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RMT announce strike dates across range of TOCs and Network Rail

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MikeWM

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I fear this may become the equivalent of the Miners Strike as the Tories seek to show they are tough on a union 'holding the country to ransom'. They need something to present at the next election.
Of course the Tories will keep the few, fast intercity services they might use, but the rest of the network could be in severe danger. The losers will be those out-of-a-job and the traveling public whose options for rail journeys become much more limited.
I hope the union leadership has thought this through.

This pretty much sums up my opinion too.

I fully support the right to strike and I understand why they are doing so, but you have to choose your battles, and I think that this appears to be very likely to be viewed in hindsight as a massive strategic mistake, with very negative effects for those of us who need and/or enjoy train travel.
 

baz962

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Well I am absolutely livid and am going to have to try really hard to keep myself together...

I don't think you appreciate the damage and distress (mentally , physically and financially) that you cause to people but I guess as long as they get an extra piece of silver it is worth it.

I will now have to back out of the one thing I enjoy each year (Wimbledon) because of this action

Absolutely pathetic
Because rail workers don't suffer that either.
 

Starmill

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Do you think we will be able to get full refund for Advance tickets for the strike days?
The Book with Confidence scheme is still running.
In addition to the normal refund / exchange rights, it is overwhelmingly likely that a cash refund (i.e. refund by method of payment rather than vouchers) will be permitted for all ticket types on strike days, except perhaps season tickets, where special arrangements usually need to be made. Who knows what will happen in respect of season tickets this time, but Advance and other tickets are very likely to be refundable without penalty if you don't want to use them.
 

Nicholas Lewis

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Couldn't agree more with your post!

With passenger number not recovered after Covid19 this won't help them at all.

I was made redundant at the end of 2020, managed to get another job though. My mum and partner and many other friends etc haven't had pay rises at all or only small but hey we don't go on strike. Railways not doing themselves any favours. Like you say people can work from home if they can.

What needs to happen here is a sensible offer (>5%) that is topped up by agreement to implement changes in working practices although i fear that intransigence at DfT means that point has now past. Also the likes of Shapps have got too hung up on the cost of supporting the railways during Covid which was huge but at least 60% of it would have been incurred anyhow if they'd furloughed staff.

The industry had reasonably managed industrial relations over the last 30 years and that was in the hands of private companies who made judgement calls within their franchise bids about what they could afford vs losses they would suffer.
 

james4578

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In the middle of a hugely public national rail strike, I'm not sure the majority of people are going to notice or blame the TOC for pulling rest day working, any consequent disruption would simply be part of the impact of the strike and then blamed on the RMT or the DfT depending on your viewpoint.
May well be the case but still no justification for pulling rest day working, simply adds to the woes of the passengers.
 

davews

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Five pages in this thread in just a few hours, I cannot be bothered to read them. Not sure my plans for that week but it may well involve some hospital trips which will inconvenience me greatly. Absolutely no sympathy for any strikers, it is always a blunt instrument which never solves issues but seriously affects innocent members of the public. Livid just about sums up my views.
 

westv

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Looks like I'll avoid a trip to our London office that week so avoid train/hotel costs but I do feel sorry for those that will be badly inconvenienced by this.
 

Starmill

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Is the tube and the new Elizabeth line effected by the National Rail strike action on the 23rd and 25th? Or dont National Rail run that network
Routes where London Overground or TfL Rail use infrastructure operated by Network Rail will be affected. As I understand it that includes all of London Overground's services and between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport / Reading and between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

Various London Underground services are likely to be disrupted on the days when LU grades aren't taking action too, as a result of Network Rail signalling staff taking action.
 

Mintona

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There will be a lot of money lost in revenue over the strike dates. That revenue was going into the Government coffers and any TOC that will be indirectly affected too. How much is the Government prepared to lose in lost revenue ?

The lost revenue figure will be dwarfed by the savings made by not paying staff. The government will be delighted.
 

Birkonian

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I'm due to travel on Eurostar to Paris on 21st. I presume that the strike will mean cancellations?
 

Facing Back

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Would be quite the statement to make railway employees essential workers, removing the right to strike but then also trying to implement DOO and close ticket offices

Quite contradictory
Yes. It would be stating that ticket office staff and guards on DOO services are not essential workers.

Which should come as no surprise with plans to close ticket offices and many DOO services either having no guard or being able to run without one plus a clear desire to rollout more DOO/DCO services.

It will however be an extra weapon in any drive to further roll-out DOO if the government does take the nuclear option. I'm sure the RMT have considered the risk.
 

ComUtoR

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Well I am absolutely livid and am going to have to try really hard to keep myself together...

I don't think you appreciate the damage and distress (mentally , physically and financially) that you cause to people but I guess as long as they get an extra piece of silver it is worth it.

I will now have to back out of the one thing I enjoy each year (Wimbledon) because of this action

Absolutely pathetic


I wish I could enjoy Wimbledon every year. I just can't afford it and can't get the time off work. Nobody appreciates what I do every day at work, getting those passengers to their place of work. Its frustrating that I can't commute using train travel because I often need to be there before start of service or leave work after all service finishes. The fuel costs are hurting me financially and the traffic stress round the motorway has heavily impacted my mental health. Going to work where the people you serve treat you like something they trod in isn't helping either. With the cost of living going up and my wages standing still I can barely afford my Porsche :( The kids Private school fees are killing me financially and I might have to remortgage to release equity as I am barely treading water.

Silver ! I'd happily accept Copper.
 

Starmill

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I'm due to travel on Eurostar to Paris on 21st. I presume that the strike will mean cancellations?
High Speed One is unlikely to be closed completely, so yes although there are some cancellations possible there will probably still be a service.
 
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I'm in Birmingham on the 25th, heading to Preston in the evening.

Now I have a coach booked to Manchester and will be getting to Preston by some TBC method, joy!

X43 Manchester to Burnley bus service, or 37 Mcr to Bolton, then there's direct buses to Preston from both Bolton and Burnley.

* If it was me I'd go on the Burnley bus.
 
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pemma

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Surprised they haven't gone for 1200-1159 strikes to cause more disruption for less loss of pay.

Don't they normally instruct members not to sign on for work during the strike times? So, if someone's shift started at 11am one day and 1pm the next they would report for work on both days if the walkout started at midday.
 

Facing Back

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May well be the case but still no justification for pulling rest day working, simply adds to the woes of the passengers.
I wasn't for a second suggesting it was justified or desirable. I was just curious about the point in a previous post about it being an own goal and the optics of doing it.
 

DNCharingX

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Goodbye :<
Good luck to them - which is an odd thing to say given that I will personally be affected but I have full respect for the workers, especially for continuing to march on regardless of how controversial this is and whatnot, frankly envious of how strongly unionized they are - don't get that luxury where i'm at :lol:
 

pemma

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In addition to the normal refund / exchange rights, it is overwhelmingly likely that a cash refund (i.e. refund by method of payment rather than vouchers) will be permitted for all ticket types on strike days, except perhaps season tickets, where special arrangements usually need to be made. Who knows what will happen in respect of season tickets this time, but Advance and other tickets are very likely to be refundable without penalty if you don't want to use them.

For season tickets they'll probably arrange pro-rata refunds for the affected days. Not sure how they'll approach part time season tickets though!
 

Bigfoot

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Many staff don’t work overtime at all, if everyone starts going for it it won’t be available.

Would not be at all surprised to see RDW agreements withdrawn by the TOCs.
Most tocs rely on rest day working to get through the week. Take that away and they will ruin their own service.
 

ANorthernGuard

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I wish I could enjoy Wimbledon every year. I just can't afford it and can't get the time off work. Nobody appreciates what I do every day at work, getting those passengers to their place of work. Its frustrating that I can't commute using train travel because I often need to be there before start of service or leave work after all service finishes. The fuel costs are hurting me financially and the traffic stress round the motorway has heavily impacted my mental health. Going to work where the people you serve treat you like something they trod in isn't helping either. With the cost of living going up and my wages standing still I can barely afford my Porsche :( The kids Private school fees are killing me financially and I might have to remortgage to release equity as I am barely treading water.

Silver ! I'd happily accept Copper.
Now that sums most of the Railway workers feelings right there!
 

Facing Back

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Most tocs rely on rest day working to get through the week. Take that away and they will ruin their own service.
Stupid questions, sorry.

Is rest day working purely Sundays or does it affect other days too?

Which grades does it affect?
 

pemma

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One thing affecting both London Northwestern and Northern, in Cheshire and possibly other areas. Cuts to bus subsides and the withdrawal of designated school services has meant the number of school children who get to school by train has more than doubled in recent years.
 

ANorthernGuard

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One thing affecting both London Northwestern and Northern, in Cheshire and possibly other areas. Cuts to bus subsides and the withdrawal of designated school services has meant the number of school children who get to school by train has more than doubled in recent years.
I would say Quadrupled.. especially on the mid cheshire line.
 

Nicholas Lewis

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The lost revenue figure will be dwarfed by the savings made by not paying staff. The government will be delighted.
they won't will still be all the ASLEF/TSSA and other union or non union staff that will have to be paid. There is then a risk of additional costs trying to recover the service after every strike. It will cost DfT and staff dearly its a no win situation and ultimately runs the risk of more severe cutbacks.

Some cool heads needed here to move things forward but the privateers are just keeping there heads down and they won't lose out. DfT made a bad call just abandoning the franchise system.
 
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