to ask why the f**k tube staff want more for working during the Olympics

[DreamingofSummer]

What difference does it make? To me they are simply seeking a ransom payment

www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/feb/28/tube-workers-dispute-olympic-pay

well said Real

My DH is a paramedic covering areas where olympic events are going on. funnily enough he isn't allowed any a/l during that time, will be working (very) unsociable hours and may literally have people's lives in his hands. But there's no fear of him getting any bonus.....

If the tube staff are being expected to do overtime during the olympics they should be paid for that but imo they shouldn't get a bonus for basically turning up and doing their jobs.

max is your dh allowed to take annual leave?

Tube drivers are already overpaid though because they have strong unions and high rates of unionisation and people care about the impact if they strike. tbh I wish it was like that in my job.

Why aren't tube trains automated? You could totally control them all from a central computer...

They're doing it because they can, as others have said. Other people are also going to be massively busy during the Olympics (what about
shop/hotel/restaurant/catering staff for starters?) but these industries are not heavily unionised. One could argue that in that case these industries should organise and unionise themselves. Or one could argue that everyone will be working fecking hard during the Olympics and tube staff should just deal with it like the rest of us.

See, the station staff I have a bit of sympathy for. Not that London isn't normally seething with forriners mind, all wanting directions in a multiple of languages, but they are the ones who will be front line. The drivers though... Press button go...Press button stop... Shout "Mind the doors"

Worth every bit of £45k. All that responsibility. All those unsociable hours. I mean, the tube starts at 5:30am.

Poor overworked things.

Its mainly because the working hours have changed. Trains will now be stabled at 2.30 instead of 1.30 am, may not sound a big difference to you but their children won't be waking up an hour later will they? Its going to be extremely intense, overcrowding, angry commuters, passenger alarms pulled all over.
All woth longer, later working and a 30 min meal break. The bonus amounts spoken about are hardly big money! Considering that it is to cover the Olympics and Paralympics.

I would love to have one of you come and do 48 hours with me to see if you really do consider me a 'work-shy bastard'. I do permanent late shifts (1.30 am finish) I live a 90 minute commute each way from my depot as their are no vacancies at my local depot. This commute means I just can't hack the early turns. I jut can't stay awake all by myself! So instead I do late shifts and I can cope much better this way, but don't see my son after school very much at all. I also have to wake at 7.30 after getting in in the early hours, as I have to take my son to school. Then I 'm with the 2 year old until DH comes in from his P/T job. Mon and Fri we pay for nursery so I can go back to bed, otherwise I wouldnt be able to cope.

Whilst at work, I must stay alert for up to 4 hours 15 mins at a time with a 30 minute break. No toilet breaks unless you ask. It is very easy to drive a train but very monotonous and one must be alert at all times. Quite regularly there will be a defect on the train/some sort of shut down on the line which requires you to use your knowledge of rules and procedures or defect handling. There are thousands of people on your train and it is your responsibility, you are in charge! Last thursday I nearly hit a drunk teenager who was sitting with his legs over the edge of the platform. Luckily, i managed to stop, despite being exhausted that night as had worked 8 days in a row.

That said, I feel so lucky to have my job..i feel like a lottery winner to be honest. I'm not in the RMT (i'm in Aslef) and our union has agreed the £500 is a fair bonus for altering the working hours. I'm dreading it though as i will get even less sleep. I wouldn't be in the RMT because I don't agree with all the striking over every last thing.

But i'm really not work shy.

They are in a good bargaining position because of the Olympics and Boris Johnson's mayoral ambitions. We are being told the Olympics will bring a lot of money to London. Do you really expect them not to try for a share of that? Why?

imo they shouldn't get a bonus for basically turning up and doing their jobs.

That's what people are saying about bankers maxpower.

It's a reasonable POV but not one I share.

I don't have a problem with the principle of people in certain industries being awarded bonuses. They are very rarely 'earned' but are simply a working practice. Taking them away doesn't make my bank balance any better.

Not at all out for a bunfight by the way, i can see why people hate Bob Crow (i do too!)

Seriously if anyone here lives in London and would like a cab day with me to see what it is like from the other side, then just let me know! It can be arranged. You've got to stay until 1.30 am though!

Would this mean that they will
Be happy to be paid less over Christmas and snow season?
It's nonsense, more people makes no difference...this is a silly bargaining tactic.

Bob Crow - ARGH.

I agree with the other posters - lots of emergency services staff are not allowed to take leave over the fucking Olympics, and will have to take on tons of extra work. They're not getting a bonus for turning up.

city well put!

citybranch - tbh I don't think anything you talk about justifies the wages you receive. But I strongly believe in unions and I think if unions have been able to push for what really does look seem a high wage for the job, then good luck to you.

i say far play to the unions

Citybranch, it's nice to hear the other side but at the same time you could easily put this into context of the paramedic earlier in the post who isn't getting paid anything extra.

Nor the nurses, firemen and police who aren't getting anymore. All of whom also work unsociable hours and may at anytime literally have people's lives in their hands. None of them even get anywhere near the £46k mentioned above.

Most people, myself included just see the fact that there's an offer on the table. It isn't chump change yet it's deemed not enough. It strikes us as very mean spirited to hold the Olympics to ransom when thousands of people are voluntarily giving away their time to make the UK look the best we can when the world's eyes are upon us.

It's stuff like this which makes people resent unions even more.

Lesley33 - I tried to give a snapshot into my day but this was to counter the 'work shy cunt' accusation. I wasn't talking about wages.

I did go on to say that I felt that by getting this job I'd won the lottery so surely that indicates that I appreciate just how well I am paid. I got pregnant unexpectedly at 22 so I decided to go for the best paying job I could get and was a tube driver by 24. I'm now 28 years old and the wage has enabled us to buy a 2 bed house. The mortgage is over £1300 so that wouldn't be easy to afford if I didn't have this job. I've also been able to have a second child. I'm really lucky as a lot of my friends can't see how they will ever start a family with housing and childcare costs so high. I feel lucky every day! The flip side is of course, now I'm trapped. Can never get another job that pays anywhere near this salary so I will do this for the rest of my life!! (daunting thought...8 hours a day in a tunnel until my mid sixties! Best not to think about that too much...)

Dp isn't allowed to take annual leave at certain times of the year but because he is a garda (Irish policeman) and not allowed to strike, I doubt the request for a bonus would do much.
Can't see how this is justified at all!

citybranch thanks for the explanation.

I don't hate Bob Crow. He does his job, which is to represent his members and get the best deal for them.

I don't agree with all his politics but I find him a good debater - consistent and intelligent.

I saw him in a recent paper review on Sky News and was impressed that he and someone who'd ordinarily be his polar opposite found a lot of common ground about general principles.

''Nor the nurses, firemen and police who aren't getting anymore. All of whom also work unsociable hours and may at anytime literally have people's lives in their hands. None of them even get anywhere near the £46k mentioned above''

while i agree with the pay, how is it the fault of the rail workers? they have asked for some more pay and got it thanks to the unions.

I wish it was as easy as that LeQueen. My line is manually driven. We have signals that must be stopped at, timing sections, speed restrictions, signallers who turn the signal red in your face before you have time to stop, following another train in the rush hour may mean that you need to stop at neatly every red signal. Go through one and you are disciplined. Go through 3 in two years and you are sacked. It isn't as easy as you think, trust me!

Of course nurses paramedics etc should get paid more. Absolutely.

They probably can't be forced to work extra shifts /overtime so are saying 'pay me more' and I'll work more. Don't know about normal contract hours though.

I've been paid time and a half on overtime in the past and double pay on bank holidays.

I don't see how this is different. It's hardly going to be thrir usual shift pattern is it?

blackout, i didn't say it was the nurse/firemen/police's 'fault'.

My comments were as a response to Citybranch's post about the fact her job had a lot of public safety responsibilities. So my point is that it's arguably nowhere near as much as the above professions who don't get paid the same and won't be seeing any bonus.

So in that context, I suspect most of the public will see the union's rejection of the bonus selfish and moneygrabbing.

blackout, i didn't say it was the nurse/firemen/police's 'fault'.

i didn't say you did