It is very hard to write about a Strike without having formed your own opinion by the time you've finished typing the word itself.
I personally have never agreed with them that much, I'm from very much a righty background and our household did most certainly not carry the Thatch card. As an adult, I've probably become more tolerant, if that's the right word (and I'm not sure it is) of the idea of a group of people holding a management to ransom.
Normally when I've thought about strikes, it's been the way the media have mostly reported; Nurses ditching their shifts in favour of more money, boo hiss etc. But here at South West Trains we have a whole different, not wholly emotive report. The media may well try and make it so of course. God only knows whether they'll bother with it at all, when Timmy Mallett is appearing at The Leveson.
Most people I spoke to on Twitter about it - Should the SWTrains staff strike over a lack of bonus over the Olympics - were mainly of the opinion that they shouldn't and maybe they are right. But I don't agree. Ssh no one and I mean NO ONE tell my Father! 1 day in 5 (my average over 2012 so far) I am held to ransom by South West Trains and their appalling service. I don't get any compensation from them. Not a single bit. And I should.
So why should I begrudge their staff the opportunity of getting what they think they are owed from their board of directors? Yeah, it'll make my journey unbearable and delayed. But they already are. Mine may not be a particularly popular view, and a little bit lefty, but there we have it. Whether they strike or not, my train will probably be delayed (1 in 5 days at least) so let 'em argue over a few hundred quid. If I had the opportunity to strike on South West Trains, I'd take it.
You are held to ransom by SWTrains, but you still have to use their service. They too should have to work, not necessarily the hours the bosses want them to, but maybe a work to rule over the disputed period.
ReplyDeleteYeah maybe you're right. It's certainly not an easy issue to agree on.
ReplyDeleteI for one isn't bothered by the sodding Olympics its an excuse to overcharge people and for greedy staff to complain they are working over that period - Did they strike for Euro96 did they strike over the Jubilee? oh hold on a minute theres football on maybe thats why they are actually doing it as nearly all strike days have been on Football days. Work that out. It is also us the poor commuters that will suffer over this as the cost will be put onto tickets.
ReplyDeleteWay off the mark! RMT hasn't even balloted SWT Staff for industrial action yet, so any strike is unlikely to take place within the next 4 weeks minimum, and by then I think Euro 12 will be finished, so your arguement doesn't hold and factual content.
DeleteAgain, a fair point. I would hope they weren't going to strike to watch football though. Would seem a lot of effort to go to to watch a painful quarter final exit?!
ReplyDeleteMy view is that they should not strike. Nobody deserves extra payment for dealing with the extra crowds. If one area does get more payments, then where does it stop? As a south west trains user, should i get paid for having to put up with the extra crowds? What about shoppers, should they be paid for dealing with busier streets and queues? Dont get me wrong, if they work longer hours then overtime payments are needed, but a driver sitting in his cab will not be effected one jot whether his train is 20% over capacity (normal working day) or 80% over as in an olympic day. The unions demanding bonus payments for dealing with more people will make a laughing stock of this country.
ReplyDeleteIf only it was about dealing with extra passenger numbers, there is a lot more to it than the press have reported, also why assume that it's Drivers that will be striking? Drivers are not involved in this news report at all if you took the time to read it.
DeleteAlso how do you know I won't be affected by a busier train? Are you a Train Driver? Or just an armchair "expert" who thinks they know how things work ( or should work! )
Anyway, my personal opinion ( not my Employers blah blah ) is that nothing will come of it, and Staff will get nothing, but just bear in mind that Stagecoach ( SWT ) during the Olympic Period are expecting an extra 80,000 extra passengers a day, that equates to an awful lot of extra revenue.