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Strikes may shut Tube in run-up to Christmas
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent12 Oct 2009
Tube union bosses today ordered a new strike ballot and threatened major disruption in the run-up to Christmas.
Walkouts by train drivers and station staff could begin next month in a row over pay. The RMT union has thrown out as "miserly" a two-year deal of 1.5 per cent this year and RPI plus 0.5 per cent in the second year.
Richard Parry, London Underground's managing director, insists the deal "remains our final offer".
Aslef, which represents the majority of Tube train drivers, is meeting next Monday and could ballot its members for strike action. If the two unions strike together it would shut the entire Tube. The RMT will announce a date for its ballot after Aslef's meeting.
Reader views (11)
Rogan, What I am getting at is ignorant people that seem to believe any of the following statements....
Transport staff are thick.....I left school with A - Levels at Grades A - B.
It is unskilled work... I disagree, being abused by the public on a regular basis and showing tolerance and patience takes a certain type of person, you can't have anybody that will put up with that!
"Automated Trains"....... The Victoria, District, Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City Line new rolling stock will all have drivers, in realistic terms I doubt you nor I will see automated trains in our working life! In addition to this, it is worth remembering that the D.L.R was close to being stopped because of planned action from the Control Room staff.
Rogan, it is not acceptable for passengers to abuse staff under any circumstance.
I am aware that their are a few "bad eggs" amoungst Customer Service staff...... I have worked with some, and they do indeed lack "people skills" however, I am refering to those that abuse staff for simply doing their jobs, who do work hard with customer service, but yet it is never good enough for some individuals!
- National Rail Worker, London, 13/10/2009 21:14
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Matt,
I simply state the facts, how the public do stereotype a transport worker on the frontline.
I would like to know what is your views about Richard Parry, on a four hundred and fifty thousand pound salary with bonuses.
If T.F.L can afford to pay individuals that kind of money, how can the frontline staff possibly be greedy?
Perhaps you need to consider when the senior management are tucked up in their beds at weekends, who keeps the railways running, who brings in the money, who maintains the track? That's not management, that's frontline staff!
If T.F.L can afford to pay their seniors' a minimum salary of 100k and a maximum of 450k with bonuses, then who is being greedy, the management or frontline staff???
Perhaps you and I as an underground commuter should consider where our money is going toO!
We might be in a recession, but they didn't create it, why should they suffer for it? Richard Parry isn't!
- National Rail Worker, London, 13/10/2009 09:39
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Boris Johnson's "no strike deal" election pledge continues to work like a dream.
- Helen, West London, 13/10/2009 00:01
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My union voted to accept the pay deal. RMT are just greedy.
They want more money, more benefits when we are one of the top well paid train employees.
In this current economic climate they should have a reality check not make stupid demands and bring london to a halt.
- Tssa Member, London, UK, 12/10/2009 21:13
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Oh do come off it "National Rail Worker" LU drivers are the highest paid train drivers in Britain, do perfectly well compared to many other equivalent groups and have no genuine grievance worth these never ending strikes.
As usual this is just blinkered Marxist Bob Crow misusing his membership and abusing his position in pursuit of his out dated 1970's political goals. The RMT has become an an anachronistic caricature of old style trade unionism, the kind that only ever results in job losses, business collapses and the enmity of the public at large. And all only because Crow wants to pick a fight with a Conservative Mayor for party political reasons.
Both Crow and the RMT need to grow up!
- Matt, London, UK, 12/10/2009 19:20
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Alan Green,
"WHY NOT SACK THE LOT ALONG WITH OUR MPS, AS REGAN DID IN AMERICA, AND LET THE UNEMPLOYED APPLY FOR THEIR JOBS. HIGH SLARY, SHORT WORKING WEEK, ENORMOUS HOLIDAY ALLOWANCE EACH YEAR. WHAT MORE COULD ONE ASK"
Ask yourself, who exactly would be willing to take their place? Perhaps to start with maybe, but I'd say give it 6 weeks or less and they will start to get fed up with being abused or threatened by the public for simply doing their jobs!
I'm sorry but I do not agree with you, not "anybody" would want to do their jobs, not after 6 weeks anyway.
I think the problem with the underground is the greedy fat cats, who are raking in the profits and giving little back to those on the frontline.
- National Rail Worker, London, 12/10/2009 18:49
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"....if an increased pay offer can be obtained from T.F.L's greedy fat cats' then so be it."
Only one teensy-weensie problem with that. It is the public who pay! And once again this union, just like the postal workers did before, has targetted a time when ordinary people need their services the most, so again, it isn't the "fat cats" being slammed, but the people that need them most.
Ever heard of cause and effect, (totally unbiased) National Rail Worker, London? You say the public are rude - I don't suppose for one second that you've stopped to consider why? Sure, you can throw in the chicken and the egg argument, but remember - service industries work with people. They are EXPECTED to show 'people skills'. Currently they are failing.
National Rail Worker - the whole tone of your post fairly well yells out your contempt for the very people you are supposed to be providing a service to. It is an attitude that does not lend itself to eliciting sympathy for your claims by every day people..
- Rogan, Irving, 12/10/2009 18:37
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I do believe it is now time for this government to impose legislation that would stop such aggressive actions by the RMT. Enough is enough.
- Londoner, London, 12/10/2009 15:29
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WHY NOT SACK THE LOT ALONG WITH OUR MPS, AS REGAN DID IN AMERICA, AND LET THE UNEMPLOYED APPLY FOR THEIR JOBS. HIGH SLARY, SHORT WORKING WEEK, ENORMOUS HOLIDAY ALLOWANCE EACH YEAR. WHAT MORE COULD ONE ASK
- Alan Green, England. The forgotten country., 12/10/2009 15:27
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Has Boris arranged to meet Bob yet?
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 12/10/2009 14:42
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I can't say I can blame them, an increasing percentage of the public are generally rude and abusive now, if an increased pay offer can be obtained from T.F.L's greedy fat cats' then so be it.
I am sure by point will be proven regarding ignorance in the comments that shall inevitably follow!
"Sack the lot of them"
Unskilled workers" "They're all stupid" ....Are all good examples, but it's the automated trains one that is the funniest, especially as the D.L.R was close to being crippled the other week from strike action!
Before all of you get on your high horses, I pay for my an annual season ticket to use the underground just like the rest of you, it doesn't give you all the right to slander transport staff, especially when none of you have any idea about what their jobs involve!
Perhaps some of you should consider obtaining some good solid facts before displaying your utterly idiotic and unrealistic opinions!
- National Rail Worker, London, 12/10/2009 14:25
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