This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Ban the rail trade unions!

Is anyone else sick to the back teeth of being held to ransom by the train drivers unions? How come they feel they need so much more money when they have (imo) a really cushy job! Sure, we'd all like to get paid more, but the stupid unions are just taking the piss with all the strike action they set in motion.

Am i the only one who thinks that the power to strike should be taken away from them - or make sure that the head of the union is deposed. It seems to be him intsigating all this.

Reply 1

randdom

20

I don't think that the right to strike should be taken away but then again I am not very sympathetic to the tube drivers demands. I supported the fireman though.

Reply 2

blissy

15

randdom

I supported the fireman though.

I didn't

Reply 3

rednirt

OP

randdom

I I supported the fireman though.

I think that for the good work they do they had more right to strike than tube train drivers. They put their life on the line and had no-one acknowledgeing their good work. I think that although striking was unfortunate, it was necessary to make people see how much they are valued and needed.

Reply 4

Sami_ThePeelite

i ideologically oppose Trade Unions as a whole, they oppose the idea of individualism - in that they pressure everyone into acting as a group

Reply 5

material breach

12

Sami_ThePeelite

i ideologically oppose Trade Unions as a whole, they oppose the idea of individualism - in that they pressure everyone into acting as a group

sounds very familar, almost like old robert himself

Trade unions are very important as they allow under represented groups to have a large power and if you dont want to act in the group you don't have to join.

Reply 6

ThePants999

14

I most certainly am sick of the transport unions. Especially when they go on strike over the firing of an employee who'd committed gross misconduct and should have been sacked in anyone's books. Also, living in Oxford, I'm thoroughly fed up of the postal workers, who go on strike regularly, causing weeks-long backlogs every time they do so. Grrrrrrrr. About time trade union power got scaled back a bit more...

Reply 7

InterCity125

1

Interesting one this.
I do not agree that they should be banned from stricking, but their demands are OTT. Firstly a driver on what was BR now has an average wage of £25-30K, during Br days it was more like £15k. Some TOC's drivers are on £36-40k. Yes the job is safety critical, but there is a limti how how much these people actually do. The majority of the work is done by sinallers and controllers. The Latest strikes are over the closure of a final sallery pension scheme. This has happened in most other firms in this country so not sure why Network Rail should be different. As an aside, ASLEF driver's union sacked its caretking and cleaning staff when they went on strike, only to have to reisnte the caretaker on finding only he had keys to the office - i kid you not.
On the otherside, in a privitised network I do worry about safety be compromised for profit. However this is not happening by TOCs but INFRACOs, who are not striking. Be clear at the moment on BR(as most of us still know it) it is signallers and not drivers on strike, but on the Tube it will be drivers and possibly others. How much unions are acting over safety fears is difficult to judge, it can be used as an excuse t hold management to ransom. Do not balme the unions, the rail industry is not known for good relationships between workers and managers - possibly as many of the expiernced managers have been replaced since the end of BR by ones from bus companies who could not cope very well, although things are meant to be improving. I would not that the head of the RMT in on the boards of both LUL and NR - although as a non-exec. Why he could not use propper channals is a mystery to me. You will know that Crow is opposed to the new Labour project and is trying to end it - this may be part of it - make your own minds up.
Unions do have an important role in rail safety - for example they prevent overowrking of safety critical staff by managers - for example singnalers have had their number cut since BR and hav had to owrk many more hours to cover the men lost, and I would not want tierd signallers under any circumstance.
However, since HMRI was incorparted into the HSE railways are in the same inspection class a nuclear power plants, and if you know the HSE they are very difficult to con and recptive to the slightest compromisation of safety.
It is difficult for anyone as an outsider to comment on the rail industry, but I would urge away fom hastily formed oppinions - read a few books first. Anyway, these are a few of my disjointed jottings on this topic :smile:

Reply 8

Weejimmie

1

rednirt

Is anyone else sick to the back teeth of being held to ransom by the train drivers unions?

Held to ransom? Do they keep you tied up with a sack over your head and a gun in your face?

How come they feel they need so much more money when they have (imo) a really cushy job! Sure, we'd all like to get paid more, but the stupid unions are just taking the piss with all the strike action they set in motion.

We accept a sociaety in which people get what they can for the job they do, regardless of morality or worth. This applies just as much to train drivers as company directors or advertising executives.

Am i the only one who thinks that the power to strike should be taken away from them - or make sure that the head of the union is deposed. It seems to be him intsigating all this.

Well, they could all have a stomach upset on the same day, instead of going on strike. The reason people become head of a union- or a political party or any other organisation- is because the members agree with them. If he is instigating this, it's because his members want him to. They elected him and voted for the strike

Reply 9

Aylia

1

rednirt

Is anyone else sick to the back teeth of being held to ransom by the train drivers unions? How come they feel they need so much more money when they have (imo) a really cushy job! Sure, we'd all like to get paid more, but the stupid unions are just taking the piss with all the strike action they set in motion.

Am i the only one who thinks that the power to strike should be taken away from them - or make sure that the head of the union is deposed. It seems to be him intsigating all this.

You best not vote for labour in the elections then.. Seriously though, I wouldn't call it a cushy job, and there's no way their right to strike should be taken away. as long as strike action is voted for in secret ballots then it is a fair representation of what the workers want, it's not just about internal pressure.

Reply 10

hornblower

6

rednirt

Is anyone else sick to the back teeth of being held to ransom by the train drivers unions? How come they feel they need so much more money when they have (imo) a really cushy job! Sure, we'd all like to get paid more, but the stupid unions are just taking the piss with all the strike action they set in motion.

Am i the only one who thinks that the power to strike should be taken away from them - or make sure that the head of the union is deposed. It seems to be him intsigating all this.

Taking away the right to strik may seem over the top, but the rail workers do seem to be going on strike far too often. In addition, the things they do go on strike for are ridiculous.

Rail workers seem to want want want, yet they do not deliver at all.

Reply 11

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3771875.stm

Reply 12

hornblower

6

Pencil Queen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3771875.stm

But that was last year was it not?

Reply 13

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

hornblower

But that was last year was it not?

True - the stats cover entire yrs so the ones for the current yr can't be compiled until the start of next...

Reply 14

InterCity125

1

Weejimmie

Well, they could all have a stomach upset on the same day, instead of going on strike. The reason people become head of a union- or a political party or any other organisation- is because the members agree with them. If he is instigating this, it's because his members want him to. They elected him and voted for the strike

AFAIK there was a poor turnout and the result was close. The RMT are not due another leaderhsip contest for some time now. As a point to note ASLEF replaced a left-winger like Crow with a moderate and this has caused a lot on conflict between him and the Union's EC - which is still left dominated. Crow is not liked by all members and there is little they can do about it. Union membership is essental for drivers to protect themselves after SPADs etc. so they cannot leave. Switching unions causes trouble and if anyone wants to know why they can ask - it's tedious explaining if no ones interested.

Reply 15

InterCity125

1

Aylia

I wouldn't call it a cushy job, and there's no way their right to strike should be taken away.

It is difficult to say of driving is cushy - read my last post for pay, which is high. But, managment had been known to be bullying and the shift system is pretty bad, you also do get some abuse from the public.
Track workers do not have a cushy job, nor do station staff. Signallers have seen a detoriation in conditions since the end of BR, and although pay has gone up I'm not sure if its worth it. I do not thinck they have a right to a final sallary pension scheme - no one else does. If any one wants details on a signaller's working conditions I have a book some where with these in and I'll see if i can get them

Reply 16

TheMainDon

Should ban the FBU should be made the same as the police / Armed forces when it comes to Industrial Action, i dont know how they could sleep at night

Reply 17

fly005

Speciez99

Trade unions are very important as they allow under represented groups to have a large power and if you dont want to act in the group you don't have to join.

Surely that's not very democratic and seeing as we live in a democratic country we should strive to further the democracy. Having said this I believe it is ok to have trade unions but when they are disrupting life for the majority it is unfair. Also it would be better if Tony Blair hadn't been so jealouse of the tories so that he screwed up the labour party to be central, if he hadn't they would of had more representation.

Reply 18

Weejimmie

1

Yesterday the board of National Rail awarded themselves bonuses, totalling £468000, much more than a train-driver's annual pay to each of them, for losing only about £758000000 over the last year.

Reply 19

fly005

Thats what you do when you're in charge. I'm a bit dim but is national rail actually national as opposed to the privatised regional companies?

Ban the rail trade unions!

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you