Tube drivers
Author
Discussion

drchris

Original Poster:

318 posts

211 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Not sure if i quite get it.

I don't want to get all over excited and indignant, but really, genuinely, what do they do to justify >£40k salaries?

Doctors start on significantly less than this after 5-6 years medical school. Nurses and teachers have to be pretty high up to match it, same with police.

What am I missing?

NiceCupOfTea

25,607 posts

282 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
They have to hold a handle down all day...

db

724 posts

200 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
the ability to bring London to a standstill? wink

EDLT

15,421 posts

237 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
They have a strong union.

Gwagon111

4,422 posts

192 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
There's a bloody hilarious song about that. Adam Kay and Suman Biswas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgwoPG63B3Y&fea...

Edited by Gwagon111 on Tuesday 4th October 00:34

Zwoelf

25,878 posts

237 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
drchris said:
What am I missing?
How effective Bob Crow being such a is.

Perhaps it's to do with the risks they manage if they cock up and through their own actions kill or maim hundreds of commuters, bring the capital to a standstill and instead keep it all flowing on time etc.

There's also the aspect that now and then people like to use their trains to kill themselves under, which is pretty traumatic as the driver, yet powerless to necessarily stop in time.

I suspect there's a bit more to it than just pushing a button.

toxgobbler

2,903 posts

222 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
It's dark and scarey down there, haven't you seen the film creep?

AndrewW-G

11,968 posts

248 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
So what were saying is that a London underground train driver earns £45-50k a year for doing less and managing the same H&S risks, but far less operational risk as a bus driver does for £25k . . . . . . . Either Crowe is a genius or there's a need to get the people managing the service to MTFU and replace the lot of them with state of the art trains / infrastructure that doesnt require a driver (could we also have decent air con as well?)

Gwagon111

4,422 posts

192 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
AndrewW-G said:
replace the lot of them with state of the art trains / infrastructure that doesnt require a driver (could we also have decent air con as well?)
Like the DLR then.

theironduke

6,995 posts

219 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
What sort of money does a HST driver get?

CharlieHotel

9,080 posts

196 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
theironduke said:
What sort of money does a HST driver get?
Virgin £48k, smaller commuting companies £38k.
Unsociable hours, the inevitable if it ever did happen to a driver.
Doesn't seem much more than office job if you put it in that respect.

Mobile Chicane

22,023 posts

243 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
CharlieHotel said:
theironduke said:
What sort of money does a HST driver get?
Virgin £48k, smaller commuting companies £38k.
Unsociable hours, the inevitable if it ever did happen to a driver.
Doesn't seem much more than office job if you put it in that respect.
Know of many unskilled office jobs which pay £38k?

scratchchin

CharlieHotel

9,080 posts

196 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Mobile Chicane said:
Know of many unskilled office jobs which pay £38k?

scratchchin
So driving a train wouldn't be considered a skill? Anybody can learn how to operate the train from one point to another within 5 minutes?
I'm not a train driver but I can see that it isn't just sitting in a cab and pulling a lever.
Wierd shift patterns, let's say 03:45 - 14:00 one week and then the following week 14:00 - 01:00.
I don't know why i'm spending time on the subject tbh.
Certainly not a supermarket checkout job is it?

Mobile Chicane

22,023 posts

243 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
CharlieHotel said:
Mobile Chicane said:
Know of many unskilled office jobs which pay £38k?

scratchchin
So driving a train wouldn't be considered a skill?
No more so than driving a car.

Checkout operators in 24-hour supermarkets have tougher hours to contend with. Direct contact with 'The Public' too.

CunningPlan

228 posts

191 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
The current government would be well advised to take on the RMT in the same way the Thatcher government took on the NUM. There is little support, if any, amongst the general public for their practices and much kudos to be gained for kicking them into touch. Crow is the current day Scargill and will bravely lead them into stupidly obvious defeat.

drchris

Original Poster:

318 posts

211 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
CharlieHotel said:
Wierd shift patterns, let's say 03:45 - 14:00 one week and then the following week 14:00 - 01:00.
Did you notice my comparison to doctors/nurses/policemen???

Took me until my 3rd year working to break 40k. Damn certain my hours, intensity and shift patterns are worse.

I'm sure there would be hundreds of people living in London on 25k who would be delighted to ride the train all day for a very generous pay increment up to 30k. How about next time they 'dont turn up for work' they're put on notice and the next time replace them. Job jobbed.



Edited by drchris on Tuesday 4th October 08:29

Zwoelf

25,878 posts

237 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Mobile Chicane said:
CharlieHotel said:
theironduke said:
What sort of money does a HST driver get?
Virgin £48k, smaller commuting companies £38k.
Unsociable hours, the inevitable if it ever did happen to a driver.
Doesn't seem much more than office job if you put it in that respect.
Know of many unskilled office jobs which pay £38k?

scratchchin
An average car salesman will earn the second figure, a good one the former and beyond. That's not to say no skills at all are required, but there are zero entry qualifications.

PintOfKittens

1,336 posts

221 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Gwagon111 said:
AndrewW-G said:
replace the lot of them with state of the art trains / infrastructure that doesnt require a driver (could we also have decent air con as well?)
Like the DLR then.
Victoria line runs on automatic (the "Driver"'s job is to basically open and close the doors) - Jubilee line HAS the capability to run ATO, but the unions insisted that the driver has to do actual driving...

sharpfocus

13,966 posts

222 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
CharlieHotel said:
So driving a train wouldn't be considered a skill? Anybody can learn how to operate the train from one point to another within 5 minutes?
I'm not a train driver but I can see that it isn't just sitting in a cab and pulling a lever.
Wierd shift patterns, let's say 03:45 - 14:00 one week and then the following week 14:00 - 01:00.
I don't know why i'm spending time on the subject tbh.
Certainly not a supermarket checkout job is it?
Good point, supermarket checkout jobs involve pushing buttons and working unsociable hours but might also require numeracy, dealing with the public, etc.

I freely admit, I have no idea what's involved with being a tube driver, but if weird shift patterns are at the sharp end of things then I don't see what they're paid £38k for either.

shed driver

3,096 posts

191 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Anyone who thinks it's just pressing a button may be in for a bit of a shock. (pun not intended, but welcome nevertheless!)

This is just one part of the "Rules" that drivers have to learn - and are retested on regularly.
http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book/Rule%20Book%2...

If the job is so easy, why aren't all PHers tube drivers?

SD