I know that I do not understand economics. If train prices were fair and reasonable, more people will travel and release more funds tourism and leisure, which will be taxed and eventually come back to fund rail fares. Surely, some funds can be ringfenced and locked into areas that maintain status quo over profit-making... thus, giving the RMT, the industry and our transport system much needed support. Too simple, sadly.
Being in the industry it's one big gravy train for private companies and their directors.
People are being massively ripped off by fares and poor services with trains maintained to a minimum service requirement, along with the companies staying with that plan for running services because they don't want to pay for training, new trains etc as it bites into their profits.
I love my job, but the business model is fucked up with layers of bullshit managers with bullshit jobs, who are set performance bonuses on "Giving value to the stakeholders" over the passengers and staff that work to keep the job going.
Diktats from directors making the job sometimes impossible our end.
Here's an example from me. A train was an hour late and due to arrive into a station the same time the next service was due to depart. The Traincrew spoke to control and said it would make sense to couple the late one upto the one on time. Technically the late one would be cancelled, but the people on it would still get to their destination. The controller was instructed not to do that but run both services separately because of the service was canceled by us they couldn't claim all the delay minutes off Network Rail who were responsible for the original delay.
They want rid of frontline staff and everything put on a phone app so there's even less passengers can do to recoup losses. Be it financially or in time lost.
The delay repay system has so many hoops to jump through no wonder people give up.
A so called public service run for profit. I get why people get frustrated and take it out on me or my colleagues because we wear a uniform "As a company ambassador", but they are attacking the wrong people.
If passengers came together and organised a national refuse to pay week of action they might think different.
Our action is not about pay anymore it's about protecting our rights and bargaining procedures at work, and Passenger support at stations. More CCTV (If they bother maintaining it) is not going to help people in wheelchairs wanting to board at local stations. "We'll get them a taxi." Is their way of justifying alienating people from travelling.
