There is a massive difference between a private sector business where employees are pulling well beyond their weight and are negotiating for their fair share of the success, and the situation the rail industry currently finds itself in - making enormous losses but temporarily propped up by the taxpayer.Indeed. It’s an extraordinary and pathetic mentality we have in this country, where people actively resent workers trying to protect themselves, and despise trade unions, often while working copious amounts of unpaid overtime themselves!
Now is just about the worst time imaginable for any rail union to be demanding more pay. They should be focusing on protecting jobs and conditions wherever possible, not making the industry even more unsustainable than it already is.
For example, looking for ways of making route or traction training easier and quicker - for a number of TOCs this is a substantial problem if current practices continue.
Some people seem to believe the rail industry exists in its own bubble, totally detached from the real world. Perhaps they have been led to believe that by the various governments' attitudes until now.
For the sake of everyone involved, you really have to hope it doesn't take compulsory redundancies for the penny to drop.