Great Western Coffee Shop

http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=129570

oh god... times are changing sorry but they are getting paid there are people around with no jobs and even others getting no overtime payment at-all everyone in the country is in the same boat dont make others suffer even more due to greed

Sorry but it's the capitalist system. You can't pay bankers huge bonuses and expect other workers not to exploit there strength in the labour market.

The economists tell us that in free market everything has it's price therefore railway men have their price to work on the 28th.

It's one of the unintended consequences of privitisation that it strengthened rather than weakened the unions (which was part of the sub plot driving the scheme). As railway skills are a scarce commodity then the unions can pick off the TOCS one by one.

So don't blame the unions they are just following Thacherite principles and looking after No. 1.

There is no such thing as Society. Which why we are in the mess we are in!

The issue SN find themselves with is that they are also providing a certain level of service on Sat 26th. Presumably that will have to be paid at Bank Holiday rates as well.

I think the bottom line here is that the staff were paid extra for both days last time...

Something will have to give eventually, because the DfT want a lot more services on 'Boxing Day' - otherwise every 6 years they'll have to deal with the Sat 26th and Mon 28th in lieu issue.

Paul

No I put this down to badly made agreements.  A number of years ago a deal was agreed whereby drivers would work bank holidays for no extra pay and extra hoilday was added to the holiday entitlement.  However no allowance was made for when Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on a weekend.  In those years youu have an extra bank holiday on the Monday and sometimes the Tuesday and this was not allowed for in the agreement.

This event occurs every six / seven years depending on where the leap year falls.  Last time around FGW gave enhanced payment to those staff working on those extra days and I expect the same will happen this time.  Last I heard negotiations are still ongoing at FGW but I expect Southern have turned down the request hence the ballot.