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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Christmas train strikes

449 replies

Darthwazette · 05/12/2022 19:58

AIBU to wish the train strike situation could just be sorted out?

Theyve just announced strikes right over Christmas. My family were coming to stay with me and now they can’t. I’ve had to cancel so many visits and trips since these strikes began. I wish they’d just reach an agreement already.

OP posts:
Zone2NorthLondon · 05/12/2022 20:04

Sort it by agreeing to the union demands.I support the strikes
point of a strike is stop demonstrate the value of the labour, strikes are meant to cause inconvenience

IAmTi · 05/12/2022 20:06

I expect the staff do too

Original poster
Darthwazette · 05/12/2022 20:07

Gosh. There’s no need to be so aggressive. Are people always so rude?

OP posts:
Youngatheart00 · 05/12/2022 20:08

YANBU

I would imagine public support for the strikes is wearing very thin indeed. The transport unions are famously militant and anti progressive. I am sure there was a compromise that could have been reached sooner. They aren’t the only profession feeling underpaid / poorly valued. A number of people rely on the (expensive) transport network only to be let down time and time again.

IAmTi · 05/12/2022 20:08

Who is aggressive?

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 20:09

Theyve just announced strikes right over Christmas.

These are network rail strikes designed to affect engineering works, they take place after the majority of services have ended as the staff are not to begin work after 6pm on Christmas Eve, and network rail staffed booked to work before then will be working

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 20:11

Youngatheart00 · 05/12/2022 20:08

YANBU

I would imagine public support for the strikes is wearing very thin indeed. The transport unions are famously militant and anti progressive. I am sure there was a compromise that could have been reached sooner. They aren’t the only profession feeling underpaid / poorly valued. A number of people rely on the (expensive) transport network only to be let down time and time again.

It's a bit more complex than that. Have a read up about what the TOCs are proposing?

BrookeDavisQueen · 05/12/2022 20:11

One of the 'modernisation' measures is removing staff from stations. Which will in effect make traveling by train impossible for wheelchair users. That's not something any staff with a conscious can willingly sign up to.

WatchoRulo · 05/12/2022 20:12

Youngatheart00 · 05/12/2022 20:08

YANBU

I would imagine public support for the strikes is wearing very thin indeed. The transport unions are famously militant and anti progressive. I am sure there was a compromise that could have been reached sooner. They aren’t the only profession feeling underpaid / poorly valued. A number of people rely on the (expensive) transport network only to be let down time and time again.

It's not a race to the bottom - why should anyone have to do more for less? CEOs don't - FTSE 100 CEOs got a 23% average rise last year - what makes them better than the person on the ticket barrier or in the signal box?

Hexcode · 05/12/2022 20:12

Yanbu. It's too many. I can't get to work for 4 days next week and will go without pay at a time when I really need it.

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 20:13

Hexcode · 05/12/2022 20:12

Yanbu. It's too many. I can't get to work for 4 days next week and will go without pay at a time when I really need it.

Yeah, so will the staff who are striking...

Zone2NorthLondon · 05/12/2022 20:13

it's a tired trope to blame unions,bemoan militancy,the employers are unreasonable too
Mike Lynch is the embodiment of reasonable, articulate and readily demolishes poor journalism and baiting by likes of Richard Madeley, Kay Burley

PanicAtTheBigTesco · 05/12/2022 20:13

Hexcode · 05/12/2022 20:12

Yanbu. It's too many. I can't get to work for 4 days next week and will go without pay at a time when I really need it.

Don't forget workers striking are also going without pay when they really need it, to try and improve conditions and pay for everyone.

PanicAtTheBigTesco · 05/12/2022 20:16

Not sure if these new strikes are going to affect where trains are positioned on the morning of the 27th but if they do I'm likely going to have to drive from Scotland to London.

Regardless I will always support the strikes.

Hexcode · 05/12/2022 20:16

PanicAtTheBigTesco · 05/12/2022 20:13

Don't forget workers striking are also going without pay when they really need it, to try and improve conditions and pay for everyone.

Show quote history

But that's their choice! I fully understand the reasons but when things are this tight it's hard to feel sympathy

snoodles · 05/12/2022 20:16

It's just getting ridiculous and the normal people of this country are being held to ransom. The railway needs to save money so they need to cut back to be able to invest, there isn't an endless pot of money to pay for pay rises! We are all struggling, there is a damn cost of living crisis, the staff have been offered a pay rise which is more than lots of people will be getting, but these strikes are affecting our way of life and it's truly unfair, unfair on families, on employees and people trying to visit family and friends. The unions need to stop! It's going too far now, surely they know this?!

mangomary · 05/12/2022 20:16

Strikers still get some money from the union fund don't they?

I think rmt are a bunch of twunts

Readaboutyourself · 05/12/2022 20:18

Darthwazette · 05/12/2022 20:07

Gosh. There’s no need to be so aggressive. Are people always so rude?

Who was rude or aggressive?

I also support striking workers.

Lulu1919 · 05/12/2022 20:18

Sorry your family can't come...can they get a coach instead ?

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 20:18

PanicAtTheBigTesco · 05/12/2022 20:16

Not sure if these new strikes are going to affect where trains are positioned on the morning of the 27th but if they do I'm likely going to have to drive from Scotland to London.

Regardless I will always support the strikes.

The problem is more likely to be signalling. After strike days out boxed don't open until 11ish.
Also if engineering works haven't taken place when they usually would over Christmas, there may be some issues while things which need to be done take place

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 20:19

@snoodles

the staff have been offered a pay rise which is more than lots of people will be getting,

Have they?

carefulcalculator · 05/12/2022 20:20

snoodles · 05/12/2022 20:16

It's just getting ridiculous and the normal people of this country are being held to ransom. The railway needs to save money so they need to cut back to be able to invest, there isn't an endless pot of money to pay for pay rises! We are all struggling, there is a damn cost of living crisis, the staff have been offered a pay rise which is more than lots of people will be getting, but these strikes are affecting our way of life and it's truly unfair, unfair on families, on employees and people trying to visit family and friends. The unions need to stop! It's going too far now, surely they know this?!

Pretty please can you explain why there is money for record payouts to shareholders but not enough for pay rises for workers?

Privatised railways are bullshit - the companies are stripping out the wealth, creaming off profits and running the service into the ground.

I support the strikes - I'm a normal person, the workers are normal people - the problem is the shareholders and the stupid government who are reimbursing the companies for lost income for ideological reasons.

PanicAtTheBigTesco · 05/12/2022 20:21

@lookersnoopy ah yes I hadn't thought of that, I am now working on the assumption that I'll be driving but will keep my fingers crossed for the train!

snoodles · 05/12/2022 20:21

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 20:19

@snoodles

the staff have been offered a pay rise which is more than lots of people will be getting,

Have they?

Yes 5% this year apparently and 4% next year. I don't think I'll get any rise anytime soon. I don't know anyone getting a rise at all.

carefulcalculator · 05/12/2022 20:22

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 20:19

@snoodles

the staff have been offered a pay rise which is more than lots of people will be getting,

Have they?

They have been offered a pay rise, but only 9% over two years (which is 4.5% this year against inflation of 11%), plus only a short term promise of no compulsory redundancies.

Funnily enough there is plenty of money for shareholders.