This current problem with Northern Rail in the North West goes back about 20 years when their predecessor offered drivers and guards something like a 25% basic pay rise to sign a more ‘modern’ contract. It did away with most of the favourable terms in the old British Rail contracts.
For guards in particular it offered vastly reduced enhancements for working overtime, coupled with no commitment to work Sundays.
I don’t blame the staff at all. Who’s not going to vote for a 25% pay rise? Particularly as a large proportion of them would have been retiring in the next decade or so.
But it created a huge potential problem, which the management at the time should have foreseen but didn’t. And we’re seeing the results of that failure now.
Derby day on a Sunday. The majority of guards in the Manchester area will support either City or United. No compulsion to work. And no great financial incentive to do so.
What would you do?
To be fair that's like saying most shop workers like a good Xmas so if they didn't turn up for work it would be understandable.
We need people who are compelled to work if they are not compelled they are being paid too much, a lot of excuses but nobody fixing the problem.
Great idea, the services can't run because there aren't enough staff, and you want to sack what they have!totally shite train service as usual.......every week, every year....worst train service in Europe....cancelled my trip into town this afternoon as no trains.. (again!!) had to drive to Anfield the other week...no trains.....sack them, recruit new drivers from abroad....we need a a public train service.
“Not turning up” and declining to work a booked day off aren’t really the same thing.
And I’m not sure that a long term solution if you’re running a company that relies on Sunday trade, is to pay your staff such shit wages that they need to work overtime to feed the family and pay the bills.
Had to get Taxi from Nuneaton.totally shite train service as usual.......every week, every year....worst train service in Europe....cancelled my trip into town this afternoon as no trains.. (again!!) had to drive to Anfield the other week...no trains.....sack them, recruit new drivers from abroad....we need a a public train service.
You are being quite generous actually, they seem to be very enthusiastic and on the ball when it comes to the hordes of ticket checkers everything else they are beyond shite.Northern Rail are a shit show. The crew shortages they are citing has been an issue for months. When they are running trains, they usually only put on a couple of carriages. Northern Fail is ran by a bunch of incompetent wankers.
A lot of ex-public sector companies gave handsome pay rises to buy out “Spanish Practices”, silly allowances (breakfast allowances, travelling time, height allowance etc). I signed a contract that gave me a big rise and bonus arrangement and shares, but gave up payment for excess hours etc and spent the next thirty years working 55 hours a week !“Not turning up” and declining to work a booked day off aren’t really the same thing.
And I’m not sure that a long term solution if you’re running a company that relies on Sunday trade, is to pay your staff such shit wages that they need to work overtime to feed the family and pay the bills.
totally shite train service as usual.......every week, every year....worst train service in Europe....cancelled my trip into town this afternoon as no trains.. (again!!) had to drive to Anfield the other week...no trains.....sack them, recruit new drivers from abroad....we need a a public train service.
Great idea, the services can't run because there aren't enough staff, and you want to sack what they have!
Imagine supermarkets not opening because they haven't got enough staff or say schools and doctors surgeries?
Sunday services are shit because the workers don't have to work overtime because they get paid enough not to, they are not "Compelled" to. You work in an industry at least show some effort to provide a service, people complaining isn't the problem is it?
Schools and GP's don't operate on Sundays
A lot more trains run 7 days a week nowadays than in the 80's through to the 00's.That's not the point, trains are expected to run on Sundays. I could quite easily have said hospitals.
Sunday supermarket opening isn't a new thing either it's been that way for 40 years. It doesn't matter if they are skilled or not they go to work.
Trains have always ran 7 days a week it isn't a new concept, the excuses are top to bottom. Staff who don't want to work and managers who wont fix it.
A lot more trains run 7 days a week nowadays than in the 80's through to the 00's.
Running a 7 day service needs more staff but they have recruited enough.
Piccadilly as an example, was basically shut Sunday morning, not any more, busy as ever (when the trains run).
As I said, trains are expected to run but the working agreements of the staff have not changed.
Sunday working for many Rail staff is classed as overtime, it's not right but not a simple issue to fix.
Anyway, can't be arsed, more concerned with City being fucking useless.
Who knew our players had it in their contacts not to work Sundays!
Have a similar grudge for that tw@t from Ryanair dumping me and lad in Germany after Munich in 2023, cost me over a grand to get us homeI have never forgiven the cunts for stranding me in Manchester on boxing day a few years back when Piccadilly was boarded up for the day.
I hold grudges :)
Correct, people might want to actually use the trains at weekends for leisure activities but that seems frowned upon at the moment.That's not the point, trains are expected to run on Sundays. I could quite easily have said hospitals.
Sunday supermarket opening isn't a new thing either it's been that way for 40 years. It doesn't matter if they are skilled or not they go to work.
Trains have always ran 7 days a week it isn't a new concept, the excuses are top to bottom. Staff who don't want to work and managers who wont fix it.
Trains don't run Boxing day.I have never forgiven the cunts for stranding me in Manchester on boxing day a few years back when Piccadilly was boarded up for the day.
I hold grudges :)
Trains don't run Boxing day.
Rail recruitment not as bad as ours thoA lot more trains run 7 days a week nowadays than in the 80's through to the 00's.
Running a 7 day service needs more staff but they haven't recruited enough.
Piccadilly as an example, was basically shut Sunday morning, not any more, busy as ever (when the trains run).
As I said, trains are expected to run but the working agreements of the staff have not changed.
Sunday working for many Rail staff is classed as overtime, it's not right but not a simple issue to fix.
Anyway, can't be arsed, more concerned with City being fucking useless.
Who knew our players had it in their contacts not to work Sundays!