Tube staff plan five days of strikes

[Greenback]

I agree that the tactics are wrong, and I am a great supporter of shorter stoppages. In my view, having five one hour stoppages (or three two hour stoppages) in a week inconveniences management more, they have to issue more apologies and press statements, and the striking staff get more sympathy from customers.

 

[radamfi]

I agree that the tactics are wrong, and I am a great supporter of shorter stoppages. In my view, having five one hour stoppages (or three two hour stoppages) in a week inconveniences management more, they have to issue more apologies and press statements, and the striking staff get more sympathy from customers.

But staff don't get the day off that way. I guess short stoppages are inconvenient for striking staff too.

 

[Deerfold]

But staff don't get the day off that way. I guess short stoppages are inconvenient for striking staff too.

It's not as if staff can plan anything for those days yet as they have to be available in case the strike is called off at short notice. They and their dependents can't use staff travel facilities either.

 

[Tetchytyke]

But staff don't get the day off that way..

Are we playing cliche bingo now? :roll:

 

[A-driver]

But staff don't get the day off that way. I guess short stoppages are inconvenient for striking staff too.

They don't get the 'day off' for a strike either. Technically they should be at the pickets but even those who are not won't be looking at a day without pay as a day off.

 

[Greenback]

But staff don't get the day off that way. I guess short stoppages are inconvenient for striking staff too.

That sort of comment does you no credit. As others have said, it's not a day off (which normally comes without financial penalty) but a day without pay which can be cancelled in many cases a few hours before anyway.

I can assure you that there were hardly any employees when I have taken strike action who regarded it as a day off!

 

[455driver]

last time I went on strike I took my caravan with me, got through nearly a bottle of gas making cups of tea and bacon sandwiches, the cooker was on continuously.

It was even featured on the news at the time.

 

[radamfi]

That sort of comment does you no credit. As others have said, it's not a day off (which normally comes without financial penalty) but a day without pay which can be cancelled in many cases a few hours before anyway.

I can assure you that there were hardly any employees when I have taken strike action who regarded it as a day off!

But staying at home is still better than going to work than hanging around for a one hour strike then going back to work again. If you have a one hour strike then you can't do a lot in that hour. If you are at home then it might save on childcare, for example.

 

[Greenback]

But staying at home is still better than going to work than hanging around for a one hour strike then going back to work again. If you have a one hour strike then you can't do a lot in that hour. If you are at home then it might save on childcare, for example.

Ah, I see, if that was the context then you have a point. Although when I took hour strikes in one job it meant the staff could go and do a bit of shopping or have a cup of tea in a nearby cafe, but that's only because we were in a cityc entre location. It would have been different had we been isolated or on an industrial estate.

Ideally of course, such short strikes would be timed to meet up with lunch breaks or with start or finishing hours!

 

[user15681]

8 hour talks broke down today, no outcome.

What's the likelihood of any more talks over the bank holiday weekend?

 

[chris11256]

As i'm sure you've all heard next weeks strike has been confirmed. At this stage I think it's pathetic. Both sides are refusing to budge and to be honest i'm getting sick of it!

Ultimately I don't think LU will back down and I foresee these changes happening regardless of what the RMT do.

Although wouldn't it be nice for both sides to reach a happy compromise that killed any future strikes on this topic. *sigh*

 

[telstarbox]

What did they talk about for the full eight hours if things didn't move one way or the other at the end of the day?

 

[chris11256]

What did they talk about for the full eight hours if things didn't move one way or the other at the end of the day?

Thats's a very good question. RMT have said they tabled their offer of suspend strikes for ticket office closures suspended. LU Haven't commented, but it wouldn't surprise me if neither side budged.

 

[Mojo]

If the RMT go ahead with these strikes then the future is not looking good. I've heard that the attitude of senior managers is "do your worst." A not insignificant number of staff came in to work on Tuesday & Wednesday of this week.

 

[chris11256]

If the RMT go ahead with these strikes then the future is not looking good. I've heard that the attitude of senior managers is "do your worst." A not insignificant number of staff came in to work on Tuesday & Wednesday of this week.

It did seem a bit like that towards the end of this weeks strike. I was coming home from work waiting at Westminster and District Line trains were every 2-3 minutes, not bad when staff were supposed to be on strike.

 

[radamfi]

Presumably people will have cottoned on to the fact that there are plenty of trains running on strike days, so will TfL bother to run so many extra vintage buses?

 

[Robertj21a]

Presumably people will have cottoned on to the fact that there are plenty of trains running on strike days, so will TfL bother to run so many extra vintage buses?

I see that the numerous vintage buses (generally exceptionally well presented) were greeted with much enthusiasm by the travelling public, tourists and Uncle Tom C + all. They did much to bring the strike to a wider media audience but in all probability those most fascinated by their appearance won't have been in the least bit interested in the root cause.

LU have no intention of backing down on anything this time around.

Robert

 

[Kentish Paul]

last time I went on strike I took my caravan with me, got through nearly a bottle of gas making cups of tea and bacon sandwiches, the cooker was on continuously.

It was even featured on the news at the time.

Only ever went on strike once (not railway related) in the 80's.

My wife worked at the same place and continued working (different union). When the MD asked what I was doing whilst on strike she replied "hopefully doing the damn washing". We had a good laugh that evening.

 

[Robertj21a]

.
At least those vintage buses will have a good airing for another 3 days this week [apparently very reliable too].

Can't see it happening again as tube staff gradually drift back to work and travelers continue to find alternatives to some of the tube trips anyway - good walking weather coming up !

Robert

 

[user15681]

Talks being held today, bank holiday Monday! Surprised at that. Possibility strike will be suspended, but no confirmation or anything official yet.

 

[theageofthetra]

If it does ahead I hope the RT's are back on the 15 & 38. Great to see the smiles on tourists faces when they passed .

 

[Manchester77]

I've just got a notification of BBC news the strikes have been called off

 

[user15681]

I've just got a notification of BBC news the strikes have been called off

Indeed.

A deal was very close on Friday, so I was optimistic about today's talks. Glad they've been called off.

 

[londiscape]

The form of words agreed at ACAS today which led to the suspension of the strike are as follows:

- The station by station review will continue with all the trades unions invited to participate and contribute, additionally the proposed FftF-S implementation plan will also be reviewed. This exercise should be completed by 23rd May 2014. During this period of discussion LU would continue to keep on hold all VS applications
- The outcome of the exercise will be discussed at a meeting chaired by ACAS
- LU would enter into further detailed discussions to ensure that any employees identified as in scope of the Fit for the Future - Stations proposals on 21 November 2013, and who do not choose to leave the business under voluntary severance, would be offered a role that involves no reduction in their current substantive salary. This arrangement would be specific to the Fit for the Future – Stations programme.

Good to see strikes are called off.

Does the above mean that LU have actually conceded something? One of the points of contention for the union - as expressed many times on here and elsewhere - that persons not taking voluntary redundancy would be forced to retrain into a job with a severe pay cut? I think £30k down to £24k was mentioned before...

 

[455driver]

It looks like it, I wonder if there is a time limit on it though?
IE you will keep your paygrade for x years and will then drop down to the relevant grade for the job you are doing.
The Devil is in the detail as they say.

 

[Mojo]

Does the above mean that LU have actually conceded something? One of the points of contention for the union - as expressed many times on here and elsewhere - that persons not taking voluntary redundancy would be forced to retrain into a job with a severe pay cut? I think £30k down to £24k was mentioned before...

Multifunctional and Control Room Assistant staff who were not able to secure a promotion to Customer Service Supervisor face[d] a drop in wages, after the Protection of Earnings, from just over £35k (~£39k if they were a coach), to ~£30k, at current salaries. Note that it only says about discussions; there are no guarantees however!

 

[Robertj21a]

Good to see strikes are called off.

Does the above mean that LU have actually conceded something? One of the points of contention for the union - as expressed many times on here and elsewhere - that persons not taking voluntary redundancy would be forced to retrain into a job with a severe pay cut? I think £30k down to £24k was mentioned before...

Strike is only *suspended*. LU should have acted sooner to guarantee that affected staff wouldn't have any *severe* pay cut, so it is a small concession (in the overall cost etc), that was rather overdue. It won't alter the end result, or probable further strikes when other issues come along shortly - perhaps the slightly emotive issue of.
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Driverless trains ?


Robert
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[Clip]

Good to see strikes are called off.

Does the above mean that LU have actually conceded something? One of the points of contention for the union - as expressed many times on here and elsewhere - that persons not taking voluntary redundancy would be forced to retrain into a job with a severe pay cut? I think £30k down to £24k was mentioned before...

Hmm, so nothing in that press release about the 'Safety' implications that the RMT were shouting about before the first strike of this set?

This will lead normal passengers to think even more that it is only about money and not about the safety of passengers as they first said.

 

[Carlisle]

Strike is only *suspended*. LU should have acted sooner to guarantee that affected staff wouldn't have any *severe* pay cut, so it is a small concession (in the overall cost etc), that was rather overdue. It won't alter the end result, or probable further strikes when other issues come along shortly - perhaps the slightly emotive issue of.
.
.
.
.
Driverless trains ?


Robert
.

As far as I understand , they are not considering completely unmanned trains like on Paris metro line 1 but something similar to DLR style operation ,so if that turns out to be actually true, then this issue may end up not being nearly as big as some had thought it would be

 

[radamfi]

LU should have acted sooner to guarantee that affected staff wouldn't have any *severe* pay cut, so it is a small concession (in the overall cost etc), that was rather overdue.

If LU had proposed even a small pay cut, there still would have been strike action. So after negotiations the result would have been probably no pay cut at all.

As far as I understand , they are not considering completely unmanned trains like on Paris metro line 1 but something similar to DLR style operation ,so if that turns out to be actually true, then this issue may end up not being nearly as big as some had thought it would be

But there still would be strike action. If train captains get the same pay as tube drivers, what would be the point? Would drivers even agree to be train captains even without loss of pay?