Christmas and Boxing Day trains - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

Blimey what a champagne lifestyle you railworkers have! No working over Christmas, and exotic holidays every summer! Perhaps you could get together and let the rest of us know when you can fit us in, and we'll work around that!!!

A happy New Year to you all.

I don't know what industry you work in, but like the vast majority of people I did not work on Christmas Day or Boxing Day

You make it sound like the whole of rest of the country was working over Christmas Day and Boxing Day!  It is only a very few essential services like hospitals that are working on Christmas Day and even then with the minimum of staff. Oh and the clergy worked (generally only in the morning).

On Boxing Day you can add some (but not all) of the big retailers. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

On Boxing Day you can add some (but not all) of the big retailers. 

My own employer (grocery retail) was closed on Christmas Day (legal requirement) and Boxing Day (commercial decision). 

[a-driver]

Personally I would like to see the railways shut completely from 23:59 24 Dec to 04:30 2 Jan each year, we can then go about repairing and installing new bits of railway.

I think a week in August would be better as discussed in another thread - summer hols are a moveable feast unlike Christmas, and if it's notified early enough people can make arrangements accordingly......hols, work from home etc - you haven't got everyone trying to travel at once like you do at Christmas.

At Christmas we could have whole network shut down for 8 days 2 of which currently don't have train services.  problem with August that is mid holiday season when the kids are off school so many of the works needed to do the work will want to be in Spain, Florida etc with their families.

Blimey what a champagne lifestyle you railworkers have! No working over Christmas, and exotic holidays every summer! Perhaps you could get together and let the rest of us know when you can fit us in, and we'll work around that!!!

A happy New Year to you all.

Said it before, if you want to experience this "champagne lifestyle" come and join us.  I think you'd have your eyes well and truly opened and you'll see that there really is such a thing as a railway family which is why we have this perceived lifestyle, we stick together, we look out for each other both at work and outside of work.  Something you won't experience in many other professions.

[grahame]

You make it sound like the whole of rest of the country was working over Christmas Day and Boxing Day!  It is only a very few essential services like hospitals that are working on Christmas Day and even then with the minimum of staff. ...

You can add a fair proportion of the hospitality business - we are open 365 days a year for example.   In our case, yes, minimum of staff with routine but not day-critical task deferred to other days.

[ellendune]

On Boxing Day you can add some (but not all) of the big retailers. 

My own employer (grocery retail) was closed on Christmas Day (legal requirement) and Boxing Day (commercial decision). 

I approve

[TaplowGreen]

Personally I would like to see the railways shut completely from 23:59 24 Dec to 04:30 2 Jan each year, we can then go about repairing and installing new bits of railway.

I think a week in August would be better as discussed in another thread - summer hols are a moveable feast unlike Christmas, and if it's notified early enough people can make arrangements accordingly......hols, work from home etc - you haven't got everyone trying to travel at once like you do at Christmas.

At Christmas we could have whole network shut down for 8 days 2 of which currently don't have train services.  problem with August that is mid holiday season when the kids are off school so many of the works needed to do the work will want to be in Spain, Florida etc with their families.

Blimey what a champagne lifestyle you railworkers have! No working over Christmas, and exotic holidays every summer! Perhaps you could get together and let the rest of us know when you can fit us in, and we'll work around that!!!

A happy New Year to you all.

Said it before, if you want to experience this "champagne lifestyle" come and join us.  I think you'd have your eyes well and truly opened and you'll see that there really is such a thing as a railway family which is why we have this perceived lifestyle, we stick together, we look out for each other both at work and outside of work.  Something you won't experience in many other professions.

Cool your jets young man, I wouldn't want you to blow a gasket and have even more trains cancelled due to staff unavailability! The "champagne lifestyle" line was just a joke hence the  , the only part of my post that was serious was a very sincere "Happy New Year" to all, which I repeat here! 

[chuffed]

Blimey what a champagne lifestyle you railworkers have! No working over Christmas, and exotic holidays every summer! Perhaps you could get together and let the rest of us know when you can fit us in, and we'll work around that!!!

A happy New Year to you all.  

Oh and the clergy worked (generally only in the morning).

Don't forget the organists either.. I did six services between 3pm Christmas Eve and 3pm Christmas Day.. to add to the other 15 playing engagements through December.



Edited to fix quotes. bignosemac

[ellendune]

Oh and the clergy worked (generally only in the morning).  

Don't forget the organists either.. I did six services between 3pm Christmas Eve and 3pm Christmas Day.. to add to the other 15 playing engagements through December.

As a volunteer singer who did four services between 3pm Christmas Eve and 11am Christmas Day I am certainly not forgetting organists. 

[TaplowGreen]

Oh and the clergy worked (generally only in the morning).  

Don't forget the organists either.. I did six services between 3pm Christmas Eve and 3pm Christmas Day.. to add to the other 15 playing engagements through December.

As a volunteer singer who did four services between 3pm Christmas Eve and 11am Christmas Day I am certainly not forgetting organists. 

....and don't forget the Gas/Electric/Water utility workers, Farmers, airline crew/airport staff, Local Authority staff, carers, caterers, civil servants, the military and the civilians who support them, maintenance workers,retail shop and distribution staff, pub/hospitality workers and all those who give up their time voluntarily to help those less fortunate.

[ellendune]

So what percentage of employees were in work over Christmas and Boxing Day? I would still guess is was less than 5% even on boxing day?

[TaplowGreen]

So what percentage of employees were in work over Christmas and Boxing Day? I would still guess is was less than 5% even on boxing day?

A recent survey suggested 16% on Christmas Day and 20% on Boxing Day.

[ChrisB]

I suspect the sample wasn't big enough

[TaplowGreen]

I suspect the sample wasn't big enough

Data always trumps opinion, but read it for yourself;

http://www.thinkmoney.co.uk/news-advice/are-you-working-on-christmas-day-nearly-1-in-6-of-us-are-0-4366-0.htm

[ellendune]

So what percentage of employees were in work over Christmas and Boxing Day? I would still guess is was less than 5% even on boxing day?

A recent survey suggested 16% on Christmas Day and 20% on Boxing Day.

I am surprised it is that high - but accept the figures.  I see that boxing day sales are one reason for the high number working on Christmas Day.  Is it necessary?

[TaplowGreen]

So what percentage of employees were in work over Christmas and Boxing Day? I would still guess is was less than 5% even on boxing day?

A recent survey suggested 16% on Christmas Day and 20% on Boxing Day.

I am surprised it is that high - but accept the figures.  I see that boxing day sales are one reason for the high number working on Christmas Day.  Is it necessary?

Driven by demand I guess?