RMT to ballot for strike action

[Cold]

The RMT is to ballot its 40000 members over Network Rail's decision to cut 2500 jobs and train workers' pay freezes and changing employment T&Cs.

If the vote (held from 26th April to the 24th May) is to strike, then industrial action could start as early as June. If if goes ahead it could be the "biggest rail strike in modern UK history".

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:

A national rail strike will bring the country to a standstill but our members’ livelihoods and passenger safety are our priorities

The ballot will be among RMT members on Network Rail and the train operators Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern, South Western Railway, Island Line, GTR (including Gatwick Express), TransPennine Express, Avanti West Coast, and West Midlands Trains.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/apr/20/t...

[untakenname]

It's doubtful that passenger numbers will ever return to pre pandemic levels, especially on Monday and Friday's so if there's less demand then there's need for the current staffing levels.

When I commute in I always wonder what the dozens of staff that are wandering aimlessly around the concourse at London Bridge actually do, I assume they used to be in the ticket office before they shut it down as 99% of users now use contactless.

[Electro1980]

I fully support the right of people to strike, but I think this is foolish. If they wish to strike, that is their choice and I will not criticise the decision to strike. However I also think that rail is an industry ripe for automation, and this will only drive that business case.

[Biggy Stardust]

Cold said:

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:

A national rail strike will bring the country to a standstill but our members’ livelihoods and passenger safety are our priorities

I note the livelihoods being mentioned before safety. I never doubted their priority.

[JagLover]

untakenname said:

It's doubtful that passenger numbers will ever return to pre pandemic levels, especially on Monday and Friday's so if there's less demand then there's need for the current staffing levels.

When I commute in I always wonder what the dozens of staff that are wandering aimlessly around the concourse at London Bridge actually do, I assume they used to be in the ticket office before they shut it down as 99% of users now use contactless.

Also the advent of WFH makes their strike threats less powerful.

Companies were that is an option could designate those days as WFH days and free up a restricted service for others.

[thebraketester]

untakenname said:

It's doubtful that passenger numbers will ever return to pre pandemic levels, especially on Monday and Friday's so if there's less demand then there's need for the current staffing levels.

When I commute in I always wonder what the dozens of staff that are wandering aimlessly around the concourse at London Bridge actually do, I assume they used to be in the ticket office before they shut it down as 99% of users now use contactless.

Trains are mostly a rip off.

[williamp]

A happy coincidence that this will be the same day as extinction rebellion block m25 dartford crossing and and several london bridges.

Communists the lot of 'em

[Murph7355]

Cold said:

The RMT is to ballot its 40000 members over Network Rail's decision to cut 2500 jobs and train workers' pay freezes and changing employment T&Cs.

If the vote (held from 26th April to the 24th May) is to strike, then industrial action could start as early as June. If if goes ahead it could be the "biggest rail strike in modern UK history".

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:

A national rail strike will bring the country to a standstill but our members’ livelihoods and passenger safety are our priorities

The ballot will be among RMT members on Network Rail and the train operators Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern, South Western Railway, Island Line, GTR (including Gatwick Express), TransPennine Express, Avanti West Coast, and West Midlands Trains.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/apr/20/t...

Good luck to them with that.

Idiots.

[alangla]

Their Scottish brethren, having campaigned to be back in the public sector for years, are now claiming they must be exempted from public sector pay structures…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-60842268

Mick Hogg RMT Scotland said:

"Our members deserved medals during the height of pandemic and we don't think it is unreasonable for our members to receive a fair pay increase and certainly we will not be accepting our members coming under the public pay policy because we believe this is a direct attack on our collective bargaining agreement."
It would be up to members to decide whether to withdraw services again if that did not happen, he said.

Zero sympathy I’m afraid, you wanted public ownership, you get everything else that goes with it.

[Leicester Loyal]

Ballots were received yesterday.