RMT strike action - change of date

[Vespa]

The strikes has forced me to use my car instead of going by train, my leisurecplans has been modified as a result, I have one more trip either using coach or car as neccessary to London, a premier inn non refundable booking, it was booked well in advance of the train strikes starting.

I'm not confident of booking anything until this is resolved.

 

[RM-Taylor]

Booked to travel down to London on the 9th and back on the 10th. I’m guessing this will now not be possible

 

[footprints]

Booked to travel down to London on the 9th and back on the 10th. I’m guessing this will now not be possible

Could still be okay. Some trains are still running from 8am-6pm or so on RMT strike days. It's only really Aslef who are wiping out services altogether.

 

[Adam Williams]

Are the TSSA still striking on the 3rd, or is this expected to also change in line with Poppy Day?

 

[Magdalen Road]

Are there likely to be strikes week of 17rh November?
Need to go from London to Wakefield then Wakefield to Ely a few days later.
(Travel sickness aside) There is a coach from Victoria to Wakefield (then taxi) 6 hours and will need to leave work early. The way back ...well, it's headache inducing. Unless I can manage a 2am interchange at Milton Keynes to Cambridge (then ?taxi to Ely), it's a 5 hour trip back to London then as yet unknown method back.
I can't travel on a different week as it's a course for work.

 

[MikeWM]

Can't you just book cancellable dates. That's what I've done. So far I've dodged a bullet with what I've booked.....except for one trip at the end of September that I cancelled because it clashed with a strike day, only for the strike itself to be cancelled!

I could try, but it costs quite a bit more too, and it makes the whole thing rather complex. Eg. if I'm staying in A on day 1 and B on day 2, and there is a strike declared for day 2, do I try to get from A to B anyway somehow, or do I cancel A (and try to find a pricey last-minute replacement at B for day 2), or cancel B (and try to find a pricey last-minute replacement for A for day 1), or... Way too much hassle for what is meant to be an enjoyable few days away.

And if you end up cancelling the whole trip because rearranging is too much hassle or too difficult or too expensive, you've then got a week booked off work with nothing to do.

 

[STINT47]

Does anyone know why TOC staff are striking on one day and not all three? I don't want to open a debate about the pros and cons of the strikes I'm just curious why they are different from Network Rail.

 

[Bantamzen]

Does anyone know why TOC staff are striking on one day and not all three? I don't want to open a debate about the pros and cons of the strikes I'm just curious why they are different from Network Rail.

Probably to maximise disruption whilst not maximising impact on striking staff. In effect this type of disruption causes issues for 5, or even 6 days (this is the 3 days with actual strikes, plus the days inbetween and possible the subsiquent day) whilst not losing too much staff support through lost wages.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Does anyone know why TOC staff are striking on one day and not all three? I don't want to open a debate about the pros and cons of the strikes I'm just curious why they are different from Network Rail.

Probably because TOCs are at a stalemate with no talks realistically taking place. NR are saying they will force through change whether the union accepts it's proposals or not so perhaps RMT are looking to push harder on that side currently. Isn't the 3 NR dates just for maintenance teams? Or have I read it wrong

 

[matthewjohnson]

I've also read that the TSSA are planning "action short of a strike" throughout the whole of November. What does this mean in practice?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I've also read that the TSSA are planning "action short of a strike" throughout the whole of November. What does this mean in practice?

It’s means working no overtime.

Controls are manned by TSSA staff so they’re maybe shifts uncovered which necessitates a reduced service.

Timetable planning is done by TSSA staff so they will struggle to process late changes caused by a strike and complete the timetables in time. What usually happens then is this is passed to control for completion on the day, however noting that control are also part of the same Union this quite quickly becomes a vicious circle with basically nobody to plan or deliver the train service.

End result is a struggle to get timetables complete and so tickets can only be opened for reservation last minute.

 

[matthewjohnson]

Hmm. Well given that the two main operators in my area are TP and Northern I probably won't notice much difference!

 

[High Dyke]

Does anyone know why TOC staff are striking on one day and not all three? I don't want to open a debate about the pros and cons of the strikes I'm just curious why they are different from Network Rail.

Originally TOC staff were out on 3rd & 5th only, with Network Rail on 3rd, 5th and 7th. The change from the 3rd to the 9th initially affected Network Rail, but in the last few minutes, industrial action on the 9th has been added to the TOC dates. I also understand that Unite are taking action on different days which certainly affects East Midlands Railway services.

 

[uglymonkey]

Great , I'd booked a day's holiday to go into London on the 10th to do some stuff. Thanks a lot guys

 

[trainophile]

The strikes has forced me to use my car instead of going by train, my leisurecplans has been modified as a result, I have one more trip either using coach or car as neccessary to London, a premier inn non refundable booking, it was booked well in advance of the train strikes starting.

I'm not confident of booking anything until this is resolved.

I believe Premier Inn will let you amend your booking to a different date even when booked as non-refundable. Might be worth looking into, rather than lose your money.

 

[Andyh82]

I believe Premier Inn will let you amend your booking to a different date even when booked as non-refundable. Might be worth looking into, rather than lose your money.

They do, but only at the price the different night is now available for, which at short notice may be considerably more expensive

 

[John Bishop]

Unusual for a strike thread to be left to run. Thanks Mods.

 

[43066]

Great , I'd booked a day's holiday to go into London on the 10th to do some stuff. Thanks a lot guys

It’s certainly regrettable that you’ve been inconvenienced, yes.

Keep in mind the staff involved, including many not on high wages, are losing a day’s pay during a cost of living crisis. Clearly they must feel they have no alternative…

 

[Bald Rick]

Booked to travel down to London on the 9th and back on the 10th. I’m guessing this will now not be possible

Depends where you are starting from and what time.

Are the TSSA still striking on the 3rd, or is this expected to also change in line with Poppy Day?

yes, 3rd cancelled By TSSA

Are there likely to be strikes week of 17rh November?

Anyone’s guess. In my view unlikely though. Strikes have typically been one round per pay packet, and the 17th is too close to this round on 5th-10th.

 

[Techniquest]

I'd never heard of Poppy Day until this thread, and so far I have seen no sale of poppies which is unusual. Mind you, I barely saw it last year either!

I am glad the strikes on the 3rd are not happening though, and it is thankfully only the 5th that will affect me. I'm going to be in Winsford, Cheshire visiting family on that day, and from what I've seen so far there's going to be no trains from there all day.

Do we know when timetables for anything running on the 5th will be revealed? I'm a little annoyed at all these strikes being announced, I was considering jetting off next week but changed it for a completely different adventure in the UK instead. Part of me is starting to wish I'd gone for the revisit of New York after all!

 

[Magdalen Road]

It’s certainly regrettable that you’ve been inconvenienced, yes.

Keep in mind the staff involved, including many not on high wages, are losing a day’s pay during a cost of living crisis. Clearly they must feel they have no alternative…

I'm also losing money by using up annual leave on days that I cannot get to work. One of my colleagues has caring commitments and is now cancelling holiday to use the annual leave for strike action days. She'll be on to unpaid leave next because she can't make the days up. As will I. I do have sympathy for the rail staff but between strike action and engineering works, the stress is making me ill.

 

[Starmill]

I'd never heard of Poppy Day until this thread, and so far I have seen no sale of poppies which is unusual. Mind you, I barely saw it last year either!

I guess you don't live in or near London? Therefore it's probably not an enormous surprise you've never heard of London Poppy Day.

 

[Mag_seven]

If anyone has any specific journey queries as a result of the revised RMT strike dates then please post them in the trip planning and reports section.

Thanks all.