Next set of strike dates announced for Northern

[Andyh82]

The RMT have announced that the industrial action is going to continue for a further 3 Saturdays across February. This is on top of the current action which is running every Saturday in January.

What is odd is that the 4th Saturday hasn’t been included, what is special about the 23rd February?

 

[Bletchleyite]

The RMT have announced that the industrial action is going to continue for a further 3 Saturdays across February. This is on top of the current action which is running every Saturday in January.

What is odd is that the 4th Saturday hasn’t been included, what is special about the 23rd February?

They are probably just not announcing that far ahead, it'll be in the next lot.

 

[VT 390]

Does anyone have any idea when the Northern strikes on Saturdays will end?

 

[Tom Quinne]

When the dispute is resolved or the strikes ramp up to multi day events.

So, how long is piece of string ?

 

[Andyh82]

They are probably just not announcing that far ahead, it'll be in the next lot.

They generally announce a months worth at a time though

 

[VT 390]

Is there a reason why the strikes are always on a Saturday and not other days of the week?

 

[Ianigsy]

What is odd is that the 4th Saturday hasn’t been included, what is special about the 23rd February?

Just a thought, but a possible change of tack around what's likely to be half term in some areas?

 

[ainsworth74]

If anyone wishes to post updates regarding future strike dates or wishes to ask questions regarding available information as to why the dates have been chosen or when the next dates will be chosen they are welcome to do so.

However, we do not need another thread discussing the wider aspects of the dispute and we certainly do not need a thread on the merits or otherwise of DOO nor do we need one about whether the Guard should all just be sacked and we also don't need one about whether striking should be legal or not. Any further such posts are liable for deletion.

 

[falcon]

Is there a reason why the strikes are always on a Saturday and not other days of the week?

Yes.

I think it is simple to say that Saturdays are a better day to have off work.

 

[robbeech]

It has taken all day an they still haven’t created an ‘inage’ To show the new strike dates. They’ve even re posted the ‘until the end of January’ One on social media some hours after the announcement. It is interesting that they’ve only done part of a month this time. No doubt they’ll be trying the last minute trick done more.

 

[Matt_pool]

It has taken all day an they still haven’t created an ‘inage’ To show the new strike dates. They’ve even re posted the ‘until the end of January’ One on social media some hours after the announcement. It is interesting that they’ve only done part of a month this time. No doubt they’ll be trying the last minute trick done more.

That doesn't surprise me. On Thursday they posted on Facebook:

"️ Gone overboard on the Christmas shopping and got a handful? If you need a helping hand when using the ticket gates, let a member of staff know #NorthernSafety #HandsFull ️"

 

[gazzaa2]

Is there a reason why the strikes are always on a Saturday and not other days of the week?

From Monday to Sunday they'd clearly rather have the Saturday off. I don't know why they won't strike through the week as well.

Does anyone have any idea when the Northern strikes on Saturdays will end?

Maybe if they lost their overtime perks (which isn't likely).

 

[st285]

Is there a reason why the strikes are always on a Saturday and not other days of the week?

The office staff that cover the turns are less likely to work Saturdays but are more likely to cover the shift in their normal working week so the strike holds. only my opinion though.

 

[Eccles1983]

Can we clear up a small but vital point of order.

If what some of you are baying for - an overtime restriction was put in place then you may as well see May as your usual service.

It would cause widescale disruption, because it's not just rest days that are worked as overtime. The odd hour here and there really does keep the wheels moving.

It's that tight. So be very careful what you wish for.

 

[robbeech]

It’s slots in nicely with not having to work Sunday (for some depots) so a weekend off.
Of course I’m not sure on their official answer

 

[LOL The Irony]

If my maths are correct, The middle of next month will mark 6 months with limited/without Saturday services.

 

[muz379]

Is there a reason why the strikes are always on a Saturday and not other days of the week?

Not every strike day during this dispute has been on a Saturday , earlier on in the dispute a range of weekdays and even a sunday was called .

But since last september the strike days that have been called have been Saturdays . As a member led organisation the decisions are made on the basis of preferences indicated by members .

I guess one of the aims of the industrial action is to stop as many trains as possible from running . And with less available contingency guards on a Saturday vs a weekday it does seem as if vastly less trains run when strike action is called on a Saturday .

 

[LOL The Irony]

But since last september the strike days that have been called have been Saturdays

It was the 18th of August and yesterday was the 24th strike Saturday in a row, meaning that most of the strike days have now fallen on a weekend.

 

[al78]

Can we clear up a small but vital point of order.

If what some of you are baying for - an overtime restriction was put in place then you may as well see May as your usual service.

It would cause widescale disruption, because it's not just rest days that are worked as overtime. The odd hour here and there really does keep the wheels moving.

It's that tight. So be very careful what you wish for.

You seem to be implying that the only options are for staff to work overtime, or have an inferior service.

How about a third option, employ enough staff to do the job properly without being dependant on overtime? There seems to be a tendency in the UK to fail to emply the number of staff they need to do a job or service properly, which is why you often having to queue for ages (e.g. places with three out of eight windows open for service and the queue is outside the door, yes former Horsham post office I'm looking at you), wait ages to be served (e.g. country pubs on a sunny summer lunch time) or have to wait weeks for appointments (You want your car serviced? I can book you in next month).

 

[Eccles1983]

You seem to be implying that the only options are for staff to work overtime, or have an inferior service.

How about a third option, employ enough staff to do the job properly without being dependant on overtime? There seems to be a tendency in the UK to fail to emply the number of staff they need to do a job or service properly, which is why you often having to queue for ages (e.g. places with three out of eight windows open for service and the queue is outside the door, yes former Horsham post office I'm looking at you), wait ages to be served (e.g. country pubs on a sunny summer lunch time) or have to wait weeks for appointments (You want your car serviced? I can book you in next month).

Because that costs money and lots of time. Neither of which are forthcoming, especially the time bit when passengers are already suffering.

Realistically they are the only two options.

 

[dk1]

Yesterday's 11:04 Bridlington to Hull was thankfully a pair of 158s. Only really Hull Trains operating towards Doncaster therefore I decided to get back to Peterborough via Leeds. Not sure if the 12:40 Hull-Manchester TPx would normally be this busy but was rammed all the way & very uncomfortable after Selby.

 

[Mugby]

I got a Sheffield - Doncaster service on Saturday afternoon and what may have been a manager was operating the doors and the buzzer but nothing more, no ticket checks.

I spotted a notice saying there was no service at all between Doncaster, Goole and Hull so what would happen in such a case? Would buses be laid on from Goole in both directions? Otherwise the town would be virtually cut off for the day.

 

[Starmill]

I spotted a notice saying there was no service at all between Doncaster, Goole and Hull so what would happen in such a case? Would buses be laid on from Goole in both directions? Otherwise the town would be virtually cut off for the day.

There was no service from Goole last Saturday. There is none this Saturday, either. This is true of a large number of stations, and has been for quite a while.

 

[weastebusdepot]

It's worth remembering that these strikes affect more than the local communities. A couple of days ago I came across someone who had already booked a ticket to travel from somewhere in Ayrshire to Manchester Victoria on a weekend in February/March and wanted to know if their journey would be affected by engineering works. They had no knowledge of the strikes, and I warned them that if any part of their journey involved a Northern service on a Saturday they should check a few days before as their booked train might no longer exist.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

There was no service from Goole last Saturday. There is none this Saturday, either. This is true of a large number of stations, and has been for quite a while.

Goole used to have a service on strike days as up till last November Northern were running an hourly Sheffield-Hull service. This was withdrawn while engineering work took place for several weekends but even though the engineering works are now complete the strike day service hasn't been reintroduced.

 

[Jozhua]

Hi,
I pre-booked a ticket early January that requires me to connect on a Northern service for the last leg in the evening, if there are no services available am I entitled to a refund?

 

[yorkie]

Hi,
I pre-booked a ticket early January that requires me to connect on a Northern service for the last leg in the evening, if there are no services available am I entitled to a refund?

If any train booked/planned as part of your itinerary for your journey are cancelled you are entitled to either be conveyed by alternative services/transport (and claim delay compensation if appropriate/applicable) or a full refund from the retailer if you choose not to make the journey.

If you booked a through itinerary for the whole journey you are making from one retailer (the number of tickets does not matter), it should make any refund claim stress free.

(Booking the itinerary as multiple transactions and/or from different retailers does not invalidate the fact it was a valid itinerary at the time you booked, but it becomes harder to demonstrate and assert your rights, and some retailers may not co-operate so easily; I know this because I and others have experienced hassle in the past when doing this).

 

[Ianigsy]

Travelling from Kings Cross to Bradford on Grand Central this evening, I was struck by the number of people who still came out for the GC train even though there was no return journey. About half a dozen at Wakefield, a couple at Mirfield and a good 20-30 at Halifax.

 

[VT 390]

Does anyone know why there are no strikes on Northern planned for Saturday 23rd February yet?

 

[Welshman]

Travelling from Kings Cross to Bradford on Grand Central this evening, I was struck by the number of people who still came out for the GC train even though there was no return journey. About half a dozen at Wakefield, a couple at Mirfield and a good 20-30 at Halifax.

They might have been people returning to Bradford who had previously travelled out on Grand Central Trains or any Northern trains which were running earlier in the day.