CrossCountry anticipated disruption Summer 2019

[221129]

Just a heads up that there will be a significantly reduced CrossCountry service on Sunday 4th August, but also likely to extend to significant short term cancellations during the rest of the week from Thursday onwards.

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/industrial-action

 

[43055]

Thank you for the heads up. Do you know if this is a long term thing for a one off. I am planning to travel from Burton to Cheltenham and back next Tuesday and I've seen on Twitter that the strike continues until 2359 on Tuesday.

 

[gazzaa2]

Cross Country trains are rammed at the best of times due to a lack of capacity/carriages, the first weekend in August is worse with people going on trips and holidays so that'll be fun. They'll be packed out on the Saturday anyway.

 

[221129]

Thank you for the heads up. Do you know if this is a long term thing for a one off. I am planning to travel from Burton to Cheltenham and back next Tuesday and I've seen on Twitter that the strike continues until 2359 on Tuesday.

There is no strike. It's an overtime ban which currently runs from 0001 on 1st August until 2359 on the 6th August. But I would expect more to follow.

 

[Sleepy]

Given the frequent cancellations on XC normally suspect overtime ban will really bite !!

 

[Class 170101]

No ticket acceptance on Southern / SWT for Reading to Bournemouth, LNER between Doncaster and Leeds / Edinburgh, LM and Virgin between Worcester and Edinburgh / Glasgow or East Midlands between Derby / Nottingham and Sheffield as yet so this won't be making journeys easy.

 

[43055]

There is no strike. It's an overtime ban which currently runs from 0001 on 1st August until 2359 on the 6th August. But I would expect more to follow.

Ah ok. Thank you for correcting me. How would this effect the service the days then in terms of cancellations/service level?

 

[father_jack]

Ah ok. Thank you for correcting me. How would this effect the service the days then in terms of cancellations/service level?

You are a victim of much discussed and debated huge failings in the rail industry. A reliance on overtime in general and (not necessarily in this case) Sunday not being mandatory as no extra rest day gets given in the week causes the service to be decimated at the slightest amount of dispute.

Some managers will "work" (or get told to) to keep things going ,which entrenches things more so it will depend on the day what operates.

 

[bb21]

No ticket acceptance on Southern / SWT for Reading to Bournemouth, LNER between Doncaster and Leeds / Edinburgh, LM and Virgin between Worcester and Edinburgh / Glasgow or East Midlands between Derby / Nottingham and Sheffield as yet so this won't be making journeys easy.

Probably still being arranged if this action has been announced late.

 

[Geswedey]

There is nothing wrong with staff refusing to work overtime, if a company rail or otherwise can't cover shifts without overtime the employer is in the wrong not the employee if the advertised service can't be provided (rostered Sundays a different matter in my opinion, if you take a job where Sunday is outside the working week it should be worked by the rostered member of staff unless cover can be found)

 

[LAX54]

There is nothing wrong with staff refusing to work overtime, if a company rail or otherwise can't cover shifts without overtime the employer is in the wrong not the employee if the advertised service can't be provided (rostered Sundays a different matter in my opinion, if you take a job where Sunday is outside the working week it should be worked by the rostered member of staff unless cover can be found)

And for Network Rail Signalmen, that is the general rule, if you are rostered, unless cover can be found you must work it, Sunday is not in the 'working week' but it is covered by the same rules, sort of cake and eat it for the Railway , now, if you are for some reason, not required on a 'booked' Sunday, you can be told not to come in, and of course not paid either, this happens quite a bit when Christmas falls on a Sunday.

 

[Bromley boy]

(rostered Sundays a different matter in my opinion, if you take a job where Sunday is outside the working week it should be worked by the rostered member of staff unless cover can be found)

Committed Sundays is the arrangement at some TOCs, but not others.

If you take a job where your normal T’s and C’s don’t require you to work Sundays, then Sundays are also voluntary overtime. Why on earth should you have to work them if no cover is available?

If the TOC either a. Fails to employ enough drivers, or b. Fails to incentivise them sufficiently to work Sundays that’s down to TOC management rather than individual staff.

 

[221129]

Just to add that the dispute is with all RMT grades. Sonhas potential to cause a fair bit of disruption.

 

[class 9]

And for Network Rail Signalmen, that is the general rule, if you are rostered, unless cover can be found you must work it, Sunday is not in the 'working week' but it is covered by the same rules, sort of cake and eat it for the Railway , now, if you are for some reason, not required on a 'booked' Sunday, you can be told not to come in, and of course not paid either, this happens quite a bit when Christmas falls on a Sunday.

Same with XC Drivers.
The downside of this essentially 'forced' overtime, is that if you need the day off for something important, you can't take a Leave day as it's outside the working week and if you can't get it covered you are snookered!

 

[GoneSouth]

More of the same from XC! Thanks for making my plans to visit family impossible this weekend.

End this franchise now and start again... PLEASE! Premium pricing, utter garbage service (not blaming staff here, but there does seem to be very poor management in this organisation).

Where is the road replacement transport?

If only we had the competition we were promised under privatisation then people travelling from Cheltenham to Derby or Bristol to Sheffield (and many other destinations) might still be able to go about their business. As it is, this action virtually cuts off links between Bristol/Cheltenham and Birmingham.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Likely the same issue coming up with TPE. Heavily reliant on rest day workers especially with new traction and route training coming up and the holiday roster in full swing but the productivity negotiations have failed, and with the enhanced rest day and Sunday payments now being withdrawn I expect an overtime ban will follow shortly.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Anyone who says the rail industry has competition is talking rubbish. Ok, so some routes (EDB-YRK, EUS-BHM) has direct competition between TOCs but how can a geographical franchise generate competition within itself?

One job role now has 25+ pay, terms and conditions variations from TOC to TOC, not to mention the internal variations. Every time a franchise map is redrawn staff need to TUPE over then the differences in T's & C's and harmonisation starts. one union group will get upset because members in a different branch is getting a better pay grade. In this respect the rail industry is in a mess and fragmentation isn't helping one bit. Without a nationwide harmonisation and standardisation of the grade and the roles within that grade, disputes such as this will long continue and I don't blame my fraternal colleagues for obviously pushing for what they deem is fair and reasonable for its members of staff.

 

[PartyOperator]

Anyone who says the rail industry has competition is talking rubbish. Ok, so some routes (EDB-YRK, EUS-BHM) has direct competition between TOCs but how can a geographical franchise generate competition within itself?

Bristol to Cheltenham has direct GWR and XC services, plus a separate route via the Severn Tunnel. Tickets from Bristol Temple Meads to Cheltenham cost half as much as Cheltenham to Birmingham New Street despite mostly being the same XC trains going the same distance. I'm sure it's not only competition behind this difference, but it must help.

 

[Revilo]

Competition is (or should be) mainly for the franchise at the outset, rather than between specific routes

 

[GoneSouth]

Bristol to Cheltenham has direct GWR and XC services, plus a separate route via the Severn Tunnel. Tickets from Bristol Temple Meads to Cheltenham cost half as much as Cheltenham to Birmingham New Street despite mostly being the same XC trains going the same distance. I'm sure it's not only competition behind this difference, but it must help.

Correct, and very irritating to have no option but cough up the ridiculous XC fares on all their routes... truly awful TOC

 

[XC victim]

It looks as though it really is going to be a bare minimum service on Sunday, only 5 services between Birmingham and Leeds and 6 services between Birmingham and Manchester

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/industrial-action

 

[43055]

No ticket acceptance on Southern / SWT for Reading to Bournemouth, LNER between Doncaster and Leeds / Edinburgh, LM and Virgin between Worcester and Edinburgh / Glasgow or East Midlands between Derby / Nottingham and Sheffield as yet so this won't be making journeys easy.

Most of these companies have been added today. The page is being updated most of the time. I've noticed a additional Plymouth to Birmingham service has been added this afternoon.

Some managers will "work" (or get told to) to keep things going ,which entrenches things more so it will depend on the day what operates.

Not a problem. I will keep looking to see how things are running as journey check should give a good idea on which changes are being made.

 

[swt_passenger]

More of the same from XC! Thanks for making my plans to visit family impossible this weekend.

End this franchise now and start again... PLEASE! Premium pricing, utter garbage service (not blaming staff here, but there does seem to be very poor management in this organisation).

How would a different franchise solve the Sunday working problem?

 

[Geswedey]

Committed Sundays is the arrangement at some TOCs, but not others.

If you take a job where your normal T’s and C’s don’t require you to work Sundays, then Sundays are also voluntary overtime. Why on earth should you have to work them if no cover is available?

If the TOC either a. Fails to employ enough drivers, or b. Fails to incentivise them sufficiently to work Sundays that’s down to TOC management rather than individual staff.

I should have been clearer if you apply for a job as I did and the terms and conditions stated that Sunday working was required but was outside the working week you would be expected to work them (we don't have to even if there is no cover if the Sunday falls within a period of leave) however if they are purely voluntary then I agree with you.

 

[Bromley boy]

I should have been clearer if you apply for a job as I did and the terms and conditions stated that Sunday working was required but was outside the working week you would be expected to work them (we don't have to even if there is no cover if the Sunday falls within a period of leave) however if they are purely voluntary then I agree with you.

In that case, I completely agree.

 

[Tetchytyke]

One job role now has 25+ pay, terms and conditions variations from TOC to TOC, not to mention the internal variations. Every time a franchise map is redrawn staff need to TUPE over then the differences in T's & C's and harmonisation starts. one union group will get upset because members in a different branch is getting a better pay grade.

Ironic, innit, that the privatisation the RMT are so against and the Tories so adore is the biggest driver of wage inflation in the industry.

 

[221129]

I can see this being a messy dispute if I'm honest. Quite possibly a repeat of winter 17/18

 

[Jamesrob637]

I can see this being a messy dispute if I'm honest. Quite possibly a repeat of winter 17/18

That brought double Vomiters into MAN albeit on a reduced frequency. I think MAN-BHM actually had the same number of carriages per hour albeit condensed into one long train rather than two shorter trains!

 

[scotraildriver]

There is nothing wrong with staff refusing to work overtime, if a company rail or otherwise can't cover shifts without overtime the employer is in the wrong not the employee if the advertised service can't be provided (rostered Sundays a different matter in my opinion, if you take a job where Sunday is outside the working week it should be worked by the rostered member of staff unless cover can be found)

Thats what happens at Scotrail. You HAVE, and are conracted to, work your rostered Sundays although they are paid as overtiime. The confusion arises with the public as they assume "overtime" means "voluntary". Its the same at alot of TOCs but people hear that Sundays are staffed fully on overtime and assume that means everyone working Sundays is a volunteer. We can cover the services with rostered Sundays but with holidays and sickness sometimes volunteers are required to maintain the service. But thats no different to any other day.

 

[43055]

That brought double Vomiters into MAN albeit on a reduced frequency. I think MAN-BHM actually had the same number of carriages per hour albeit condensed into one long train rather than two shorter trains!

On the other hand the Derby to Cheltenham corridor had one train every 2 to 3 hours on what is normally a 3 to 4 train per hour service. I can remember a Train Manager being confused about the amount of people waiting to go to Birmingham from Derby after a 3 hour wait in which a good number could not get on the train.