SWR Strike Action: Strikes every day in December except 1st, 12th, 25th & 26th

[Neptune]

If the RMT agree a deal with Swr about what the guards do,wouldn't it have to be approved by ASLEF ? Seeing as Southern drivers got a big pay rise for not having guards .

It’s nothing to do with ASLEF. The dispute is between RMT & SWR.

 

[joystick]

I Know that , but they may agree the guard shuts the door and the driver opens it ?

 

[Twotwo]

Has swr started their negotiations with aslef yet?

 

[Dougal2345]

The RMT may get more public support this time as SWR are comfortably now the most hated TOC in the country (even beating Northern) and given none of the passengers now believe a word SWR say, it is pretty unreasonable to expect the RMT to as SWR hardly have a sparkling record of being customer of staff friendly.

I commute on SWR and I can't say that I "feel the hate". On the other hand, I can't love an organisation that tries to prevent me commuting...

 

[moley]

I commute on SWR and I can't say that I "feel the hate". On the other hand, I can't love an organisation that tries to prevent me commuting...

I have to agree, the hate is generally not there.

SWR are doing a great job at letting the public know when a delay is down to Network Rail infrastructure issues. I was travelling with a friend who knows nothing of the railway and commented that ‘another points problem but that’s not the rail companies fault’ so the message is getting through.

 

[Ethano92]

I commute on SWR and I can't say that I "feel the hate". On the other hand, I can't love an organisation that tries to prevent me commuting...

I think it's because on Twitter for example, youll only see the complaints, no need to say anything if you've had a good journey.

I've seen numerous tweets talking about the dirty seats on 455s but nobody ever takes pictures of the ones that have clearly had their base cushions replaced recently. Another woman complained about the 'diabolical' state of the train and all she captured was a pringles can and crushed crisps along the floor stating 'they never clean their trains overnight'. She was talking about how she was currently on the train and the tweet was posted at 5pm.

There is no doubt many people that detest SWR, but I have to agree I don't have problems with them that often, a lot of the time it is network rail's fault.

Either way after talking to a few people with no railway knowledge around the last set of strikes, many don't get the fuss and don't appreciate RMTs actions, not to say many will feel the opposite. It's still a mixed bag, I don't think everyone is lobbying for RMT suddenly.

 

[rwuk]

I commute on SWR and I can't say that I "feel the hate". On the other hand, I can't love an organisation that tries to prevent me commuting...

Agreed, “none of the passengers now believe a word SWR says” is absolute rubbish. I work in an office that’s near Queenstown Road (aka: the station that feels like it’s most likely to have its service thinned or cancelled if there are problems) and I can’t say I’ve heard a single colleague say they hate SWR, nor that they don’t believe a word they say. When it comes to the strikes, the common opinion seems to be that the strikes are without merit.

Having commuted on various bits of SWT and SWR over the last decade, I really don’t think one is any better or worse than the other.

 

[moley]

Agreed, “none of the passengers now believe a word SWR says” is absolute rubbish. I work in an office that’s near Queenstown Road (aka: the station that feels like it’s most likely to have its service thinned or cancelled if there are problems) and I can’t say I’ve heard a single colleague say they hate SWR, not that they don’t believe a word they say. When it comes to the strikes, the common opinion seems to be that the strikes are without merit.

Having commutes on various bits of SWT and SWR over the last decade, I really don’t think one is any better or worse than the other.

A lot of passengers who commute will have seen their job change over the past ten years under the guise of efficiency. They may not have been 100% supportive but have had to go with it. Therefore when SWR say Efficiency and RMT rebuke with Safety the RMT argument with the public is lost. Why? Because the public are intelligent enough to know that SWR cannot suggest a change that is fundamentally unsafe.

I just hope both sides start talking again and passengers don’t suffer.

 

[Meerkat]

That’s why the RMT are always deliberately vague about safety.
The public think its DOO and worry about personal safety on the train - ie issues that can be solved by OBS/PCSOs/bouncers depending on time of day!
The RMT keep it quieter that they actually mean other stuff that the public don’t worry about so much and has been agreed as safe by the relevant authorities - ie maintaining safety critical guards.

 

[infobleep]

I commute on SWR and I can't say that I "feel the hate". On the other hand, I can't love an organisation that tries to prevent me commuting...

You talking about Network Rail?

There are definitely people on the net who don't like SWR. One Twitter user, SWR Watch had a list of questions they sent to DfT because they weren't happy with things. For example not all ticket office closures are being listed on the Journey Check Web Site.

Of course they might be being unfair to SWR and expecting too much from them.

Personally I disagree with SWR on this issue. One of their early press releases gave the impression nothing was changing, if you didn't fully read it. I felt they wanted people to think that. If they had said what was changing as the headline, I might trust them more.

Beyond that differing view point, I don't think they are any worse than the predessor, so I certainly don't hate them. There again I don't hate Network Rail, despite all the problems. If I had to dislike anyone, as I think hate is too strong a word, it would be the DfT.

That’s why the RMT are always deliberately vague about safety.
The public think its DOO and worry about personal safety on the train - ie issues that can be solved by OBS/PCSOs/bouncers depending on time of day!
The RMT keep it quieter that they actually mean other stuff that the public don’t worry about so much and has been agreed as safe by the relevant authorities - ie maintaining safety critical guards.

I was talking to someone recently about this and they said there should be someone on the trains at all times. Now I know SWR are saying this would be the case but clearly there are people thinking if things change it won't be the case.

It will be interesting to see if they will put up all the previously useful diversionary information this time. If they kept a copy of the previous information, it should be straight forward.

 

[pompeyfan]

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/~/link.aspx?_id=03fe22914601439782e3b1ad6951cad9&_z=z

The strike timetables or route plans are now up.

Oddly, the Romsey rounders aren’t running, and the 1T shuttles only as far as Winchester. I’m sure there’s many other differences too.

 

[Goldfish62]

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/~/link.aspx?_id=03fe22914601439782e3b1ad6951cad9&_z=z

The strike timetables or route plans are now up.

Oddly, the Romsey rounders aren’t running, and the 1T shuttles only as far as Winchester. I’m sure there’s many other differences too.

On the Windsor lines the difference from last time (from memory) is that Windsor is now half hourly instead of hourly , all via Hounslow in place of Hounslow loop services. Also Reading services will have Royal Ascot enhancements. The latter must impact on the ability to provide more services on other lines.

 

[Kite159]

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/~/link.aspx?_id=03fe22914601439782e3b1ad6951cad9&_z=z

The strike timetables or route plans are now up.

Oddly, the Romsey rounders aren’t running, and the 1T shuttles only as far as Winchester. I’m sure there’s many other differences too.

I seem to recall the Romsey rounders not running in previous strikes either

 

[pompeyfan]

I seem to recall the Romsey rounders not running in previous strikes either

I’m almost certain they ran in part, as a manager had an ‘incident’ in a 4 car... ill let you fill in the gaps.

 

[infobleep]

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/~/link.aspx?_id=03fe22914601439782e3b1ad6951cad9&_z=z

The strike timetables or route plans are now up.

Oddly, the Romsey rounders aren’t running, and the 1T shuttles only as far as Winchester. I’m sure there’s many other differences too.

The following isn't a criticism but statement of facts There is no mention of Guildford to Farnham services, that now run Mondays to Saturdays. However they do mention Guildford to Ascot, even though there are no Guildford to Ascot services Monday to Saturday and on the day they do run, Sundays, they are not striking on.

This suggests to me that they just lifted the previous pages, which is kind of what I thought they might do. However I did think they might modify them to reflect the service route changes, even if I wouldn't have excepted service changes.

No trains on the Guildford via Cobham or via Leatherhead lines Tuesday to Saturday. I thought they did run some trains on those, some days previously but I my be misremembering. I know there were times when they dedin9sidnt run though.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

On the Windsor lines the difference from last time (from memory) is that Windsor is now half hourly instead of hourly , all via Hounslow in place of Hounslow loop services. Also Reading services will have Royal Ascot enhancements. The latter must impact on the ability to provide more services on other lines.

I think that this is the normal service during Royal Ascot. Windsor trains diverted to Ascot and the Weybridge via Hounslow starting from Windsor

 

[Goldfish62]

I think that this is the normal service during Royal Ascot. Windsor trains diverted to Ascot and the Weybridge via Hounslow starting from Windsor

No, that's just on the Saturday of Royal Ascot. On Weekdays it's the normal Windsor lines service, with Reading enhanced to 4tph for much of the off-peak. The variation on the Saturday is to allow 6tph to operate to Ascot.

 

[adamello]

I’m almost certain they ran in part, as a manager had an ‘incident’ in a 4 car... ill let you fill in the gaps.

there aren't 4car units that run?

SWR probably take the hit on the Romsey as there is a GWR service there, only Chandlers Ford, Dean & Mottisfont losing service

 

[pompeyfan]

They run as 4 when Southampton are playing at St Mary’s. trust me. There was a Romsey rounder running last time.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

No, that's just on the Saturday of Royal Ascot. On Weekdays it's the normal Windsor lines service, with Reading enhanced to 4tph for much of the off-peak. The variation on the Saturday is to allow 6tph to operate to Ascot.

Ok thanks for the clarification, I knew that the trains were altered at some point for Ascot

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I am sad to see these strikes may be happening again. I thought they had resolved the problem.

 

[pompeyfan]

There are talks tomorrow between Mick Cash and Andy Mellors, there’s still a chance the strikes could be called off.

 

[Goldfish62]

There are talks tomorrow between Mick Cash and Andy Mellors, there’s still a chance the strikes could be called off.

Fingers crossed. At least it's the top honchos getting together.

 

[nanstallon]

A plague on both their houses.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

There are talks tomorrow between Mick Cash and Andy Mellors, there’s still a chance the strikes could be called off.

Let's hope so.

 

[Goldfish62]

A plague on both their houses.

Yes indeed.

 

[whhistle]

Don't want to offend anyone here and I am ignorant in this but I'm not sure what the problem is?

As far as I understand, current guards will have less responsibility but the same pay as now?
The RMT tout "keep the guard on the train" which suggests trains will run as driver-only, but isn't this untrue? Because the guard will become a "Customer Host" or whatever?

Yes, they'd lose competencies and new guards wouldn't be trained in these anyway but hey, it'll be an easier job right?

 

[pompeyfan]

Currently the sticking point is how the company want to operate the 701s, or the fact that they’re not sharing their plans/ideas with the RMT. 4 months have passed with only 3 meetings over the dispute.

 

[Robertj21a]

Don't want to offend anyone here and I am ignorant in this but I'm not sure what the problem is?

As far as I understand, current guards will have less responsibility but the same pay as now?
The RMT tout "keep the guard on the train" which suggests trains will run as driver-only, but isn't this untrue? Because the guard will become a "Customer Host" or whatever?

Yes, they'd lose competencies and new guards wouldn't be trained in these anyway but hey, it'll be an easier job right?

I take it that you haven't read any of the, numerous, threads on here about DOO - on Southern, Northern etc.

 

[samuelmorris]

I take it that you haven't read any of the, numerous, threads on here about DOO - on Southern, Northern etc.

To be fair, there are thousands of pages of the same old arguments, so you can't really expect people to pick through all that to find what they're after.

For context I generally stand on the pro-DOO side of the debate, but if SWR still haven't informed their staff how they intend to operate the 701s by this late stage then I can't say I blame them being incensed. That isn't really acceptable.