Avanti west coast trains

[mexico1970]

It's cheaper for them to pay this for overtime over actually recruiting drivers full time.

Meanwhile to pay for it they want to force contractual changes on station staff and traincrew that aren't drivers including significant pay cuts.

They are banking on train drivers being greedy enough to work the overtime when many of them are mentally fucked by their current working conditions.

Train driving is a specialist role which requires strong mental capacity to be switched on for Upto 11 hours a shift.

Do you believe train drivers will throw their colleagues under the bus mate? s this a divide and conquer ploy that may backfire when other railway staff will push for the same kind of deal?

 

[TinFoilHat]

Do you believe train drivers will throw their colleagues under the bus mate? s this a divide and conquer ploy that may backfire when other railway staff will push for the same kind of deal?

It's management along with the DFT trying to divide and rule the workforce. A former Tory transport minister gave the gave away a few years ago encouraging companies to pay drivers enough to max up their credit for the lifestyle they become accustomed too and eventually bring their wages down.

It also means ASLEF is struggling with membership as the job is now is deliberately filled with more conservative leaning drivers thanks to new group standards preventing people off the street applying such as minimum degree academic qualification. Luckily there's still a legal minimum allowance for internal candidates to go into the role that don't have those academic qualifications.

I'm on the back end. There's plenty of drivers on here who post who would be able to give you a better understanding of it.

 

[cleavers]

Can somebody explain to me how an increase such as that be justified?

They'll justify it by having more drivers available to drive the trains, and it should improve the service, but perhaps they should just employ more drivers, so so much overtime isn't required.

 

[Slipper One]

It's cheaper for them to pay this for overtime over actually recruiting drivers full time.

Meanwhile to pay for it they want to force contractual changes on station staff and traincrew that aren't drivers including significant pay cuts.

They are banking on train drivers being greedy enough to work the overtime when many of them are mentally fucked by their current working conditions.

Train driving is a specialist role which requires strong mental capacity to be switched on for Upto 11 hours a shift.

I'm trying to get a better understanding of this, because the last three times I've been over to the UK, strikes have forced me to cut short my time with my family and incur additional hotel expenses by having to take my train a day earlier if I was to catch my flight.

How much does a train driver earn before any additions like overtime?

While not wishing to denigrate you or your point of view, I do have a bit of an issue with your comment, "a specialist role which requires strong mental capacity to be switched on for up to 11 hours a shift." though.

There are many, many jobs that require a strong mental capacity for a straight 11 hours or more, and probably for a lot less money. It's not uncommon.

Years ago when I first moved here I took a job in a foundry. It was 2 days and then two nights, 12 hour shifts working in temperatures up to 150 Degrees Fahrenheit (65 Celsius). People would simply pass out while working when the humidity was bad. I stayed at a BnB because of the travelling distance from home. The husband was a train driver for CN Rail and did nothing but constantly moan about his job, the conditions and how the drivers were awfully treated.

I looked at the comparison and thought driving a train in relative comfort a long distance, staying overnight and driving a train back was not too bad compared to my shift. Maybe it's a train driver thing?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I'm trying to get a better understanding of this, because the last three times I've been over to the UK, strikes have forced me to cut short my time with my family and incur additional hotel expenses by having to take my train a day earlier if I was to catch my flight.

How much does a train driver earn before any additions like overtime?

While not wishing to denigrate you or your point of view, I do have a bit of an issue with your comment, "a specialist role which requires strong mental capacity to be switched on for up to 11 hours a shift." though.

There are many, many jobs that require a strong mental capacity for a straight 11 hours or more, and probably for a lot less money. It's not uncommon.

Years ago when I first moved here I took a job in a foundry. It was 2 days and then two nights, 12 hour shifts working in temperatures up to 150 Degrees Fahrenheit (65 Celsius). People would simply pass out while working when the humidity was bad. I stayed at a BnB because of the travelling distance from home. The husband was a train driver for CN Rail and did nothing but constantly moan about his job, the conditions and how the drivers were awfully treated.

I looked at the comparison and thought driving a train in relative comfort a long distance, staying overnight and driving a train back was not too bad compared to my shift. Maybe it's a train driver thing?

I guess the main difference is if you pass out at a foundry, you don’t kill all your passengers.

 

[Slipper One]

I guess the main difference is if you pass out at a foundry, you don’t kill all your passengers.

Of course that's true, but the conditions of work were not even comparable.

If you want to use that line, then the same could be said for a whole multitude of occupations, surely train drivers would not be any different?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Of course that's true, but the conditions of work were not even comparable.

If you want to use that line, then the same could be said for a whole multitude of occupations, surely train drivers would not be any different?

It’s the position of responsibility and their expertise when things go wrong that makes their salary higher. Similar to pilots.

 

[Slipper One]

It’s the position of responsibility and their expertise when things go wrong that makes their salary higher. Similar to pilots.

What is a train drivers salary in the UK?

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I thought Virgin did a decent job on the whole. Mostly on time and clean, mostly pleasant staff and not too bad prices if you bought in advance. And an impression that on the whole they actually gave a shit.

Infinitely better than this utter shower anyway.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Always love the argument what people are paid or golden pensions, if people dislike it so much or should I say jealous, they are recruiting drivers get your name down, but then would have nowt to moan at. Loads of firefighters and police have left to become train drivers and doubled their salaries for a far “easier” job, shit loads of overtime, because it’s cheaper than employing full time drivers, if I had 20 years left in the fire service I’d have gone and done it.