Do you support the RMT?

Really_here said:
As I understand these 'private' companies receive government subsidies yet still manage to pay their shareholders dividends. Nice work if you can get it. The whole setup is a mess, rather than privatise the railways because "private industry promotes competition and better service" we should have just found better managers for British Rail and just accepted the fact that the public purse needs to subsidise public transport (as it does in most other countries). Same with water, following privatisation the boards of water companies paid themselves massive salaries and bonuses at the same time as cost cutting that has led us to where we are now. The private sector is in any game to make profits not provide a public service.
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British Rail (as it was ) was deliberately underfunded by the Tories and the mess it created was used as an excuse to privatise.

(You can substitute the name of any privatised business for ''British Rail'' )

I still smile when I remember that I can get a week in Turkey or Malta at a 5 star hotel , all inclusive with drinks plus transfers and flights for less than a walk on day return from Manchester to London.
 
Really_here said:
As I understand these 'private' companies receive government subsidies yet still manage to pay their shareholders dividends. Nice work if you can get it. The whole setup is a mess, rather than privatise the railways because "private industry promotes competition and better service" we should have just found better managers for British Rail and just accepted the fact that the public purse needs to subsidise public transport (as it does in most other countries). Same with water, following privatisation the boards of water companies paid themselves massive salaries and bonuses at the same time as cost cutting that has led us to where we are now. The private sector is in any game to make profits not provide a public service.
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Ye I saw the Ben Elton documentary that they’d been subsided more than if we kept it in public ownership!
 
Ifwecouldjust....... said:
British Rail (as it was ) was deliberately underfunded by the Tories and the mess it created was used as an excuse to privatise.

(You can substitute the name of any privatised business for ''British Rail'' )

I still smile when I remember that I can get a week in Turkey or Malta at a 5 star hotel , all inclusive with drinks plus transfers and flights for less than a walk on day return from Manchester to London.
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I'm in Kemir. Family of four, 3 grand
 
Blue Maverick said:
Ye I saw the Ben Elton documentary that they’d been subsided more than if we kept it in public ownership!
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This is a good watch about BR
www.bbc.co.uk

Timeshift

Documentary series which ranges widely over Britain's social and cultural history, its narrative-led storytelling offering a richly immersive and varied window onto the past.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk
 
TinFoilHat said:
I expect the action will be suspended next week for this very reason.

Meanwhile Tory boys are up in arms as the plebs fight back against their paymasters but say fuck all if the paymasters exploit the plebs.
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Do you still reckon the strikes will be called off? Might be looking to change a couple of tickets but want to wait and see if I can do it for free!
 
Blue Maverick said:
Ye I saw the Ben Elton documentary that they’d been subsided more than if we kept it in public ownership!
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Not uncommon. Once the MPs expenses scandal hit the fan and the whole system was 're-organised' there were suggestions aplenty that the new system was costing more'n the old 'un!
 
Blue Maverick said:
For anyone who works on the trains, why is there such a shortage of drivers, is it management running at a lower capacity trying to run on overtime (which people aren’t taking up) or is there a recruitment problem, I know loads from the fire service who left mainly for the wages it’s almost double a firefghters wage, tripled with overtime.
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It all started with privatisation of the railway in 1996. Drivers were not paid well under BR and had to work a lot of overtime to make a decent wage. When they were privatised, drivers were offered the chance to transfer to the new company or take voluntary redundancy. A lot of of drivers near retirement age took that deal.

The new Train Operating Companies, (TOCs) all started life with a staff shortage, which meant their salaries started to become very competitive and rose quickly, to entice drivers to switch.

A big recruitment drive started, (I was recruited in 1999) but has never been able to satisfy the demand. The shortfall remains and the TOCs are happy to keep staffing levels below required levels because paying overtime is always cheaper than keeping a full compliment of staff, (holiday and sick pay, pension contributions, training etc etc.)

But relying on the goodwill of drivers working their rest days is dodgy ground when those drivers get pissed off and refuse to work them. Then the service suffers as there are literally not enough drivers to run the trains.

Another point regarding recruitment is that it is a difficult job to get into. The failure rate at the initial screening process is about 75%. Then training starts and there's still a lot who dont make it. (It ain't just pressing a button.) So although the salaries may look enticing, not everyone who wants it can get it.
 
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