RMT Industrial action

[anamorph]

OK I can't shut up about this....
got to make some more comments........


Having read a lot more about the current dispute, I feel I can see the argument on both sides. What I don't agree with is the strike. I do not think it will change anything, and as usual the public suffer. Interesting as well to look at the dates of the strikes. Nice addition to the weekend for some! I understand some fears about jobs, but surely, if (as my local TOC Scotrail says) Jobs are NOT under threat, and the move is to help passengers, this could be solved by discussion.
I travel regularly by train, and what annoys me most is that without exception I would say about 40% of passengers NEVER pay a fare because, in a lot of cases the guard doesn't check ANY tickets or collect fares. What are other TOCs doing to address this abuse of the system?
There are now random barrier checks at Waverley, so on occasion all passengers on a given train have to pay their fare. I wonder what the insurance aspect of this is? BR refused plans for conducter fare collecting on the North Berwick Branch in the 1970's because they said that they doubted all the fares could be collected in time. That is a major part of the problem, and on overcrowded trains the guard has no chance of getting all the fares - but that doesn't excuse them not collecting fares when they can, which regularly happens, and it is serious. How the hell does anyone know the true number of people using the trains?

In any other job, if you just couldn't be arsed to do something your feet wouldn't touch the ground. The RMT costs us all money and services because basically their members don't do their job a lot of the time - and that is FACT. Yes permanent barriers could solve it and I say the should be brought back, but the guards need to buck up as well. I notice that only about 30% voted, and of those only a slight majority wanted a strike. Fair representation? The majority of RMT members couldn't even be arsed to vote for the dispute, strange if they are all so concerned about it....

Now, let the arguments begin.......

[Zackybong1]

These days the general support for strikers is generally from those who don't have to actually use trains. "Right on comrade" they shout, "stand up for your rights!" and then under their breath thank god that they don't actually have to use trains. Instead strikers just drive customers into their cars.

As someone said, people prefer and find it more cost effective now to travel by bus from Milton Keynes to the Capital. They don't need further encouragement.

Its a shame that there is no better way to bargain. Then again, they're lucky to have a job.

[Goingnorth]

OK I can't shut up about this....
got to make some more comments........


Having read a lot more about the current dispute, I feel I can see the argument on both sides. What I don't agree with is the strike. I do not think it will change anything, and as usual the public suffer. Interesting as well to look at the dates of the strikes. Nice addition to the weekend for some! I understand some fears about jobs, but surely, if (as my local TOC Scotrail says) Jobs are NOT under threat, and the move is to help passengers, this could be solved by discussion.
I travel regularly by train, and what annoys me most is that without exception I would say about 40% of passengers NEVER pay a fare because, in a lot of cases the guard doesn't check ANY tickets or collect fares. What are other TOCs doing to address this abuse of the system?
There are now random barrier checks at Waverley, so on occasion all passengers on a given train have to pay their fare. I wonder what the insurance aspect of this is? BR refused plans for conducter fare collecting on the North Berwick Branch in the 1970's because they said that they doubted all the fares could be collected in time. That is a major part of the problem, and on overcrowded trains the guard has no chance of getting all the fares - but that doesn't excuse them not collecting fares when they can, which regularly happens, and it is serious. How the hell does anyone know the true number of people using the trains?

In any other job, if you just couldn't be arsed to do something your feet wouldn't touch the ground. The RMT costs us all money and services because basically their members don't do their job a lot of the time - and that is FACT. Yes permanent barriers could solve it and I say the should be brought back, but the guards need to buck up as well. I notice that only about 30% voted, and of those only a slight majority wanted a strike. Fair representation? The majority of RMT members couldn't even be arsed to vote for the dispute, strange if they are all so concerned about it....

Now, let the arguments begin.......

I've never understood why tickets are not armed with some sort of smart chips...For heaven's sake even salads in supermarkets have them!

If you pass through a barrier and haven't paid the alarm goes off and or/picture taken.

This system should be at all medium/large stations on the entrance to platforms, backed up with manual checking.

As for the guards, that should be their primary focus - customer service, fares reinforcement. It's an important job!

I note that the whole of the network is now being fitted with cab secure radio in this fortnight's 'Rail'. This has been on the cards for some time. The fact is the traditional role of the guard has changed. They should be interested in becoming customer service professionals, and not worry about the safety of the train so much. Leave that in the driver's/signaller's hands. With modern technology can do the job more than adequately?

Fight their corner for customer service improvements and saving the TOCs money with fares. That will more than justify their jobs and maybe even secure a pay rise if they can be shown to save money!

It's worth noting that the TOCs have no control over the Rule book, this is down to yet another body called 'Railway safety'. In fact the RMT have yet to make a complaint to them about their safety concerns. They are just being deliberately counter productive and should start thinking outside the box.

[Kevo00]

Interesting comments about revenue protection above - on my travels around ScotRail I have noticed that revenue protection is very poor and it is indeed possible for many passengers to travel without having to pay, especially on the commuter parts of the system, such as the SPT area, the lines around Edinburgh and the Fife Circle. After the ticket offices shut at night it is often possible to make inter - city journeys for free too, as conductors rarely seem to show their faces - for a group of people so concerned about safety they have a very lax attitude to their duties.

What I would do if I was incharge of ScotRail is introduce an automated barrier system on the SPT and Edinburgh commuter routes, similar to that used by LUL, and use the guards as on board security staff, both for revenue protection backup and to combat any neds, as well as for train protection. Sadly they would probably be more interested in spending the cash needed to do this on more flashy but inadequate class 170s than anything sensible...

[anamorph]

Have a look at this....
http://www.scotrail.co.uk/458.pdf

[allypally]

whenever i get a local train there is NEVER a guard. Unless you are going to Birmingham on a local where the have the ticket barrires at the moment, you never have to pay. whenever i goto shrewsbury, i nevger see a guard. its funny