Tube Union parasites want to strike on Royal Wedding Day

[longfingernails]

Why?

Supposedly, the tube drivers want 3 days pay for every bank holiday they work, plus a day off in lieu. Absolutely ridiculous.

It is high time we had a mass sacking of RMT and ASLEF members. No, we don't need 20 useless RMT staff saying "this train is about to depart" or "move right inside the carriages" on the platforms. Automate the trains, like they do in so many other countries.

And there are plenty of people who would be glad of the (rather easy) work, at half the salary and perks.

I wish I got 3 days pay every bank holiday and a day off!

Actually, when I worked random hours in a shop even those tight bastards paid me triple time for a Bank Holiday that I worked (as I got paid for it anyway, then double time for working the day).

Day off in lieu is ridiculous though, you can't have both.

Remember that tube drivers already earn about £45k a year, and get 7 weeks holiday.

and don't forget the other perks - isn't it Oyster for the worker and one for his / her partner. That must add up to a tidy sum (my each way commute just went up to £4.10ie £8.20 a day).

They are overpaid. It is as simple as that. The market rate is far lower than their salary.

These union thugs should be taught a lesson.

I would impose a unilateral £20,000 pay cut, with holidays cut down from 7 weeks a year to 5. Those who decided not to accept, or to go on strike, could very easily be replaced.

What? And upset Uncle Bob Crow? :) I heard him interviewed recently and he freely admitted that the main reason they have so much clout is that London Underground - unlike the buses - is still one big business. If they keep taking the piss he'll find Boris is working on a tube deregulation plan.

I have a friend who, upon hearing about the wondrous pay and conditions, decided to try and apply for a job as a tube worker. He couldn't find out how for love or money - as you have to be referred to get a job. Can't just apply. He was muchos disappointed.

I would love to know what planet they're living on, as it sounds fun - triple pay AND another day off for each bank holiday worked?! Score!

Thats a pisstake. 45k/??? for what exactly??? pressing a red button????

Im in the wrong bloody profession obviously.

AbsofCroissant I think London Underground should be sued under EU legislation.

Why aren't the diversity officers of the world rushing to condemn London Underground for the outragreously discriminatory practice of the closed shop?

They should be. In amongst other things.

And ... free travel! so you're not affected by the annual price rises! Amazing.

Bob Crow is an arse.
A throwback to the Seventies.

You don't apparently have to be 'referred' as such, but vacancies are advertised internally, so you need to already be working for LU in some other capacity.

Instead of rushing to "condemn London Underground for the outragreously discriminatory practice of the closed shop" you could do a bit of research to find out what the reasons might be. Not quite as simple as your black & white world.

[[www.trainweb.org/districtdave/html/recruitment.html "The recruitment process (irrespective of whether you are an 'outsider' or an internal candidate) is stringent and the failure rate at the testing stage is very high - I believe that it's something over 90% fail at this stage.

I also know that a fair proportion of (directly recruited drivers) struggle with the culture, working patterns and working practices - they are quite unique after all - and (leave) within the first twelve months. Obviously the training of a driver costs a great deal of money and I'm pretty sure that this is a major reason behind the current thinking of internal recruitment wherever possible - internal applicants go into it with their eyes much wider open and the number who leave because they can't adapt is much lower. The recruitment process (irrespective of whether you are an 'outsider' or an internal candidate) is stringent and the failure rate at the testing stage is very high - I believe that it's something over 90% fail at this stage.

I also know that a fair proportion of the directly recruited drivers did struggle with the culture, working patterns and working practices - they are quite unique after all - and left within the first twelve months. Obviously the training of a driver costs a great deal of money and I'm pretty sure that this is a major reason behind the current thinking of internal recruitment wherever possible - internal applicants go into it with their eyes much wider open and the number who leave because they can't adapt is much lower."]]

LFN, I think you may be offered fewer biscuits if your posts were slightly less Woodrow Wyatt Voice of Reason. The language you use means you preach only to the converted & we all know there aren't too many of those on Mumsnet. Anyone who has a slight semblance of balance tends not to take you very seriously.

Can anyone tell us where to see details of the rmt demand for 3 days pay, plus a day off in lieu of bank holidays? Can't see it anywhere on rmt website, only concerns re pay and job cuts, and I have to say, I personally would rather all tube stations were staffed thank you...I find it quite intimidating at unstaffed train stations at night, but at least feel safe on the tube.

Also, is it true about having to be referred to apply for a job? I've seen adverts all over the tube asking people to apply to be drivers. Where are people getting their info from here?

It's not RMT, it's Aslef. And the report is from the BBC.

from the ASLEF website:

ASLEF?s General Secretary Keith Norman said today that the question of possible industrial action on the day of the Royal Wedding has not even been discussed by the union?s executive.

The union?s London officer Steve Grant stressed that no ballot had been held and the union and the management were due to resume negotiations about compensation for all Bank Holiday working by London Underground tube drivers.

?The story is premature to say the least,? Keith added

www.aslef.org.uk/information/121663/royal_wedding__tube_strike__remote/

I love the way I can spot a longfingernails thread a mile off, from just the title

I think it's the Mixture Of Capitals and Hyperbole.

This is what ASLEF said: "ASLEF?s General Secretary Keith Norman said today that the question of possible industrial action on the day of the Royal Wedding has not even been discussed by the union?s executive.
The union?s London officer Steve Grant stressed that no ballot had been held and the union and the management were due to resume negotiations about compensation for all Bank Holiday working by London Underground tube drivers.
?The story is premature to say the least,? Keith added"

So, there we are, we can all relax now...

I think you are all being ridiculous - the raildrivers pay is NOT more than the market rate. Their employers want to pay less than the market rate, but if they offer lower than the market rate, they don't get drivers, thats how the market works, and why traindrivers' pay is so high - its amazing to me that the freemarketeer are anti-union, when in this dispute, exercise of union power is enforcing market pricing of staff over what the company wants to pay to make a profit- if there were more train drivers, the arguments would be difficult to have - there aren't their market suffers from undersupply and that is why their negotiating position is strong.

What bloody annoys me is that doctors, and solicitors act in markets where there is an oversupply at degree-end, as well as possible international supply (i mean should the market rate for a solicitor's letter be circa £60 for a half-hours work when the legal experience needed to do this in 90% of cases is minimal??)

You anti-unionists are usually anti-working-class-earning-a-lot-of-money-ists and don't rail on half as much about the professional bodies protecting their own salaries (CEOs Bankers, Doctors, Laywers, Architects etc etc have much tighter salary controls, much more influential unions (sorry 'professional bodies'),

Triple time for a bank-holiday, especially a highly significant one as this, is hardly that unreasonable - I would bet, though, that your local GPs callout rete charged to the practice and tax payer is a darn sight higher than a one-day traindriver's salary.

Heroine Nonsense. They could offer these cushy jobs at £25k, and I can guarantee they would be taken, and fast. There is no undersupply of low-skilled people wanting a job, even in London.

Imagine how much ordinary commuters (almost all earning far less than £45k) could save in fares if tube drivers were paid £25k instead of £45k.

What Heroine said.

I'd rather see them get a decent wage than the boss of RBS get a £2m bonus.

blimey would you do it for £25 also agree with heroine

If the boss of RBS makes £10bn profit for the British taxpayer (I am not sure whether he will or not), he is worth every penny of that £2m. There are very few people who can run large banks.

There are millions of people who can push a button which opens doors on either the left or right hand side - though it seems RMT members are not amongst them:

www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23679196-victoria-line-comes-to-a-halt-in-rock-solid-train-driver-strike.do