STM staff in Manchester

[Merseysider]

There's certainly a lot of interesting comments so far

I think only once or twice have I ever had my ticket looked at in detail by the gateline staff at Picc and Victoria. Perhaps this is indicative of job apathy. There is one thoroughly decent bloke at Salford Crescent though who sometimes gives you a 'good morning' and checks each and every ticket properly. One STM employee was very polite when I asked for platform directions at Shipley but that's about it as far as good experiences go.

I've witnessed one trying to bum a free ride on a TPE (he wasn't successful) and ended up delaying dispatch.

 

[muz379]

During the Christmas and New year period only 1 shift is in operation that's either 9 till 7 or 8 till 6.
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The machine operators are on£6.53 per hour and checkers are on £6.50 per hour
Since stm took over in April a large number are agency staff.

so basically an extra 28p a day for the added responsibility of cash handling and paperwork associated with the machine .

That's a disgrace if you ask me ,

 

[LowLevel]

The whole shebang is a disgrace to be honest. The decent ones should be earning a decent wage and the useless ones should be out.

 

[muz379]

I have just bought a ticket from an STM operative at Manchester Victoria.

She was most helpful and polite, and when I asked for a Manchester Day Ranger asked me which version I required (possibly recognising me as a potential tram basher). I was also impressed that she was training a young lass at the same time and demonstrating exactly how to find the ticket on her machine.

Wonder if she was being paid any extra for conducting training duties as well . I know Drivers and Guards who get involved in training get extra pennies in their pocket for the added responsibility . Heck even when I worked in retail I was remunerated for undertaking training duties .


Another thing worth bearing in mind is that some of those slagging the STM guys off could have come across someone having a bad day . As much as employers and managers like to think customer service should be 100% all of the time there will be times when standards will slip we are after all human , all have a bad days and things going wrong . Ive no doubt if I get called a stupid c*** by a customer early on in the day the rest of the customers that day arent going to get the same level of service from me as they would have but for that happening . I try and be professional and keep personal matters and rude customers separate from other customers . But we all have levels of morale that certain things can make slip . No doubt if your being paid minimum wage and treated like a company like STM probably treats people your tolerances for things like that are much lower off the bat . Not to mention if you are not well looked after in the case of any altercation / abuse etc then you might even be stood there checking tickets when if what happened to you had happened to a guard theyd be at home having someone else cover their job in the interests of their welfare . I know the guards also conduct Safety critical work and so its of paramount importance that they are in the right frame of mind . But its a common decency towards your staff at the same time to ensure they are ok after an incident like that .

 

[Bodiddly]

so basically an extra 28p a day for the added responsibility of cash handling and paperwork associated with the machine .

That's a disgrace if you ask me ,

I thought Abellio was a living wage employer? It has been written in to the Scotrail franchise that they will provide the living wage to all employees regardless of whether they are directly employed or contracted in.
No wonder you get crap service if you are paying people peanuts. Couple this with standing alongside directly employed staff doing the same job on double the pay and free train travel on the network, it's no wonder STM staff are a bit miffed.
If they are good enough to do the job for Northern, they are good enough to be directly employed by Northern. On the flip side, if they are not good enough, they shouldn't be near these barriers.

 

[muz379]

I thought Abellio was a living wage employer? It has been written in to the Scotrail franchise that they will provide the living wage to all employees regardless of whether they are directly employed or contracted in.
No wonder you get crap service if you are paying people peanuts. Couple this with standing alongside directly employed staff doing the same job on double the pay and free train travel on the network, it's no wonder STM staff are a bit miffed.
If they are good enough to do the job for Northern, they are good enough to be directly employed by Northern. On the flip side, if they are not good enough, they shouldn't be near these barriers.

Lots of companies claim to be living wage employers yet then engage in the practice of using numerous subcontracts and agency workers thus meaning that they can circumvent their own principles

 

[thealexweb]

Have the 'new' STM staff be told to not take outbound TfGM tickets that are valid for use on the Metrolink in the city zone. Really annoys me that I have to specify why I am declining to hand over my ticket when they should not be taking them.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Have the 'new' STM staff be told to not take outbound TfGM tickets that are valid for use on the Metrolink in the city zone. Really annoys me that I have to specify why I am declining to hand over my ticket when they should not be taking them.

I have complained to my CTM's about that on more than one occasion.

 

[Leeds1970]

STM security are these people actually classed as security staff? if so then why do none of these staff have SIA cards? a security person is required by law to have their cards on show any security guard that does not is liable to a fine, under the terms of their SIA registration. also is STM still a subsidiary company of abellio, or have abellio sold the business on?

 

[muz379]

STM security are these people actually classed as security staff? if so then why do none of these staff have SIA cards? a security person is required by law to have their cards on show any security guard that does not is liable to a fine, under the terms of their SIA registration. also is STM still a subsidiary company of abellio, or have abellio sold the business on?

that would depend , if they are carrying out a licensable activity then they are required to have it one display

I have seen some of them with their license on display whilst working at victoria . I have seen many without them though .

Given that gateline duties are not a licensable activity (at least as far as I was aware ) there is no requirement for them to display them .

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I am not sue if this has been already asked, by what was the length of time of the contract that was awarded to STM Security?
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Given that gateline duties are not a licensable activity (at least as far as I was aware ) there is no requirement for them to display them .

Indeed this is the case.

 

[Puffing Devil]

I had the pleasure of dealing with one of these staff yesterday. The guard on my Crewe-Manchester train failed to make an appearance - even to check tickets. (This was also the case on the return from Manchester - why do they not do the inspections, if not the sales?

Queued to buy a ticket for my son on arrival (I had a free pass). Had to give them the code for the station, then he issued a single instead of the requested return - we then had another five minute wait as the best way to fix the issue was to excess the single to a return (10p!). Surely easier and quicker to issue a new ticket and void the mistake later?

Not a good experience.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....(This was also the case on the return from Manchester - why do they not do the inspections, if not the sales?....

I'm sure it's been mentioned before about guards actually having other duties sometimes, oh, and the distnace between some stations being quite short, but if a guard was just to do an inspection (and no tickets) how would that prevent you having to queue up for tickets at the barrier?

....we then had another five minute wait as the best way to fix the issue was to excess the single to a return (10p!). Surely easier and quicker to issue a new ticket and void the mistake later?....

Quicker and easier for you maybe, but not for Mr STM (or Mrs STM as appropriate) perhaps?

 

[Puffing Devil]

I'm sure it's been mentioned before about guards actually having other duties sometimes, oh, and the distnace between some stations being quite short, but if a guard was just to do an inspection (and no tickets) how would that prevent you having to queue up for tickets at the barrier?

Many guards do manage to make the trip - about 30% don't. It's all about revenue protection..... Even if the Avantix isn't working, they should be checking those getting on board at the stations with ticketing facilities. If people think they won't get caught, they'll take the chance.

Quicker and easier for you maybe, but not for Mr STM (or Mrs STM as appropriate) perhaps?

Precisely.

 

[DelayRepay]

Many guards do manage to make the trip - about 30% don't. It's all about revenue protection..... Even if the Avantix isn't working, they should be checking those getting on board at the stations with ticketing facilities. If people think they won't get caught, they'll take the chance.

But if they check tickets, and find people who haven't got one, what do they do next? If they can't sell a ticket for whatever reason, all they can realistically do is tell the passengers to buy one at the destination. It won't really help.

 

[Tomnick]

Guards not making their presence known with no good reason (of which there are several, the lack of a working ticket machine not being one of them in my opinion!) really aren't doing their grade any favours with the threat of DOO ever present.

 

[muz379]

But if they check tickets, and find people who haven't got one, what do they do next? If they can't sell a ticket for whatever reason, all they can realistically do is tell the passengers to buy one at the destination. It won't really help.

Precisely my outlook on the matter .

If for whatever reason I wont get through to do tickets I will make an announcement to tell passengers I wont be doing tickets because of a machine fault .

The usual cases are not having a ticket machine for a number of reasons - Machine shortages or accounting point staff shortage or sickness , Been spare and been given a job or train to work last minute . Running late getting to work so no time to pick a machine up .

There are also cases when you have a machine but it breaks or the batteries run out


Then there's the case when you mistakenly pick up someone elses machine from the mess room and only realise when you are well on your way(never happened to me yet )

 

[Monty]

STM security are these people actually classed as security staff? if so then why do none of these staff have SIA cards? a security person is required by law to have their cards on show any security guard that does not is liable to a fine, under the terms of their SIA registration. also is STM still a subsidiary company of abellio, or have abellio sold the business on?

I can't speak for Northern Rail, but all STM staff I have seen working on behalf of South West Trains have had SIA licences on show.

 

[185143]

One of the Piccadilly STM staff boarded my Sheffield 142 and told everyone, about 5 people at that point, (before guard boarded) that this was the Hadfield train. (To his credit, that was what it said on the screens and it didnt say front unit only) and the HDF train hadn't arrived yet. He was making his way through the train to tell people that it was for HDF. He told me that, so I pointed out that the Hadfield train was an EMU, the Sheffield wasn't and that I wouldn't be on a pacer if unless I had to be!

He then of course realised I was right and told the few people who left the train that it was in fact the Sheffield train!

To be fair though, as this may look like me criticizing just STM staff, most passengers were confused and I have seen Northern staff do similar in the past!

When I did the Sheffield-Lincoln, that was a right balls up! We got loaded onto a 144 in one of the bay platforms at Sheffield, 5 mins later guard announced it was the wrong train and to board the unit infront. (A 158) which hadn't pulled fat enough into the bay, as such the driver was unable to see the signal so the train had to reverse slightly first!
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Have the 'new' STM staff be told to not take outbound TfGM tickets that are valid for use on the Metrolink in the city zone. Really annoys me that I have to specify why I am declining to hand over my ticket when they should not be taking them.

I was traveling with a friend I met on holiday last year. I had a pass but he had a Wigan-Manchester Ctlz return, which was collected at Victoria. I told him to show the return portion on the Metrolink when our tickets were checked, which was accepted no problem. Was this correct? I don't really get what else we could have done but I didn't know his ticket had been taken until we were some distance from the barrier.