RMT to ballot for industrial action.

[whole diary]

[Super Guard]

Turnout roughly 50% as I believe they have 2,000 members across FGW^▸ (First Great Western). Meaning around 25% of all members voted for action.

....not much of a mandate for strike action is it? Shows how few of the brothers are really that bothered about it, just the usual hot air billowing from the upper tier......

Let's face it - not many of the 2000 or so members are personally affected by the issues, so in my opinion the result is not surprising - but it doesn't necessarily mean the issues the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) have are not legitimate*.

*I have no opinion as to whether the RMT's claims are legitimate or not.

[TaplowGreen]

Turnout roughly 50% as I believe they have 2,000 members across FGW^▸ (First Great Western). Meaning around 25% of all members voted for action.

....not much of a mandate for strike action is it? Shows how few of the brothers are really that bothered about it, just the usual hot air billowing from the upper tier......

Let's face it - not many of the 2000 or so members are personally affected by the issues, so in my opinion the result is not surprising - but it doesn't necessarily mean the issues the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) have are not legitimate*.

*I have no opinion as to whether the RMT's claims are legitimate or not.

......isn't the whole point of being in a Trade Union that united you stand? Not just issues that affect you personally? I think it just further serves to demonstrate that the whole thing was just showboating by those hoping to cement their positions at the top of the Union.

[a-driver]

Turnout roughly 50% as I believe they have 2,000 members across FGW^▸ (First Great Western). Meaning around 25% of all members voted for action.

....not much of a mandate for strike action is it? Shows how few of the brothers are really that bothered about it, just the usual hot air billowing from the upper tier......

Let's face it - not many of the 2000 or so members are personally affected by the issues, so in my opinion the result is not surprising - but it doesn't necessarily mean the issues the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) have are not legitimate*.

*I have no opinion as to whether the RMT's claims are legitimate or not.

......isn't the whole point of being in a Trade Union that united you stand? Not just issues that affect you personally? I think it just further serves to demonstrate that the whole thing was just showboating by those hoping to cement their positions at the top of the Union.

Exactly,  If I thought there was good reason to strike I would however on this occasion I think the RMT had got it completely wrong and infact have probably left some of its members worse off as I believe there were things tabled such as travel perks which were rejected by the RMT. 
As you said, there are certain people trying to cement their positions within the union at the cost of its members.

[Super Guard]

Just for the record, action short of a strike got 721 yes, 284 no.

[SDS]

Turnout roughly 50% as I believe they have 2,000 members across FGW^▸ (First Great Western). Meaning around 25% of all members voted for action.

....not much of a mandate for strike action is it? Shows how few of the brothers are really that bothered about it, just the usual hot air billowing from the upper tier......

Let's face it - not many of the 2000 or so members are personally affected by the issues, so in my opinion the result is not surprising - but it doesn't necessarily mean the issues the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) have are not legitimate*.

*I have no opinion as to whether the RMT's claims are legitimate or not.

......isn't the whole point of being in a Trade Union that united you stand? Not just issues that affect you personally? I think it just further serves to demonstrate that the whole thing was just showboating by those hoping to cement their positions at the top of the Union.

Exactly,  If I thought there was good reason to strike I would however on this occasion I think the RMT had got it completely wrong and infact have probably left some of its members worse off as I believe there were things tabled such as travel perks which were rejected by the RMT. 
As you said, there are certain people trying to cement their positions within the union at the cost of its members.

No extra perks were tabled for FGW members. The only 'perk' was 4 days (a year) of leisure travel for Mitie workers.

[Chris from Nailsea]

No extra perks were tabled for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) members. The only 'perk' was 4 days (a year) of leisure travel for Mitie workers.

Wot??  They're allowed four days a year off - for leisure!? 



I am posting  , by the way - lest it be misunderstood.

[SDS]

Currently they (Mitie) get 0 days of free leisure travel on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) despite cleaning them. They get no PRIV facilities neither.
Even staff from other FG TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) get 8 boxes (16 days) for use on other FG TOCs. I do believe the cleaners/train presentation staff for FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) and FSR^▸ (First Scot Rail) get staff facilities.

[Southern Stag]

I do believe the cleaners/train presentation staff for FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) and FSR^▸ (First Scot Rail) get staff facilities.

As will any cleaners directly employed by FGW^▸ (First Great Western). I believe at least some of the overnight cleaning on depots is undertaken by staff directly employed by FGW and not contracted staff. 

[Btline]

Once again, the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are holding this country to ransom as this abominable strike action will paralyse the capital.

Commuters up and down the capital will be urging TFL^▸ (Transport for London) to hold by their guns and speed up their programme of automation and cut jobs faster. The government will be under pressure to ban striking on essential public services. Do the workers really this? Striking will be counter productive!

In other news, the Heathrow Express will be affected. How will it cope?

[ChrisB]

Different strike....half hourly service, I think I saw mentioned

[ellendune]

Once again, the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are holding this country to ransom as this abominable strike action will paralyse the capital.

London is only a small part of this country even though it likes to think it is all of it.  Many of us will be totally unaffected by this action and not a little annoyed that London thinks itself so important that we should be bothered.

Commuters up and down the capital will be urging TFL^▸ (Transport for London) to hold by their guns and speed up their programme of automation and cut jobs faster. The government will be under pressure to ban striking on essential public services. Do the workers really this? Striking will be counter productive!

I would caution thinking that all others will agree with you.  I suspect opinions will be more divided that you think.

In other news, the Heathrow Express will be affected. How will it cope?

On that one I have some sympathy

[SDS]

Once again, the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are holding this country to ransom as this abominable strike action will paralyse the capital.

Commuters up and down the capital will be urging TFL^▸ (Transport for London) to hold by their guns and speed up their programme of automation and cut jobs faster. The government will be under pressure to ban striking on essential public services. Do the workers really this? Striking will be counter productive!

In other news, the Heathrow Express will be affected. How will it cope?

Oh look lets default to the Daily Mail stance and sod all those who think different. Get out in the real world and actually look behind the PR^▸ (Public Relations) spin and bluster from TfL^» (Transport for London - about) and Boris's Lies.
Automated train, okay.
There is smoke coming from the underside of the carriage. You've pulled the alarm, Train stops in Zone 4 station. Its unstaffed thanks to the new (Mobile Group Station) Supervisor having to cover 10 stations. The MGSS is miles away and prob at least 30 min drive away. What Next?

Your Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)/freedom pass screws up, fails to register or breaks or you have an incomplete journey what next? Well you cant go to a ticket office as thanks to automation the ticket office has been shut and turned into an amazon locker. The POMs (Passenger Operated Machines) are their normal self and refuse to play ball. The fabled staff member with an iPad is on break. What Next?

The HeX strike is completly different to the TfL strike. But of course any employee who is in fear of being sacked or downgraded in order to pay for BAA (Ferroival) dividends is lucky they have a job according to the Daily Mail. How dare they strike to protect their jobs!!! How dare they affect the salaries of the big corporate bosses and the [non english] shareholders.

[bobm]

Different strike....half hourly service, I think I saw mentioned

Indeed - from the front page of the Heathrow Express website 

Services will continue during the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) strike on April 29 and April 30.

Trains will depart Paddington at 10 and 40 minutes past the hour, and Heathrow at 12 and 42 minutes past the hour.

[tom m]

I am almost certain there will be no Heathrow connect so we can expect the TV services from Hayes to padd to be busy and I imagine people will be looking to use the mainline from ealing Broadway too instead of the tube.

[Network SouthEast]

Correct, there will be no Heathrow Connect service in operation during the Heathrow Express strike.

A point frequently forgotten in the London Underground strikes is that automated trains won't stop strike action. A lot of the disruption during next weeks strikes will be as a result of having insufficient staff to keep the deep level stations open to comply with fire regulations. Then there's the backend staff, maintenance crew etc...