Minimum service levels for passenger rail during strike action

[Llanigraham]

Can someone explain how you would get 25% service to work in a PSB / IECC / ROC?

I can't!
This is the exact reason that it isn't going to work in the signalling world.

 

[Bald Rick]

Can someone explain how you would get 25% service to work in a PSB / IECC / ROC?

that’s what happens now on strike days in many places. But first you need to define what 25% service means, hence my earlier question. Is it:

25% of the normal service on all routes all day
100% of the service on 25% of the routes, all day
50% of the service on all routes for 50% of the day
50% of the service on 50% of the routes all day

or some other combination.

Then I can tell you how it works.

 

[Class 317]

A minimum service level still leads to substantially reduced revenue which maintains the leverage withdrawing labour provided but protects access for essential uses.

I'vee experienced minimum service levels when living and working in Italy and they have implemented it as a reduced service level on most routes between 06:00 -09:00 and 18:00 - 21:00. All Trains completed thier journeys by the end of this period.

Nothing in the proposed UK legislation states a minimum number of staff required to work a MSL. I spoke to a driver in Italy as I could not understand how the MSL works and he said that the basic MSL requires a higher number of staff than you would expect to work short 3 hour shifts but nothing in excess.

In terms of IECC etc I would assume for the MSL decided upon they would require all work stations to be covered. whenever the MSL is operable eg 07:00 to 19:00.

One thing that is not clear to me or I may have missed it is would a MSL essentially cap the maximum number of trains that could run which would seem to be necessary to protect the right to strike?

 

[Watershed]

A minimum service level still leads to substantially reduced revenue which maintains the leverage withdrawing labour provided but protects access for essential uses.

I'vee experienced minimum service levels when living and working in Italy and they have implemented it as a reduced service level on most routes between 06:00 -09:00 and 18:00 - 21:00. All Trains completed thier journeys by the end of this period.

Nothing in the proposed UK legislation states a minimum number of staff required to work a MSL. I spoke to a driver in Italy as I could not understand how the MSL works and he said that the basic MSL requires a higher number of staff than you would expect to work short 3 hour shifts but nothing in excess.

In terms of IECC etc I would assume for the MSL decided upon they would require all work stations to be covered. whenever the MSL is operable eg 07:00 to 19:00.

One thing that is not clear to me or I may have missed it is would a MSL essentially cap the maximum number of trains that could run which would seem to be necessary to protect the right to strike?

This is exactly the sort of way that I'd expect a MSL to work if (as I'd favour) it guaranteed peak trains on most, if not all, lines.

 

[Wolfie]

I can't!
This is the exact reason that it isn't going to work in the signalling world.

Lord only knows how it would work on the maintenance world lol.... Routine maintenance wouldn't matter but emergency response?

 

[High Dyke]

Lord only knows how it would work on the maintenance world lol.... Routine maintenance wouldn't matter but emergency response?

Management have already helped solve that by cutting maintenance work. So now they only need a smaller reduction to comply.

 

[Bald Rick]

Lord only knows how it would work on the maintenance world lol.... Routine maintenance wouldn't matter but emergency response?

It’s fairly obvious! Same as signalling. If the line is open - you’re in !

 

[Tetchytyke]

I’m a bit surprised there has been no comment on what type of minimum service people are favouring, or example whether:

1) the whole network or some part of it (eg principal routes only)
2) open 24/7, or the ‘passenger day’, or perhaps a 12 hr day (as now in strikes)
3) a normal or reduced level service on what is open.

I get the distinct impression the politicians leading this initiative haven't given this very much consideration either.

I think any minimum service has to be a regular service on core routes, with the extremities of a network not served. Anything else makes no sense. For Intercity TOCs an hourly service (e.g. hourly London-Cardiff, London-Bristol, London-Plymouth, London-Leeds, London-Edinburgh, etc etc).

And in strike periods now we usually get something approaching that.