Rail strike?

[MK Shrimper]

Happening over 3 days. 21st, 23rd & 25th of June to start with.

Edit: Glastonbury weekend so if you're going, you're going to have to drive.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Happening over 3 days. 21st, 23rd & 25th of June to start with.

Edit: Glastonbury weekend so if you're going, you're going to have to drive.

Bad news for Coldplay fans.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Bad news for Coldplay fans.

They're ok, they'll all pop out and buy a new Nissan Leaf just in case.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I watched, (only part) of Question Time on Thursday and the rail strike came up. Predictable that the MP on there spoke against cost of living wage rises and " all need to" pull belts in etc while he had trousered his pay hike. Some low blows about stopping nurses and doctors getting to work stuff too.
The press and this programme have not, imo, really got to the nuts of what the dispute and objectives are.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Can't remember how to post tweets but if you can see this it sums up why the RMT are striking.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1539979138647429126

 

[Mad Cyril]

I bought the pickets at Southend Victoria an Ice cream yesterday to show my support.

The right wing press are trying smear rail workers as greedy because they are on average paid more than (say) nurses but why should anyone who work get poorer year on year through no fault of their own. Why should the services that many of us use be cut to the bone for the benefit of shareholders?

Rail workers maintained a strong union. I suspect workers in many other industries wish they had done the same.

 

[southendkid]

The right wing press are trying smear rail workers as greedy because they are on average paid more than (say) nurses

Using an average salary is an incredibly stupid metric as well. The average rail worker earns £44k according to the government but that figure includes train drivers, and the majority of drivers aren't in RMT and hence aren't on strike (they just can't work because they need RMT workers in the stations for trains to run).

The average wage of RMT's workers is £33k but even that doesn't tell the whole picture because some jobs pay more than others, you'll have some people on a decent wage pulling the average up whilst others will be earning as low as £21k.

 

[WhiteNoise]

Using an average salary is an incredibly stupid metric as well. The average rail worker earns £44k according to the government but that figure includes train drivers, and the majority of drivers aren't in RMT and hence aren't on strike (they just can't work because they need RMT workers in the stations for trains to run).

it still isn't even a correct calculation if you include drivers, because all they did was take the median for four groups of workers and summed them and divided by 4. It doesn't take into account the different sizes of groups of workers. the desperation of the government to make the RMTs reasonable concerns and requests seem unreasonable is obvious to see.

 

[Holy Joe]

Using an average salary is an incredibly stupid metric as well. The average rail worker earns £44k according to the government but that figure includes train drivers, and the majority of drivers aren't in RMT and hence aren't on strike (they just can't work because they need RMT workers in the stations for trains to run).

The average wage of RMT's workers is £33k but even that doesn't tell the whole picture because some jobs pay more than others, you'll have some people on a decent wage pulling the average up whilst others will be earning as low as £21k.

Does it really matter how much you're paid? If your income is not keeping pace with inflation then you're worse off.

 

[JAL]

I agree with the strikes, but it is definitely a country wide issue with wages, the government took money off of us with the National Insurance Hike, we are the slowest country to react to a record speed inflation crisis, energy crisis, etc

Don't worry, they took 5p off petrol for us (remember that?)

 

[MK Shrimper]

it still is even a correct calculation if you include drivers, because all they did was take the median for four groups of workers and summed them and divided by 4. It doesn't take into account the different sizes of groups of workers. the desperation of the government to make the RMTs reasonable concerns and requests seem unreasonable is obvious to see.

Network Rail employs very few drivers and the RMT don't represent them at all.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Mick Lynch really is treating the government and the media of this country with the contempt it deserves. Some of the drivel they are coming out with is embarrassing

 

[southendkid]

Does it really matter how much you're paid? If your income is not keeping pace with inflation then you're worse off.

It doesn't to me but I think there are a lot of people out there that are more sympathetic to workers on low wages than those on middle incomes and it's important to get the support of those people even if you don't agree with that stance.

I've seen a few badly informed people moaning that train drivers earn more than them so they don't care that they're getting a paycut, if you point out it's not the drivers on strike it's the lower paid station workers then that complaint disappears.

 

[londonblue]

I bought the pickets at Southend Victoria an Ice cream yesterday to show my support.

The right wing press are trying smear rail workers as greedy because they are on average paid more than (say) nurses but why should anyone who work get poorer year on year through no fault of their own. Why should the services that many of us use be cut to the bone for the benefit of shareholders?

Rail workers maintained a strong union. I suspect workers in many other industries wish they had done the same.

Statistics can paint any picture you want. As far as I understand it, those figures include train drivers who aren't striking. If you remove them then the average salary for rail workers reduces quite substantially.

 

[londonblue]

I agree with the strikes, but it is definitely a country wide issue with wages, the government took money off of us with the National Insurance Hike, we are the slowest country to react to a record speed inflation crisis, energy crisis, etc

Don't worry, they took 5p off petrol for us (remember that?)

Which, when VAT is taken into account, should have equated to a 6p a litre reduction.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I watched, (only part) of Question Time on Thursday and the rail strike came up. Predictable that the MP on there spoke against cost of living wage rises and " all need to" pull belts in etc while he had trousered his pay hike. Some low blows about stopping nurses and doctors getting to work stuff too.
The press and this programme have not, imo, really got to the nuts of what the dispute and objectives are.

Didn't see QT as it was Sant Joan here yesterday (midsummer's night eve) when it's traditional in Cataluña to invite people around for a meal ,which we did.Anyway I would have shouted at the screen that it's excessive profits which are driving up inflation in the UK (and elsewhere) and not high wages.

 

[Napster]

it's excessive profits which are driving up inflation in the UK (and elsewhere) and not high wages.

It's not just that though, is it? It's a combination of the Ukraine conflict and its resultant energy security issues, combined with a global pandemic which has resulted in governments implementing lockdowns, which have instigated economic slowdowns. Combine this with high freight rates as well and it's a recipe for disaster.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

It's not just that though, is it? It's a combination of the Ukraine conflict and its resultant energy security issues, combined with a global pandemic which has resulted in governments implementing lockdowns, which have instigated economic slowdowns. Combine this with high freight rates as well and it's a recipe for disaster.

It is if you read Tribune https://tribunemag.co.uk/2022/06/dont-blame-workers-for-price-rises-blame-the-profiteers

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

What do the RMT want?
Firstly safety to be maintained as it is and that is a major change the bosses want to make.
Better pay for those lower down the scales.
Retaining staff for ticket offices etc.
And not to have new conditions which will lessen the bonuses for working ****e shifts and weekends.

Seems fairly reasonable to me but not widely reported with the press seemingly intent on comparing top salary for experienced drivers with newly qualified other professionals.

Have I got that about right @MK Shrimper ?

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Unfortunately no bonuses or pay rises in 3 years is a common occurrence, not just for rail workers.