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SWR Longest Strike - December 2019

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Horizon22

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This was an interesting tweet today: https://twitter.com/SW_Help/status/1210485483735781376

The amended timetable will continue on 2 and 3 January. Due to the length of the RMT strike, we are required to undertake safety testing with our returning guards. For more information and timetables check here: http://southwesternrailway.com/strike

From my experience it doesn't need to be done if it's 1 month (extended AL can take you over this time), but anyone aware of the specific SWR practices?
 
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Disappointing (again) that SWR have found resources to run extra Reading services and have decided to run them fast from Staines to Waterloo. The need for more capacity is greatest on this section and they should look after their own core customers over displaced GWR passengers.
 

HamworthyGoods

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Disappointing (again) that SWR have found resources to run extra Reading services and have decided to run them fast from Staines to Waterloo. The need for more capacity is greatest on this section and they should look after their own core customers over displaced GWR passengers.

Tickets from the South and West are valid into Waterloo, those passengers will travel that way whether you tell then to or not as there are no other options. The idea behind the extra trains is to try and leave space on the existing advertised service for people joining at places such as Feltham.
 

43096

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Tickets from the South and West are valid into Waterloo, those passengers will travel that way whether you tell then to or not as there are no other options. The idea behind the extra trains is to try and leave space on the existing advertised service for people joining at places such as Feltham.
They’d be better off running Staines-Waterloo services as it is the likes of Whitton that have been really stuffed by the strike.
 

Horizon22

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I assume it's covering those whose competencies would have lapsed during the strike period.

Yes I'd imagine so, but what proportion is that realistically expected to be assuming they lapse at fairly regular periods across the year. Or just covering themselves, just in case it might be worse than expected?
 

infobleep

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I think there will be grudges all round. Guard on guard, passengers on guard, guard on management, guard on RMT.
You forgot passengers on management, passengers on RMT, passengers on DfT. Not forgetting of course passengers on general staff who aren't guards.

I know the strike isn't by general staff but I'm looking at it from the point of view of different groups passengers and what they think, regardless of whether it is rational or not.
 

Journeyman

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You forgot passengers on management, passengers on RMT, passengers on DfT. Not forgetting of course passengers on general staff who aren't guards.

I know the strike isn't by general staff but I'm looking at it from the point of view of different groups passengers and what they think, regardless of whether it is rational or not.

Yeah, I've been at work plenty of times when other grades/roles have walked out, and have got a lot of abuse for it. Sadly, I suspect the level of assaults on staff will escalate sharply. :(
 

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SWR seem to have completely abandoned the Hounslow loop for tomorrow, with Windsor services now being sent via Richmond. What's the reason for this? No engineering works as far as I can tell.
 

WA_Driver

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SWR seem to have completely abandoned the Hounslow loop for tomorrow, with Windsor services now being sent via Richmond. What's the reason for this? No engineering works as far as I can tell.

Due to lack of contingency guards not being competent on the route
 

SWT_USER

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I think it is the big rugby game at Twickenham.

Suspect that’s the most likely reason using the limited resources available to move as many people as possible.

The rugby game was yesterday (and there were services on the loop yesterday), I was questioning why there were no services today.

I'm not sure it's down to lack of contingency guards with route knowledge or they'd have struggled to provide services before now.
 

pompeyfan

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Possibly something to do with half of Waterloo being shut for engineering works?
 

SWT_USER

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Possibly something to do with half of Waterloo being shut for engineering works?

Possibly but SWR don't give a reason at all on their website (as far as I can see). No reason that half of Waterloo being shut would enable them to run via Richmond but not via Brentford either really.

I've put in a DR claim anyway as I was planning to travel Ashford to Brentford today, will see how they process that..
 

Ian Hardy

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There has been no stopping service on the Hounslow loop on Sundays during the December strike, also there have only been 3 Windsor line services per hour: 1 x Reading, 1 x Windsor, 1 x Kingston loop.
On Sun 08/12/19 the line through Twickenham was closed so the 1 x Reading & 1 x Windsor were diverted via but only stopping at Hounslow, with buses via Twickenham to Barnes.
On Sun 15/12/19 there was planned engineering work on the Hounslow loop so buses between Barnes and Feltham & Twickenham in the afternoon.
On Suns 22/12/19 & 29/12/19 no service at all and the same will occur on 01/01/2020.
The contingency guards cannot work 7 days a week for month, they have to have a break sometime and I am sure that most people would prefer a service on weekdays and not on Sundays rather than the other way round.
The stations via Richmond are more heavily used than those via Hounslow and SWR has concentrated the available resources where the demand is highest on Sundays.
 

pompeyfan

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There has been no stopping service on the Hounslow loop on Sundays during the December strike, also there have only been 3 Windsor line services per hour: 1 x Reading, 1 x Windsor, 1 x Kingston loop.
On Sun 08/12/19 the line through Twickenham was closed so the 1 x Reading & 1 x Windsor were diverted via but only stopping at Hounslow, with buses via Twickenham to Barnes.
On Sun 15/12/19 there was planned engineering work on the Hounslow loop so buses between Barnes and Feltham & Twickenham in the afternoon.
On Suns 22/12/19 & 29/12/19 no service at all and the same will occur on 01/01/2020.
The contingency guards cannot work 7 days a week for month, they have to have a break sometime and I am sure that most people would prefer a service on weekdays and not on Sundays rather than the other way round.
The stations via Richmond are more heavily used than those via Hounslow and SWR has concentrated the available resources where the demand is highest on Sundays.

just clarify, actually some of the management will be working the whole length of the strike, as the 12 and the 25/26th count as hidden days, so legally, yes they can. And if the rumours are true, they’re being rewarded handsomely if they work every day. 5 figure bonuses have been mentioned.
 

WA_Driver

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just clarify, actually some of the management will be working the whole length of the strike, as the 12 and the 25/26th count as hidden days, so legally, yes they can. And if the rumours are true, they’re being rewarded handsomely if they work every day. 5 figure bonuses have been mentioned.

Some management maybe be working all the strike days but still isn’t enough to cover all the routes.

From the contingency guards I’ve spoken to. Majority of them are now getting fed up of working and doing the same routes repeatedly so they are now starting to take their days off to which most of the staff out here have every weekend off
 

bb21

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They’d be better off running Staines-Waterloo services as it is the likes of Whitton that have been really stuffed by the strike.
It's a measure to contain overcrowding as the closure of Paddington meant Reading passengers would be flocking to the half-hourly SWR services, which the 458s would not be able to cope, in part due to their rather poor capability at handling large crowds.

It would be a non-issue if SWR weren't running through services to Reading full-stop, but the existence of these services meant they would be soaking up all the pressure for Reading-London travel that day (or at least the overwhelming majority of it) so it became a priority to manage potentially dangerous levels of overcrowding on the route.

5 figure bonuses have been mentioned.
Quite categorically that is false from what I understand.

The rugby game was yesterday (and there were services on the loop yesterday), I was questioning why there were no services today.

I'm not sure it's down to lack of contingency guards with route knowledge or they'd have struggled to provide services before now.
Lack of anticipated resources (because less people want to work Sundays and people need a break, so Sundays are the obvious choice), and the need to provide an acceptable level of frequency on the Richmond route which attracts far more passengers.

Ticket acceptance in place for the Hounslow loop on local buses, as is the case throughout December.
 
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bb21

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The rumour mill is in operation at full speed at the moment, with several theories.

But until something is confirmed, let's refrain from speculation as it would quickly get out of control.
 

infobleep

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More strikes likely in February according to the Financial Times and The Guardian

ASLEF and RMT to meet in January to discuss their response to the minimum service during strike bill

Hedley says they will keep striking till they win

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.ft.com/content/af58918e-2b02-11ea-bc77-65e4aa615551
https://www.theguardian.com/busines...y-faces-fresh-wave-of-rmt-strikes-in-new-year
I see South Western Railway haven't responded yet to the Guardian or if they did, it's not been put into the news article.

Is there definatly a ballot going on at the moment? When they do ballot, do they give members a range of options on the kind of strike they might want to undertake or is it just a yes / no ballot for strike action?

Incidentally I did Tweet South Western Railway SW_help, pointing out their Web Site said no buses were running between Guildford and Aldershot when the National Rail Enquiries App live deapture boards said such buses were running between Friday to Monday. Some of these buses were going to Farnham (every day bar Sunday) and others to Ascot (Sunday only).

Perhaps the people who might update such information were busy doing something else.

Those buses were planned some time ago as part of the engineering works. It's interesting that it wasn't possible to arrange then for other days during the strike, especially during the school holidays.
 

Goldfish62

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I see South Western Railway haven't responded yet to the Guardian or if they did, it's not been put into the news article.

Is there definatly a ballot going on at the moment? When they do ballot, do they give members a range of options on the kind of strike they might want to undertake or is it just a yes / no ballot for strike action?

Incidentally I did Tweet South Western Railway SW_help, pointing out their Web Site said no buses were running between Guildford and Aldershot when the National Rail Enquiries App live deapture boards said such buses were running between Friday to Monday. Some of these buses were going to Farnham (every day bar Sunday) and others to Ascot (Sunday only).

Perhaps the people who might update such information were busy doing something else.

Those buses were planned some time ago as part of the engineering works. It's interesting that it wasn't possible to arrange then for other days during the strike, especially during the school holidays.
I don't see that there's any need for SWR to respond to that article. It's a fact that RMT are reballoting at the moment, as they have to do by law at least every six months.

The issue of changing the law on striking is a separate issue.
 

Thumper1127

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Out of interest does anyone know what happens to Guards’ annual leave entitlement due to the strike? If, say, 10% of shifts aren’t worked due to strike in the leave year, is annual leave reduced on a pro rata basis?
 

HamworthyGoods

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Out of interest does anyone know what happens to Guards’ annual leave entitlement due to the strike? If, say, 10% of shifts aren’t worked due to strike in the leave year, is annual leave reduced on a pro rata basis?

I know pensions are adjusted accordingly to drop strike days off your length of service but not sure about leave.
 

pompeyfan

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The company did send a rather nasty letter saying they’d dock leave as well as other perks, but not quite the same extent as what southern conductors had taken off them.
 

Carlisle

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Hedley says they will keep striking till they win
Given his image & reputation , many folk may privately consider it preferable to preform the direct opposite of his instructions.
Whether that’d make any difference in the actual ballot, I’ve no idea
 
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Goldfish62

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I know pensions are adjusted accordingly to drop strike days off your length of service but not sure about leave.
Pensions are a given as your not contributing on the days you're not being paid. With a final salary scheme you have to work an extra day for every strike day to make up what you'd otherwise lose on your pension value.
 

theironroad

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The company did send a rather nasty letter saying they’d dock leave as well as other perks, but not quite the same extent as what southern conductors had taken off them.

As well as threatening to sue guards personally for losses incurred by SWR.

Probably unlikely to happen but would be interesting times if they tried.
 
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