PM urges more rail strike talks (BBC News)

[Ian White]

Originally Posted by klordger1900

Why would the Unions plan to strike at a time when people are more likely to vote Tory as a protest against the strikes. Isnt that counter-productive?
I think its a bloody shame that working people are allowed to affect the lives of millions of people (not just UK citizens - but anyone unfortunate enough to be here at the time) in this way. There should be a law against that for a start since the railways are seen as essential to a lot of businesses. This widespread hardship costs everyone concerned a lot of extra money which clearly means that someone else will profit from any strike, but its agro people just dont need. Anyway, there is no reason why we cant build trains here anymore - its just another assembly line which can be started with private/public funds wherever they like; Redcar for instance! Now there's a name and livery for a new train system if ever I heard one!!!

As some one that may be going on strike lets look at from my point of view under networkrails new terms,I end up with out a job as i am not requied any more because 2 men can do the work of 3 so 23 years of hard work ends up with not a lot to show for it.

Would you not think about striking if some one was going to take your job away from you

Also team sizes are to be cut,less money spent on Saftey training and cross boarder work are just some of the things that networkrail are tring to push in within these new terms.

Networkrail wanted to cut 1500 maintance staff,so far around 800 have been lost,when the union asked about compulsory redunaces networkrail would not talk about it.

So do you blame them for going on strike i dont.

All the best,Ian

[Bubblewrap]

Originally Posted by richard thompson

What i don't get is if 1500 people are made redundant, the employer will save some money. But don't those 1500 people then sign on and claim benefits or if they get another job keep someone else unemployed? Seems to me it's a waste of experience and training.
Richard

Yes it means the 1500 are unemployed & NOT paying taxes & NHS contributions and the tax payer has to pick up the tab.
This was a nationalised industry & profit was not the first criteria.
As a private company profit is No1

[steam for ever]

There needs to be much stricter regulations on what Network rail can change and what they cannot. Simple common sense for a start should be the company motto.
They are becomming ever more neglegent. Yesterday on the Piccadilly approach lines I saw some savage wear and tear on the points. Disaster waiting to happen.

[Belmont Road]

This whole thing should be put to binding arbitration. A national service like this should have a no strike policy with a proper negotiation process.

What puzzles me is the deafening silence of rail experts on this. Of course I don't want an unsafe railway - who does? - so why aren't we better informed?

Bob Crow unfortunately always has a political agenda and has no sympathy for New Labour. I'm afraid I don't trust his announcements.

[LesG]

Lets get one thing straight, [B]NO ONE WANTS TO STRIKE.

Sometimes its the last option to try and get the point across.

As an ASLE&F member I won't be going out as its not our fight at the moment, but I assure you of this ASLE&F will be watching in the background as the cause of this industrial unrest will affect us if NR win.

Also remember that if NR win its not only our safety (staff) thats being put at risk but you the travelling public who pay a great deal of money for the ticket.

This dispute is not about staff pay, Its about SAFETY

I personally hope that a solution can be found before the strikes hit but I think this is going to be a long hard fight.

Les

[LesG]

Originally Posted by Belmont Road

This whole thing should be put to binding arbitration. A national service like this should have a no strike policy with a proper negotiation process.

What puzzles me is the deafening silence of rail experts on this. Of course I don't want an unsafe railway - who does? - so why aren't we better informed?

Bob Crow unfortunately always has a political agenda and has no sympathy for New Labour. I'm afraid I don't trust his announcements.

So in other words SHUT UP AND DO WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO WHATEVER.

Margaret Thatcher would love that quote,

The railways are now PRIVATE and the staff have a right to take strike action if their union feels that substantial talks fail and a mandate has been sought by a ballot of the members. This is the case in this dispute.

Oh by the way I agree about Bob Crow.

Les

[lnwr20]

Well as a now Ex-employee of Network Rail let me explain how thing's are done you may find this interesting, On the first day back after xmas break i was issued with a Form 1 again being disiplined for somthing that happened back last October. I was asked to cover for a collegue who was off sick an had a phone call at about 2200 hrs on the monday night just as i getting into bed. So being concious about the job i was doing i agreed to cover a week of nights working on a machine on 1 night in particular we had problems with the machine so i was checking the track behind for faults bearing in mind the worksite was flooded with ballast 4 foot an shoulders sleepers burried so we where ploughing ballast off the sleeper ends so as to be able to treat them. well i was charged with Gross Misconduct for that shift due to some broken sleepers, but was handed the Disiplinary on the 4th of Jan an 3 days later i resigned keeping all my skills an Qualifications an now work for a contractor an i feel so much better for getting out when i did but i FULLY AGREE WITH WHAT THIS STRIKE IS ALL ABOUT. Its stopping BULLY BOY TACKTICS of big business trying to change years of good practice which go back decades to the beginning of the railways those of you on here who go on about gettin off our lazy backsides have you ever had to shovel ballast whilst its driving with rain in the middle of nowhere whilst having to stand out for trains to pass i very much doubt it, it's your safety an all the travelling public is why the staff are going on strike so showing a little SUPPORT would go a long way.

[ccmmick]

All of you have my full support the railways today are all about profit and the workers are just a number, as for saftey on the railways i think it was a lot safer in BR days i am not saying it's not safe today but since privatisation there has been a lot of accidents due to track defect.
Like it has been said before it is all engineered around the general election.

ccmmick.

[Belmont Road]

All have said guys that I think that in certain industries no strike deals would right. This would mean far better safeguards for employees than currently exist though - I am not taking sides

Strikes in the rail industry have always been disastrous. The ASLEF strike in 1955 in the end permanently damaged the freight sector. Some of the anti rail attitude that eventually resulted in the Beeching plan under the rail hating Earnest Marples came from industrial trouble in the industry.


I have no time for Magaret Thatcher she did enormous damage, but I think the RMT members are not well served by their leadership and perhaps should consider a change.

The road hualage industry will be main winners if this strike goes ahead, they must love it!!

[LesG]

The road hualage industry will be main winners if this strike goes ahead, they must love it!![/QUOTE]

This I whole heartedly agree with the only winners in the end will be the road haulage industry.

Les