RMT Strike Action Sat 26/8 and Sat 2/9

[yorksrob]

Saturdays have the largest number of Leisure customers. And it’s the leisure market that is the largest on the network right now.

It does seem like the establishment/management class who by all accounts, are wanting people back in their offices, are getting off scott free, whereas ordinary passengers are putting up with all of the collateral damage at the moment.

 

[Topological]

Booked on the last GWR from London to Swansea on the 25th, suggestion is that it has run on the recent strike days (based on arrival in Swansea on the Saturday mornings that were strike days), but now a nervous wait to see if that exists this time.

As noted, I am just not sure what anyone thinks striking will achieve. It is very much the equivalent of walking into the wind with a cheap umbrella. Sympathy from some, but ultimately daft.

 

[Huntergreed]

Utter rubbish. The whole point is that the Government isn't investing in rail, has zero interest in growing passenger numbers and instead wants to cut costs as much as it possibly can. It's the DfT that's killing off the railways if anyone is.

You can't deny that the constant strikes and disruption is likely encouraging significant modal shift from Rail to Road/Air.

They are not solely responsible, but they certainly are making a contribution to declining public confidence in rail.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Does anybody know what the likely situation is going to be with Greater Anglia's London to Cambridge services on these days? I have plans on the 26th and aren't sure whether to cancel just yet.

 

[chrisp37]

Greater Anglia seemed to be able to run a mostly normal service on the last RMT strike day. We had a day out to Clacton-on-Sea and the only difference appeared to be that the last train of the day from Clacton back to Liverpool Street did not run. So if it's anything like that then I expect the Cambridge services will be running a mostly normal timetable.

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Met Police (A): Strike
Chesham Utd (A): Strike
Weston-super-Mare (A): Strike
Westfield (A): Strike
Cribbs (A): Strike
And now Hayes & Yeading (A) and potentially FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round

They are spying on my football club.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Greater Anglia seemed to be able to run a mostly normal service on the last RMT strike day. We had a day out to Clacton-on-Sea and the only difference appeared to be that the last train of the day from Clacton back to Liverpool Street did not run. So if it's anything like that then I expect the Cambridge services will be running a mostly normal timetable.

Thank you - of course I shall wait for the official timetable to be released before making a decision on whether to cancel/reschedule, but what you've said is encouraging.

 

[greyman42]

There is a lot of engineering work taking place on the ECML on Sat 26 August so it will have little impact on that route.

 

[JonathanH]

Just be careful and check before you go as service may wind down quite a bit earlier on those Fridays.

As usual, it is for shifts starting at 0001 on Saturday so nothing runs down early on the day preceding the strike.

 

[Ivor]

Sorry, RMT are losing any sympathy from me with the constant Saturday action.

I blame the Government as well.

I couldn’t agree more, I have plans in London & yet again I’m now scratching around for a hotel at more cost I didn’t want & of course already hotels are ramping up the rates.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I genuinely think they are starting to waste their time. The government do not care one bit. It’s obvious

Obviously not obvious to the rail unions.

 

[3RDGEN]

Thanks. So as long as I get up there okay on Friday evening my train back should run as planned hopefully. (I’m booked on 3:30 as its Sky lunchtime kickoff). Then once back at the cross I can get tube home.

On the last RMT strike day Sunderland station was only open 0700 - 1900 which did affect some GC services, the below text is from GC Facebook - 22 July. Maybe the same this time too, if your on the 15:30 that looks OK.

"

Due to strike action Sunderland station will open from 0700-1900 today.
The following changes will be made to GC services:
The 0648 Sunderland- Kings Cross service will depart from St Peters Metro at 0642, not calling at Sunderland.
The 1648 & 1927 Kings Cross- Sunderland services will terminate at St Peters Metro, not calling at Sunderland."

 

[HamworthyGoods]

GC are not involved

However the stations they serve may be affected which can affect GC calls there.

 

[duncanp]

I am reminded of the 1984/1985 miners strike.

It originally started with the intention of preventing pit closure and saving miner's jobs, but the long term effect of the strike was exactly the opposite.

The longer these strikes go on, the more people will learn to manage without the railways, and once this happens it will be difficult to persuade them to return to using train services when the strikes are finally over.

If the unions are waiting for the election of a Labour government, this could still be over a year away, and the damage that is done to the finances of Network Rail and the TOCs will make it more difficult to afford pay rises in the future.

Similarly for the NHS and all other sectors where strike action is taking place.

 

[Kite159]

Is it bad to say that I've been expecting action to be announced for the bank holiday weekend?

 

[Dougal2345]

Of course with Dempsey and Lynch both being hard-left political extremists, it's hard not to see this continuing strike action as being aimed at damaging the economy of a member of the hated NATO, rather than being anything much to do with the pay and terms and conditions of the rank and file.

Obviously not accusing the average RMT member of thinking that way, but they should ask themselves whether Dempsey and Lynch really have their interests at heart.

 

[Drogba11CFC]

RMT's opinion seems to be inconvenience leisure travellers, whilst not impacting 95-97% of working commuters.

If people aren't happy with this, perhaps an Aslef-esque approach, a week-on week-off overtime ban & work-to-rule would be a better way to remind Tories and their supporters that this won't go away.

Seeing some major disruption with the Aslef OT ban at present.

Let's just say they did NOT want restrictions to end...

 

[northwichcat]

They'll be a very long list of events disrupted by the strike on 26/8. There's quite a few in Manchester alone, including the annual Pride parade.

 

[yorksrob]

Of course with Dempsey and Lynch both being hard-left political extremists, it's hard not to see this continuing strike action as being aimed at damaging the economy of a member of the hated NATO, rather than being anything much to do with the pay and terms and conditions of the rank and file.

Obviously not accusing the average RMT member of thinking that way, but they should ask themselves whether Dempsey and Lynch really have their interests at heart.

Government haven't exactly shown themselves to be magnanimous and even handed (reference the ticket office fiasco).

None of them currently have passengers interests at heart.

 

[SirAlf]

Met Police (A): Strike
Chesham Utd (A): Strike
Weston-super-Mare (A): Strike
Westfield (A): Strike
Cribbs (A): Strike
And now Hayes & Yeading (A) and potentially FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round

They are spying on my football club.

Agree

Altrincham (A) Strike
Aldershot (A) Strike

Don't you just love our absolutely useless railways

 

[michael74]

Needs to be a whole week.

Full support from me.

Can you afford a week, I can't.... if it was mortgage or cross the picket line, I would be at work.......

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

They'll be a very long list of events disrupted by the strike on 26/8. There's quite a few in Manchester alone, including the annual Pride parade.

Perhaps they could arrange the parade to go up and down Piccadilly station approach and also along the Victoria station long elevation, where the union banners will be sure to be there.

 

[gazzaa2]

I think ASLEF's week long overtime ban are more effective than the RMT's two one day strikes.

RMT and ASLEF would have been better off joining forces 12 months ago and issuing a blanket ban on doing overtime until the dispute is resolved.

 

[Russel]

Seriously? The strikes have been going on for a year now with no real progress, what is the point?

 

[footprints]

30 days on strike. What have the RMT executive actually achieved other than cost their members a fortune, rejected deals reached by their own negotiating team, driven passengers away from the railway, and ultimately overplayed their hand to the point of irrelevance? Yet still it's like groundhog day with more pointless strikes that will achieve nothing, barely make the news and most people can work around. For all Lynch's bluster, his union has comprehensively failed its members.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Wondering as to the old adage, I wonder where the rail unions keep their "hot irons" forward planning crystal balls that make the decision to "strike when the iron is hot".

 

[ChrisC]

I genuinely think they are starting to waste their time. The government do not care one bit. It’s obvious

If the government did care, and these strikes were actually having some impact on the government, I would have a great deal of sympathy and support for the RMT. However, the government doesn‘t seem to care, and with all these strikes being on Saturdays, it is just the general public especially leisure passengers who are inconvenienced. Travel plans were disrupted at the beginning of the summer school holiday and now the same is happening at the end.

Having now had a year of inconvenience with Saturday strikes that have had little impact on the government I have had enough and I am finding myself travelling by rail far less. I wouldn’t like to think how much extra I have paid in hotel bills by having to book at a more expensive cancellable rate, or having to wait and book at the last minute when often all the cheapest rates have gone. I think it’s more holidays using my car over the next few months and actually I’m beginning to quite enjoy visiting more remote locations not so accessible by rail.

 

[Snow1964]

The RMT Press Announcement

11 August 2023
RMT Press Office
20,000 RMT members working on every grade of the train operating companies will take further strike action in the national dispute over working conditions, pay and job security.

National ?
Presumably they mean England, not Wales or Scotland

The union has been left with little choice but to take further action as the union has seen no improved or revised offer from the Rail Delivery Group.

That reads as taking action, because we are being ignored

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:
"The mood among our members remains solid and determined in our national dispute over pay job security and working conditions.

What on earth is a pay job that needs security

Rail workers to take further strike action on 14 train operating companies in national dispute

20,000 RMT members working on every grade of the train operating companies will take further strike action in the national dispute over working conditions, pay and job security.

www.rmt.org.uk

 

[islandmonkey]

You either go all in or you withdraw now. Annoying background noise otherwise indeed.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

What on earth is a pay job that needs security

Someone missed a comma, should read

The mood among our members remains solid and determined in our national dispute over pay, job security and working conditions.