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Original poster

Do you support the train strike?

65 replies

fayree · 19/07/2023 07:26

I overheard an argument between a passenger and an obnoxious ‘train manager’ yesterday. The railway worker claimed that everyone supports them, and how someone of his experience deserves higher pay. Apparently they earn £40k with no qualifications.

It got me thinking, do you actually know anyone who does support them? Amongst my friends, I don’t have a single person who I have spoken to who supports them. Most of my friends are fairly liberal and left leaning too, and do support the doctors strike.

OP posts:

steppemum · 19/07/2023 10:04

no I don't.

In principle I support anyone's right to strike.
But I think the train drivers are just plain greedy.
The graph posted above by a pp shows it perfectly.

I support medics, and care workers, and teacher but not the train drivers.

Our lives have been severely disrupted by the train strikes (kids go to school on train). It has cost us a lot of money. And we have precisely zero influence over their pay, and the train companies really dont seem to care, so we get chafted. Train services get so bad that people stop using the trains, prices go through the roof.

It is all crap.

Bellajac · 19/07/2023 10:05

Hellohah · 19/07/2023 09:35

No, but as a commuter, it's difficult to separate the terrible service from those who work that service.

Trains are just so unreliable. Everyday I suffer a delay or cancellation for some reason or another. And they don't give a shit, happily stand on the platform having a chat with each other while all around them, people are struggling to get to places they need to get to, they don't try to help or appease. Whilst I sort of know there is nothing they can do, a bit of empathy wouldn't go amiss.

I watched a woman howling on a platform because she had to get home to her kids but couldn't get on a train and not a single member of train or station staff showed her any compassion.

So I have no compassion for them, and think there is a massive lack of accountability from them all, from the top down. There are consequences for every traveller, and those who are there for safety etc seem to have forgotten that.

I agree with this. A few nights ago there were no trains running on my line from London when I tried to get a train home at about 9pm. It was ok for me as I live in London and was able to find an alternative even though it took ages. But there were people who couldn't get home to towns miles away in the south east and had no alternative. I saw a woman in tears. The staff were chatting and laughing and couldn't care less. It was disgraceful.

nasanas · 19/07/2023 10:06

@steppemum

It is not only about train drivers pay. In fact the majority of the strikes are nothing to do with drivers.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Jobs

PTSDBarbiegirl · 19/07/2023 10:07

dubyalass · 19/07/2023 07:37

This.

Direct your ire at governments who sell off public services, not the people on the ground trying to work and deal with the increasingly angry public while having their pay and T&Cs eroded.

Show quote history

This too!!
Most staff don't earn 65k or 40k with 'no qualifications' how ridiculous. Train drivers earn that but they are highly qualified in the standards and practice of driving a bloody massive, flying metal electrified tube moving at 125 miles an hour carrying shit loads of humans...... Its a skilled job.....

Blackbyrd · 19/07/2023 10:10

Absolutely not. They are hurting the least privileged in society, those that can't afford to shrug their shoulders and think "oh well, I'll just take the car or even better, work from home. Again"

nasanas · 19/07/2023 10:12

Blackbyrd · 19/07/2023 10:10

Absolutely not. They are hurting the least privileged in society, those that can't afford to shrug their shoulders and think "oh well, I'll just take the car or even better, work from home. Again"

Some railway staff are the least privileged. They are losing money too.

EnthENd · 19/07/2023 10:17

Equivocal.

These strikes will contribute to global warming, both immediately and by driving people towards car ownership and road travel instead.

Strikes have been repeatedly timed to cause maximum misery for the public by coinciding with major events people would normally take the train for. That erodes my sympathy. And it's typically the least well off who are most hurt by transport disruption, most likely to be penalised by their own employer for lateness that wasn't their fault.

And ALSEF members (drivers) are fairly well paid. RMT members (everyone else) not so much to be fair.

I'm not sure what the way forward is, but if things carry on how they are then Britain's railways risk going the way of its car makers in the 60s - the industry collapses because its workers would rather strike than work. But draconian anti-strike laws don't sit well with me either.

lastminutewednesday · 19/07/2023 10:17

Yes. It's not just about pay is it?

MinnieMountain · 19/07/2023 10:17

I’ve had enough now. So many of my trips have been affected. Surely there’s a compromise to be had somewhere?

lieselotte · 19/07/2023 10:21

caffelattetogo · 19/07/2023 07:56

Yes, the money in their pocket is decreasing in real terms. And I want ticket offices to stay open to help vulnerable people.

They're not striking about that though. Although they wilI.

I am not sure what the RMT is striking about this time, but I didn't agree with many of ASLEF's demands. However, they tend to be the less militant of the two unions (nowadays).

Drivers are well paid but they also have to do very intensive training and not many get through it.

Beezknees · 19/07/2023 10:33

Blackbyrd · 19/07/2023 10:10

Absolutely not. They are hurting the least privileged in society, those that can't afford to shrug their shoulders and think "oh well, I'll just take the car or even better, work from home. Again"

I'm one of those people (I do not have a car) and I still support them.

Beezknees · 19/07/2023 10:35

steppemum · 19/07/2023 10:04

no I don't.

In principle I support anyone's right to strike.
But I think the train drivers are just plain greedy.
The graph posted above by a pp shows it perfectly.

I support medics, and care workers, and teacher but not the train drivers.

It is all crap.

Why does everyone only mention the drivers? They are a small section of the workforce. What about the rest of the staff who are on crap pay and working conditions? It's not just about drivers.

nasanas · 19/07/2023 10:40

MinnieMountain · 19/07/2023 10:17

I’ve had enough now. So many of my trips have been affected. Surely there’s a compromise to be had somewhere?

That's what they want...

steppemum · 19/07/2023 10:49

Beezknees · 19/07/2023 10:35

Why does everyone only mention the drivers? They are a small section of the workforce. What about the rest of the staff who are on crap pay and working conditions? It's not just about drivers.

Show quote history

because as I understand it, the drivers are one of the unions striking.
Their union is one of the ones shutting the network.
It is impossible to follow who is causing the trains to be shut down on which days.

In that sense it would be helpful for the non drivers to demostrate their grievances in another way, then they might get support.

And the recent work to rule by ASLEF was so destructive. No idea which trains would run, so you have to plan to not travel. For 7 days.
And another similar work to rule planned for end of July.

It's shit.
And it doesn't work.
The rail companies don't care if customers are unhappy, they have proved that over and over by their crap service!

MrsSkylerWhite · 19/07/2023 10:51

Tbh I very rarely use trains and don’t know enough about their reasons to form an opinion. In general though, I support the right to strike.

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