Railway union workers industrial and strike action - 2022

[whole diary]

[Richard Fairhurst]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) is suggesting that many services have been reinstated tomorrow on the Cotswold Line, at least:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:CBY/2022-11-07/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

A cursory check suggests that several other lines have had some service reinstated (e.g. South Cotswolds, TransWilts), but that it's pretty skeletal on a few (e.g. North Downs, Banbury stoppers).

[stuving]

There will be efforts put inplace to get staff rosters chnaged, but it is better to say Monday may not be a full service and over deliver than promise a normal service and under deliver

I can see it might take 24 hours notice for a simpler metro-style service, and 48 hours for long-distance routes where trains and crews have longer cycle times. And if there's a residue of disruption on Monday morning ... well, we know the railway is a big complicated cumbersome and inflexible beast. But GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s current advice looks unimpressive by any measure:

Planned industrial action on Monday 7 & Wednesday 9 November has been cancelled. Unfortunately, with less than 12 hours notice before the strikes were due to start, it is too late to restore normal timetables on Monday 7 & Tuesday 8 November. Our advice remains to only travel by rail if absolutely necessary.
-
Train services will still be severely disrupted and some parts of the GWR network will have no service at all. Where trains are running, an extremely limited service will operate.
-
Where trains are able to run, they are expected to be extremely busy and we are not able to provide bus replacement services.
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Customers are advised to find alternative ways to travel on Monday 7 November. Only travel by train if absolutely necessary. A reduced timetable will be in operation and many routes will have no services at all.
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We are working hard to restore the normal timetable from Wednesday 9 November. However, customers planning to travel on either Tuesday 8 or Wednesday 9 November are advised to check their entire journey before travelling.

That's 12 hours notice, but before a strike start four days earlier!

[old original]

Hourly on the Falmouth & St Ives also hourly shuttle Penzance to Newton Abbot....  better than nothing

[Richard Fairhurst]

Bit confusing this morning - the departure boards were saying that several up trains would run on the Cotswold Line, but in fact nothing has run so far. Looks like the first one will be the 08.56 from Great Malvern which RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) is showing as being on its way.

Next question is whether anything will run this evening...

[grahame]

Bit confusing this morning - the departure boards were saying that several up trains would run on the Cotswold Line, but in fact nothing has run so far. Looks like the first one will be the 08.56 from Great Malvern which RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) is showing as being on its way.

Basically it's a mess - data all over the place ...



BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) headline - "Train passengers told to check before travelling on Monday" - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63522511

[Hafren]

I wonder how all this works with compensation. I planned to work from home because of the strike, and claim the lost day's use of season ticket as instructed. Strike was cancelled but potentially too late for service on Monday. Trains reappeared in RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) late last night, but I decided it was too late to change plans, and stuck with plan to work from home. Perhaps still claimable as we were told to expect disruption, but automatic systems might not approve it.

Checking SWA^» (Swansea - next trains), there were some problems e.g. delays and non-reports, and not the 'full' service running, but not too bad.

Bit confusing this morning - the departure boards were saying that several up trains would run on the Cotswold Line, but in fact nothing has run so far. Looks like the first one will be the 08.56 from Great Malvern which RTT is showing as being on its way.

Next question is whether anything will run this evening...

Shows the need to under-promise and over-deliver in this situation. As is often the case, understandable that problems arose, but not great that a reinstatement was advertised and then couldn't be delivered.

[the void]

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/rail-rmt-strike-suspension-cancellation-b2218879.html

Suggestion that this might be a new RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) tactic. Announce a strike, but call it off at the very last minute, knowing it's too late to reinstate services. All the disruption with no loss of pay for members.

[nickswift99]

I wonder how all this works with compensation. I planned to work from home because of the strike, and claim the lost day's use of season ticket as instructed. Strike was cancelled but potentially too late for service on Monday. Trains reappeared in RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) late last night, but I decided it was too late to change plans, and stuck with plan to work from home. Perhaps still claimable as we were told to expect disruption, but automatic systems might not approve it.

Checking SWA^» (Swansea - next trains), there were some problems e.g. delays and non-reports, and not the 'full' service running, but not too bad.

Bit confusing this morning - the departure boards were saying that several up trains would run on the Cotswold Line, but in fact nothing has run so far. Looks like the first one will be the 08.56 from Great Malvern which RTT is showing as being on its way.

Next question is whether anything will run this evening...

Shows the need to under-promise and over-deliver in this situation. As is often the case, understandable that problems arose, but not great that a reinstatement was advertised and then couldn't be delivered.

The advice on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s website for today and tomorrow (Tuesday) remains to avoid travel. On that basis I've not travelled and submitted a claim for today. The language used on their website is the same as previous strike days for which I received compensation.

[Electric train]

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/rail-rmt-strike-suspension-cancellation-b2218879.html

Suggestion that this might be a new RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) tactic. Announce a strike, but call it off at the very last minute, knowing it's too late to reinstate services. All the disruption with no loss of pay for members.

Only the staff that would have normally been rostered as part of their normal turns of duty.

I doubt that a Union would use calling off of a strike at short notice as a tactic they would use in the dispute, it would be the quickest route for them to end up in Court, also if used too often the employers could be issuing warnings to staff for failing to turn up for duty a very quick way to tee off your members.  The Unions must have felt fairly confident that progress had been made in the talks with the employers to call of the industrial action 

[bobm]

Bit confusing this morning - the departure boards were saying that several up trains would run on the Cotswold Line, but in fact nothing has run so far. Looks like the first one will be the 08.56 from Great Malvern which RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) is showing as being on its way.

Basically it's a mess - data all over the place ...



BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) headline - "Train passengers told to check before travelling on Monday" - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63522511

It is not brilliant - but there isn't a simple answer.  Leave things as they were so the earlier messages remain, and are clear, but be criticised for doing nothing or try to add services back as resources are available.

It isn't a problem unique to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).  There was some confusion between differing websites about some SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) services this morning.

[grahame]

It is not brilliant - but there isn't a simple answer.  Leave things as they were so the earlier messages remain, and are clear, but be criticised for doing nothing or try to add services back as resources are available.

It isn't a problem unique to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).  There was some confusion between differing websites about some SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) services this morning.

I know - I chose to leave it as was on the Coffee Shop and not attempt a "special". 

Much more of concern was the printed notice still on display (on a mobile stand that could have been wheeled away thought about it!) telling people - lunchtime Saturday - about the strikes that day and on Monday and Wednesday.  Out of date and misleading - better to take it away that provide wrong information or even (the circumstances) a handwritten or printed A4 sheet on top saying "being updated".   Great admiration for certain tube stations where a good old fashioned whiteboard ...

[ChrisB]

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/rail-rmt-strike-suspension-cancellation-b2218879.html

Suggestion that this might be a new RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) tactic. Announce a strike, but call it off at the very last minute, knowing it's too late to reinstate services. All the disruption with no loss of pay for members.

Only the staff that would have normally been rostered as part of their normal turns of duty.

I doubt that a Union would use calling off of a strike at short notice as a tactic they would use in the dispute, it would be the quickest route for them to end up in Court, also if used too often the employers could be issuing warnings to staff for failing to turn up for duty a very quick way to tee off your members.  The Unions must have felt fairly confident that progress had been made in the talks with the employers to call of the industrial action 

Well....the proof of this will surely be in the pudding as we'll shortly find out if there is indeed an offer made.

The delay in restoring services is down to rosters of crew & trains, which may be in the wrong place - no trains Saturday, very few movements Sunday with early finish on some routes still going in as planned for the Monday strike plus possible maintenance calls with Hitachi. Staff rosters have to be notified to all staff well in advance (once they've been worked out, meaning weekend working by staff who may not have been available at no notice, being firework weekend) - at least 72 hours and possibly longer. If you are rostered for a 0330 start, you don't want to find out the night before.....

But Wednesday really ought to be a full service frankly

[bobm]

If you are rostered for a 0330 start, you don't want to find out the night before.....

…..when you are on your second pint in the pub”

To paraphrase a rail friend of mine. 

[ChrisB]

Having said all that, all depots should have a 'Master Roster' which I believe is set to roster everyone for a standard timetable, including rest days. Holidays will have been banned during the strike week too, I understand, so the quickest & easiest way of restoring at least somewhat of a normal service would for the roster management team to implement that, and then set to work rostering anything else out of the standard pattern.

This I believe is how C2C & Greater Anglia got almost their full timetable up & running today, with SouthEastern not far behind. Why others couldn't/wouldn't do that, I don't know.

Of course, there may have been stock issues too, but at least something of a reasonable offer might have been possible.

[grahame]

From GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and NR^» (Network Rail - home page) last night at 18:30 - circular I'm sure but headed "dear Graham"

Following Friday’s late notice postponement of strike action by the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers), TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) and Unite unions, our teams have been working hard to reinstate services and we ran more services than originally planned today. A reduced timetable with services starting later than usual will remain in place for tomorrow (Tuesday 8th).
 
Our normal timetable will resume from Wednesday 9th November (previously planned to be a strike day).
 
Services for tomorrow and Wednesday are already in online journey planners. Customers should check before they travel in case there are any short-notice changes using www.gwr.com/check. 
 
Customers with tickets for the proposed strike days who have now chosen to change their travel plans will be entitled to a full refund, or use their existing ticket on services up to and including Friday 11th November. Full information can be found at www.gwr.com/strike. 
 
If there is anything we can do to help, please get in touch.

Sanity has returned to our disruption map

First train (Melksham) showing at the 07:53 to Swindon, so the 05:33, 06:36 and 07:21 remain "cancelled" as far as the passenger is concerned, although they probably won't show up in the failure stats making those stats look better than they really are.   First southbound train 09:10.