To think this spineless government will give in to grabby train drivers

[LupaMoonhowl]

I live in London and wasn’t aware of this till I saw in mentioned in passing on another thread.
It is utterly scandalous that they can hold the city to ransom like this! How can they cut off key transport for 5 days! And no doubt they’re confident that the spineless, incompetent and public sector/vote buying government and cynical chancer Kahn will give into what they demand.
Back to the 70s 😔😔
Tube and DLR strikes - September 2025
Strikes are planned on the Tube and DLR.

• From Sunday 7 to Thursday 11 September 2025, Tube services will be severely disrupted, with little to no service expected
• Any services that do run between Monday 8 and Friday 12 September will start later than usual with no service before 08:00
• On Tuesday 8 and Thursday 11 September 2025, there will also be no service on the DLR

My heart bleeds

It’s our problem now the government has decided it knows how to run a railway so has nationalised it. It’s odd, as they haven’t shown any ability to run the things they were already responsible for 😂

No it wasn't my choice to live in a place where public transport is poor - welcome to almost anywhere outside London. There are more millions of us who don't live in London and we also need good infrastructure - which we also pay for but do not get.

Train drivers also have to "pay through the nose" to live there. They aren't your servants. Get over it.

They provide a vital service to society and have the ability to fight for better pay and conditions. So many of the best paid roles in society are those which would have minimal impact on the lives of others if they disappeared altogether. Yet, those who whinge about those in vital roles wanting better pay never seem to complain about the pay of useless professions. We need bin men, train drivers, nurses etc. - we don't need hedge fund managers.

@EmmaMaria no they aren’t ’my servants’ they are already well paid. Bizarre comment. You sound bitter and angry.

I think the usual anti-Londoner feeling is behind some of these posts rather than any solidarity with tube drivers.

Is that news to you? That's surprising...

It was an example to show that lots of important jobs work far longer hours, so train drivers on massively reduced hours are fine. They don't need reduced work hours, that argument has no merit - it's not anywhere approaching a safety issue.

The total hours worked is irrelevant. Shift patterns are what matter and switching from late shifts on the Saturday night to early shifts on Monday morning is absolutely knackering.

The RMMT has said train managers need extra pay to check digital tickets as that’s not included in the duties for which they are paid. Does that seem reasonable?

it appears that their complaint is actually they have less opportunity to earn commission on on-board sales. So, as train companies get better at ensuring people have tickets, which is a good thing, and train managers jobs get easier they want more money…

Train guards refuse to scan e-tickets and demand ‘technology payment’

www.thetimes.com/article/d68aaca6-25f4-4052-85e4-2ff2f9fd65e5?shareToken=7dc12d6e0ad08e3a261e4eff6e738612

Oh I am totally behind any workers fighting to improve their position. But yes, much of the rest of the country is fed up of the "woe is us poor Londoners" crap. If London is so bad, then leave. Find out how much better it is in the rest of the country. On the other hand, if your tubes are not running for a bit, get a bus.

And pay is not the only issue behind the strikes, but I guess you wouldn't care about that.

Not news to me. It's a race to the bottom for which important job ought to work longer hours? Since you appear to have a very important job, then perhaps you should have longer hours?

The people who whine most are the ones who never fight for their own conditions, whine about their low pay, or their worse conditions. Anyone who is worse off is allowed to do something about it. Like the doctors are!

Arguably, you don’t have a dog in this fight. You don’t live in London, you don’t pay the tube fares.

What is motivating you to comment?

London's public transport is now the most expensive IN THE WORLD. Tube drivers are paid by taxpayers, who are increasingly unable to afford cost of living.

But I guess you don't care about any of that, do you?

In a perfect world none of us would have to work and we'd all live in luxury but that's not reality. Maybe you have the benefit of it not affecting you, so you can act holier than thou. If it did affect you, your perspective would shift slightly.

Well, I can... but them I'm employed directly by the GP Partners and not subject to AfC.

Not very caring and empathetic of you

How many people have threatened to leave if they don't get a pay rise. Or got a new job and asked their employer to match it. Ever negotiated with your employer to not work Fridays or from home? - People with the power to do this, do this.
When there is only one employer and only one trained workforce strikes happen instead.

Why should l be caring and empathetic to you.

You live in a big city with a massive integrated public transport system whilst the rest of us live with Stephenson’s Rocket and the equivalent of pony and trap.

You complain about a strike when people are just trying to earn a living and protect their jobs. I have empathy for them instead.

And if we all moved to London it would be undoable. So instead of moaning be thankful for what you’ve got.

You know nothing about me. But in case you hadn't noticed, this is a public forum and anyone who wants to, anywhere in the world, can comment on any subject they like. And I will. If you don't like that then tough - go read another thread. I have as much right to comment as you do.

This with bells on^

I was told that having fuck all infrastructure was my own fault for choosing where I lived. But having bleeding loads of infrastructure and whining because people want decent working conditions is ok because Londoners apparently have no choice on where they live. Like they can't move?

@SteakBakesAndHotTakes Tube drivers are paid by taxpayers, who are increasingly unable to afford cost of living.
Indeed they are paid by taxpayers - and since I am a taxpayer and get no benefit from that because of London centric public policy if I want my taxes to be spent on workers then that's my right.

Because the train drivers are greedy and the unions have Labour by the short and curlys!

from LUL: 23/24 budget delivered an OpEx budget surplus. Government funding for TfL (and therefore indirectly LUL) is for CapEx.

Tax grants pay for things like new stock, or signalling upgrades, or new lines (think CrossRail).

LU Staff wages comes out of ticket sales.

https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2023/march/annual-budget-for-2023-24-shows-tfl-set-to-deliver-operating-surplus

😂of course they can pay for themselves.

They have a state of the art transport system. They can even give over 60’s free off peak transport!

Meanwhile the rest of the country puts up with their one bus per hour. How can they pull any revenue from that?!

But DO you want your taxes paid on these workers? They already earn upwards of £60k a year.whixh is a lot more than the average nurse or teacher.
If I were you, while I might not have much sympathy with Londoners (I am one btw!) I also wouldn't be supporting another pay rise for the already very well paid train drivers.
The strike won't particularly affect me btw. I love in SE London and we have no tubes here.

You have every right to your own opinion and to express it.

I wanted to understand where that opinion was coming from and how seriously to take it. Now I know. Thanks.

I think I have made myself very clear. I fully support workers striking for better pay and conditions. So the answer is obvious, is it not? It is not and never should be a race to the bottom. Whether they are "well paid" is a matter of opinion, There are lots of people paid more who do a lot less useful work, in my opinion. But this is the nature of capitalism - there is no such thing as "enough" money or "enough" wages or "enough" profit. If they can win - and that is a very different discussion - then more power to their elbows. They pay taxes too!

You know nothing, but it really doesn't matter because what you think of me or how seriously you should take my opinion won't stop the strikes.