Personally I'd be looking at making all of the TMs across the franchise redundant with an expanded role for SCs across the whole franchise (of course those TMs willing to transfer to the SC grade would be able to maintain their jobs) both because of the more favourable attitude amongst the SC colleagues and also to improve productivity and flexibility.
Except that there are barely enough TMs to operate the connect and intercity services as it is, to the point where trains are having to be cancelled/short formed. Quite a few are already leaving and sacking the rest will do no favours for reliability, so it’s lucky for EMR’s remaining passengers that you aren’t in charge!
You’re also very quick to call for people to lose their livelihoods, a lovely attitude which perfectly illustrates why Trade Unions exist in the first place (the whys and wherefore of this particular dispute aside).
How much of the work is Kettering's, which was a new depot, IIRC?
A fair bit, but there are also Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby TMs who work connect services (I believe it the ex MML links within these depots). There certainly isn’t a strict demarcation of Pancras /Kettering = Connect, everyone else = senior conductors.
The senior conductor v TM thing also dates back to long ago, both are rulebook guards doing basically the same job.
@LowLevel might know more about the history of this.
Exactly my experience of EMR/EMT Meridians. Coach H/G regarded as a sacrosanct messroom dominated by high pitched piffle. Please madam(s), we're trying to work/relax here, not be subjected to a constant barrage of irritating staff babble/gossip.
Yes, this is definitely a thing. I’ve experienced it multiple times as well, and found it highly unprofessional.
I thought that was just an Avanti disease (Coach K, though I believe it has since relocated to Coach C).
This is an interesting one and I can see both sides.
There is no shortage of first class seating in meridians (actually there’s far too much of it), so one has a choice whether or not to sit near the galley, where you are indeed likely to hear members of staff conversing - both TMs and customer hosts, and possibly others travelling “on the cushions”. Unfortunately there isn’t really anywhere else for them to go.
Even with the current low loadings some passengers seem to make a point of sitting as close as possible to the galley entrance when where there are loads of free seats elsewhere, which seems a little odd. If you don’t want to see/hear members of staff you can always go to the half-carriage of first behind (or the entire other carriage and a half on the seven cars). It’s a little odd that EMR no longer have designated quiet coaches for those who want to relax or work in peace.
That said I completely agree staff conversation in front of passengers should be discrete and professional and will concede that it isn’t always. Some have probably became a little too used to having the entire carriage roped off during the lockdowns.