Railway staff unions industrial and strike action - 2023

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

A light drop in turnout which was 84% last time, but support does still remain very strong.  Whether that will be the case if there’s a re-ballot in six months remains far from certain IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).

[ChrisB]

There appears to be no ballot results shown in that ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) press release for Chiltern. I wonder why?

Also, of those shown, only GTR Thameslink seems to be losing support for strike action, now down to 85%

[TaplowGreen]

A light drop in turnout which was 84% last time, but support does still remain very strong.  Whether that will be the case if there’s a re-ballot in six months remains far from certain IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).

It may be easier to find a compromise (in the case of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)) if the somewhat boneheaded insistence by the Union of an "unconditional" pay rise is dropped. They are going to have to accept that getting something for nothing is not going to happen - perhaps as you have suggested clarification on which ticket offices are to go and which remain would be useful and something which may provide something to work on - if a significant/greater than expected number remain open it may be something Bruvver Mick could present as a "victory" which along with perhaps a very slight increase in the pay offer would get it over the line?

[ellendune]

A light drop in turnout which was 84% last time, but support does still remain very strong.  Whether that will be the case if there’s a re-ballot in six months remains far from certain IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).

It may be easier to find a compromise (in the case of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)) if the somewhat boneheaded insistence by the Union of an "unconditional" pay rise is dropped. They are going to have to accept that getting something for nothing is not going to happen - perhaps as you have suggested clarification on which ticket offices are to go and which remain would be useful and something which may provide something to work on - if a significant/greater than expected number remain open it may be something Bruvver Mick could present as a "victory" which along with perhaps a very slight increase in the pay offer would get it over the line?

I may have got this wrong, but my recollection was not that it had to be unconditional, but it must not depend on unspecified and unknown conditions that had not been negotiated.  Something on the lines of accept "x% and you agree to any change in conditions we might dream up in the next few months". That is very different.  I wouldn't accept a deal which had conditions that did not know about. Would you?

[TaplowGreen]

A light drop in turnout which was 84% last time, but support does still remain very strong.  Whether that will be the case if there’s a re-ballot in six months remains far from certain IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).

It may be easier to find a compromise (in the case of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)) if the somewhat boneheaded insistence by the Union of an "unconditional" pay rise is dropped. They are going to have to accept that getting something for nothing is not going to happen - perhaps as you have suggested clarification on which ticket offices are to go and which remain would be useful and something which may provide something to work on - if a significant/greater than expected number remain open it may be something Bruvver Mick could present as a "victory" which along with perhaps a very slight increase in the pay offer would get it over the line?

I may have got this wrong, but my recollection was not that it had to be unconditional, but it must not depend on unspecified and unknown conditions that had not been negotiated.  Something on the lines of accept "x% and you agree to any change in conditions we might dream up in the next few months". That is very different.  I wouldn't accept a deal which had conditions that did not know about. Would you?

I refer you to replies 548, 549, 552 & 554 on this very thread.

This will help too (3rd para)

https://www.itv.com/news/2023-02-10/rmt-union-rejects-latest-dreadful-offer-amid-rail-dispute

[Red Squirrel]

Do we think that either party actually wants to resolve this dispute?

[TaplowGreen]

Do we think that either party actually wants to resolve this dispute?

Fair point and good question.

I don't think the Government is too bothered as it's having very little effect beyond inconvenience and isn't going to lose them many votes - people are simply finding alternatives.

Of the Unions, Lynch is happy to use it as a vehicle for his own profile & political grandstanding - he's clearly enjoying the attention.

In many ways, two cheeks of the same arse?

[IndustryInsider]

A light drop in turnout which was 84% last time, but support does still remain very strong.  Whether that will be the case if there’s a re-ballot in six months remains far from certain IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).

It may be easier to find a compromise (in the case of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)) if the somewhat boneheaded insistence by the Union of an "unconditional" pay rise is dropped. They are going to have to accept that getting something for nothing is not going to happen - perhaps as you have suggested clarification on which ticket offices are to go and which remain would be useful and something which may provide something to work on - if a significant/greater than expected number remain open it may be something Bruvver Mick could present as a "victory" which along with perhaps a very slight increase in the pay offer would get it over the line?

To my knowledge ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) have never made any demand that a pay rise would be “unconditional”.

[TaplowGreen]

A light drop in turnout which was 84% last time, but support does still remain very strong.  Whether that will be the case if there’s a re-ballot in six months remains far from certain IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion).

It may be easier to find a compromise (in the case of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)) if the somewhat boneheaded insistence by the Union of an "unconditional" pay rise is dropped. They are going to have to accept that getting something for nothing is not going to happen - perhaps as you have suggested clarification on which ticket offices are to go and which remain would be useful and something which may provide something to work on - if a significant/greater than expected number remain open it may be something Bruvver Mick could present as a "victory" which along with perhaps a very slight increase in the pay offer would get it over the line?

To my knowledge ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) have never made any demand that a pay rise would be “unconditional”.

That would be why I stated specifically "in the case of the RMT"

[ellendune]

I refer you to replies 548, 549, 552 & 554 on this very thread.

This will help too (3rd para)

https://www.itv.com/news/2023-02-10/rmt-union-rejects-latest-dreadful-offer-amid-rail-dispute

Unfortunately if you select the option to have the most recent posts at the top they are numbered from the top. So it is very difficult to identify which posts you refer to. 

[IndustryInsider]

That would be why I stated specifically "in the case of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)"

For some reason you quoted my post about the ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) ballot to make that point so I was taking the opportunity to clarify that ASLEF haven’t made that demand as of yet. 

For the record, I agree that it’s a ridiculous demand from the RMT, though I haven’t heard it made recently, and the article you quoted at https://www.itv.com/news/2023-02-10/rmt-union-rejects-latest-dreadful-offer-amid-rail-dispute is from February and concerned the now settled dispute with Network Rail. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) the settlement was not unconditional.

[Timmer]

ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) announces an overtime ban will take place the first week of July 3-8
https://twitter.com/PaulCliftonBBC/status/1670746046706663424

[ChrisB]

Second week of Wimbledon....

[BBM]

Second week of Wimbledon....

First week actually, it looks like it's later this year (but the strikes will still be a pain for spectators):

https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/atoz/schedule.html

[IndustryInsider]

There is no strike action announced yet.  This is a week of withdrawal of non-contractual overtime.