlfriend (now wife) was involved involved in the Scotland-wide nursery nurses strike in 2003/4.

So I'm minded to believe what I read on here which says it's management who wouldn't get round the table, rather than the workers/unions.
 

philthetube

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I am not a member of a trades union, and my employer (nothing to do with tube/rail) does not do collective bargaining... However I have experience of how media reports of industrial action differ from the reality, from when my girlfriend (now wife) was involved involved in the Scotland-wide nursery nurses strike in 2003/4.

So I'm minded to believe what I read on here which says it's management who wouldn't get round the table, rather than the workers/unions.

Wage negotiations for groups like tube workers doctors firemen etc, should be held in public, that way both sides would have to be honest..

Employers would be immediately held to account by the government if they were seen to be acting unreasonably, after all the government wants re electing, and employees, union members would not tolerate losing money by striking if they felt that their negotiators were not acting in their best interests.

When you look at the offer which looks likely to be accepted, it seems to be a fair offer, it is not going to cost LUL a fortune and the drivers have got what they wanted, which, as they kept saying, was obviously not money.

It looks to me that had it been visible to all what was being said in the negotiations these strikes would never have happened
 

infobleep

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Wage negotiations for groups like tube workers doctors firemen etc, should be held in public, that way both sides would have to be honest..

Employers would be immediately held to account by the government if they were seen to be acting unreasonably, after all the government wants re electing, and employees, union members would not tolerate losing money by striking if they felt that their negotiators were not acting in their best interests.

When you look at the offer which looks likely to be accepted, it seems to be a fair offer, it is not going to cost LUL a fortune and the drivers have got what they wanted, which, as they kept saying, was obviously not money.

It looks to me that had it been visible to all what was being said in the negotiations these strikes would never have happened
I often wonder why it takes so long to agree something. If they are agreeing it now. Why not from near enough day one. I understand compromise but why take so long. Surely they must have run out of things to discuss?
 

Tetchytyke

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Makes me wonder if they actually sit down to talk with management before announcing strike action (which destroyed the British motoring industry).

They do.

The issue is that management, in this industry as well as others, have an attitude which is essentially "anything you don't strike about you're happy with". You see that in my sector, repeated pay negotiations with management failed because the employers were only prepared to compromise when they knew we were serious about going out on strike. The employers refused to budge beyond a 0.1% pay deal for 10 months, as they "couldn't afford it" (despite the chair of the employers' committee, who's also chair of the doctors' committee oddly enough, giving himself a 12% rise); it was only after we took strike action at a very inconvenient time did they suddenly find the money for a 2% deal. Clearly they had the money to avoid the unpleasantness, they just didn't want to spend it before pushing us into a strike.

The RMT, like most trade unions, know fine well that if you don't strike you don't get jack. Management don't want to negotiate to avoid strike action unless and until they know you are about to go through with it. It's a shame as nobody wants to go on strike- it costs a fortune- but if you don't you don't get treated with any sort of respect.
 
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jopsuk

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There's also the issue that when he was first elected, Boris blustered about how he wasn't going to negotiate with unions. That will rather have got the hackles up, and whilst obviously it was never going to happen in reality, it will have limited what TfL have been able to offer over the Boris years.
 

Tetchytyke

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So, if you go on strike you get treated with respect .......... Really ?

With management, yes.

As I say, the starting point in most industries is that anything you don't strike about you're happy with. It isn't just at TfL, although Mike Brown (and his six figure bonus) is an enthusiastic believer in the tactic.
 

Robertj21a

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With management, yes.

As I say, the starting point in most industries is that anything you don't strike about you're happy with. It isn't just at TfL, although Mike Brown (and his six figure bonus) is an enthusiastic believer in the tactic.

I suppose the obvious comment has to be that *most* industries don't seem to need to go on strike nowadays. Given the relatively poor relations between some unions and some train management I suppose it's inevitable that difficulties will arise. Could it be that the management take the view, nowadays, that the unions will inevitably threaten to strike, virtually regardless of whatever they offer ? - so, in true negotiating style, they might as well start discussions at the very lowest figure possible.
 

Deerfold

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I suppose the obvious comment has to be that *most* industries don't seem to need to go on strike nowadays. Given the relatively poor relations between some unions and some train management I suppose it's inevitable that difficulties will arise. Could it be that the management take the view, nowadays, that the unions will inevitably threaten to strike, virtually regardless of whatever they offer ? - so, in true negotiating style, they might as well start discussions at the very lowest figure possible.

But now, groups who have traditionally rarely struck are striking. Perhaps this is down to a change in negotiating.

I knew someone in London Buses who had completed 25 years' service with his leaving day being the first strike day he'd known.

RMT signallers voted for national strike action last year for the first time since rail privatisation.
 

455driver

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I suppose the obvious comment has to be that *most* industries don't seem to need to go on strike nowadays. Given the relatively poor relations between some unions and some train management I suppose it's inevitable that difficulties will arise. Could it be that the management take the view, nowadays, that the unions will inevitably threaten to strike, virtually regardless of whatever they offer ? - so, in true negotiating style, they might as well start discussions at the very lowest figure possible.
The obvious comment is that *most* industries are no longer unionised so the employees are at Managements beck and call!
 

PaxVobiscum

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Isn't happening anymore.

Not exactly local news up here, so it takes a bit of detective work to find out what's going on and have it officially confirmed but

this from tfl

The strikes planned for Friday 12 February and next week have been suspended.
The RMT have called off strikes involving Tube maintenance and track workers. Tube services will run as normal.

seems clear enough. So it would appear I'm not on a walking tour on Tuesday. :D
 

Robertj21a

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The obvious comment is that *most* industries are no longer unionised so the employees are at Managements beck and call!

I think most employees who don't seem to need unions nowadays would consider that they work *in conjunction* with management in order to achieve their mutual aims. It must also help communication and understanding if the employee doesn't have another layer involved.
 

notadriver

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I knew someone in London Buses who had completed 25 years' service with his leaving day being the first strike day he'd known.


I think London bus drivers would love to strike more to get pay parity with train drivers.
 

gavin

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Breaking: Thousands of London Underground staff, including drivers, vote for strikes over staffing, safety and industrial relations - RMT
 

Dstock7080

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Breaking: Thousands of London Underground staff, including drivers, vote for strikes over staffing, safety and industrial relations - RMT
Piccadilly Line drivers are the only trainstaff involved.

Whereas ASLEF have today withdrawn the recent ballot for industrial action over duty sheets and allocation of staff over Christmas.
 

Wiggler

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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-37987246

Thousands of London Underground staff have voted to go on strike over two separate disputes, the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union said.
The union said 85% of station workers had voted to walk out in a dispute over staffing and safety.
Drivers on the Piccadilly line also backed action over a "wholesale breakdown" in industrial relations.
London Underground (LU) said the RMT should "work with us constructively... rather than threaten strikes"....
 
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