Another London Underground tube strike - Any sympathy for them?

[Veni Vidi Vici]

RMT union to strike in London over tube ticket office closures | UK news | theguardian.com

"London Underground workers are to stage five days of strike action in the coming weeks in the long-running row over tube ticket office closures. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out from 9pm on Monday, 28 April for two days and again from 9pm on Monday, 5 May for three days."

Is it me or do they always seem to be calling for strike action, for as long as I can remember they either strike or threaten and end up being given what they want to stop them from striking.

I'm all for fair pay and conditions but I can't help but think they just London to ransom because they can bring the capital to a standstill.

Does anyone know what salary, holiday entitlements and perks they get out of interest?

So do you think they are justified or should they just move with the times and accept ticket offices are needed less these days.

 

[captainarchive]

In my experience industrial disputes are rarely just about pay, I suspect by the way the Mayor of London has refused to sit down and talk with the unions, this dispute has more to do with the way changes are being brought in rather than the changes themselves.

 

[Pisto_Grih]

I guess they should just bend over and take it like everyone else in the private sector?

 

[Delvey]

Considering MPs are getting an 11% pay rise then why not. I wish unison would grow a back bone, they've just accepted a 1% pay rise. Wouldn't you be Peed off?

 

[Oxygen Thief]

None, Zilch, Nada.

They are on good money, base salary is about 45k rising to 55k for the highest paid drivers. I have to spend half my life offshore for what I get and even when I am home I am always on courses. As for Unison I have had enough of them recently claiming to speak for all us offshore workers regarding helicopter safety. To say nothing of them badgering workers at heliports. Lower than a snakes genitals that bunch.

 

[blue max]

If there are cuts that effect the passengers, then let the passengers go on strike. If your job is no longer necessary, they join a long line of jobs that fit that description.

The sooner they bring in driverless trains, the better as far as I'm concerned.

Approximately £45k for a tube driver is staggering.

 

[travid]

None, Zilch, Nada.

They are on good money, base salary is about 45k rising to 55k for the highest paid drivers. I have to spend half my life offshore for what I get and even when I am home I am always on courses. As for Unison I have had enough of them recently claiming to speak for all us offshore workers regarding helicopter safety. To say nothing of them badgering workers at heliports. Lower than a snakes genitals that bunch.

I don't think, as an earlier poster said, it's about money?

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

Don't they get free travel for themselves and a family member too?

 

[paulyoung666]

Don't they get free travel for themselves and a family member too?

That is neither here nor there, plenty of jobs give perks...

 

[Sonic67]

That is neither here nor there, plenty of jobs give perks...

Yes, my last job I got to nick the pens.

 

[BlueOrange25]

I have mixed feelings over it.

It's never nice to be told that your job is no longer needed - yes, it has happened to me - but if a role is no longer needed (or isn't needed as much), it makes sense to adapt accordingly. Sometimes that means losing people.

In the end, it's always the public who pay in almost any event, either being stuck with a hamstrung public transport system, or paying for increasing costs through ticket prices.

 

[mitchec1]

TSSA still in talks RMT striking.

Seems one union being sensible the other wanting to cause trouble.

There again Mick Cash has always been a ******

 

[paulyoung666]

TSSA still in talks RMT striking.

Seems one union being sensible the other wanting to cause trouble.

There again Mick Cash has always been a ******

Just like Bob Crow (rip) was....

 

[Bill Hicks]

A tale of two groups. Commuters are obviously not going to be jumping for joy but the members at LUL like all union members have the right to withdraw their labour. Yes they are on very good pay but I don't believe this is a pay issue, more to do with ticket offices being closed. I can understand their distrust of the managements plans as all bean counters never have the workers best interests at heart. Ultimately all decisions in business will be made on the basis of cutting back expenditure and therefore raising profit, so LUL's claim that the ticket office staff will be given new jobs is in the long term a no brainer. Once the fuss has died down in a year or two there will be more redundancies to offset the ticket staff absorption into different roles. This is imo as certain as the sun rising each morning. The union and it's members know this hence their militant stance.

 

[Van Dam]

Not nearly as greedy as ASLEF. Last time they asked for triple pay for tube drivers working overtime at Christmas and they got it.

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

It may be about ticket office closures but the fact is they are used less and less these days, especially since Oyster was introduced. If the union want to fight they should argue to make the tubes a 24 hour service 7 days a week. I think weekend 24 hour tubes are coming next year but it should be all the time considering the size of London and the amount of tourists there are.

 

[travid]

It may be about ticket office closures but the fact is they are used less and less these days, especially since Oyster was introduced. If the union want to fight they should argue to make the tubes a 24 hour service 7 days a week. I think weekend 24 hour tubes are coming next year but it should be all the time considering the size of London and the amount of tourists there are.

Aside from obvious maintenance and cleaning periods, that would certainly save a lot of jobs IMO

 

[captainarchive]

I have mixed feelings over it.

It's never nice to be told that your job is no longer needed - yes, it has happened to me - but if a role is no longer needed (or isn't needed as much), it makes sense to adapt accordingly. Sometimes that means losing people.

In the end, it's always the public who pay in almost any event, either being stuck with a hamstrung public transport system, or paying for increasing costs through ticket prices.

This why I suspect the train drivers are going on strike because management have deliberately aggravated them, certainly in the hope of turning public opinion against them and hoping the Government will step in . I used to do a job which was made redundant and I didn't go on strike because management explained why they had to shut the unit down, they would ask for voluntary redundancies but everyone who stayed would be retrained and redeployed into other areas of the business. I don't think the unions are against change I think this is a case of management treating the workers like mushrooms.