EMT strike

[LowLevel]

I am all for a strong union but there is no need to take the wee wee!

I wonder if the problems are the actual percentage payrise or are there some 'extras' attached to the offer that are the problem?

The strike is to express displeasure at EMT giving the drivers more than anyone else - a significant raise in the case of the shed drivers and generally widening the pay gap. They are making the point that it's not just drivers who run the railway. The only way the company has kept things moving is through greater use of the Bombardier maintained 222 fleet and LNWR at Crewe and Crown Point at Norwich taking on more maintenance work.

Unfortunately the RMT despite it's member's concerns accepted the deal and hopefully the regional organiser involved is about to be booted out of office in an election very shortly.

 

[455driver]

So its basically a 'they got more than us so we are throwing our toys out' type of dispute.

I can see the reasoning though, drivers pay rises are well ahead of everyone elses and that is just wrong especially taking into account pay rises are always % rated and as the drivers are on more in the first place then the rise is worth more in £ than the same % rise for other grades, its about time it was changed to £xxx type pay rises so everyone gets the same.

 

[LowLevel]

It was the fact they gave the drivers a very good deal indeed (especially the depot drivers) and then said there's nothing more left for anyone else so tough luck.

They did require reminding that you need more than executives and drivers to run the railway.

To be fair the industrial relations state there appears to be very poor, most grades have had some sort of dispute in the last 2 years, same for the external contractors. They went over a year without agreed rosters for their non-driving traincrew.

 

[asylumxl]

Unite are accepting much lower offers in other industry's...
Shows how strong unions are in the rail industry

We got a 1% increase this year with higher grades (management, surprise surprise) getting higher. SO 2.75% is nothing to be sniffed at.

 

[bunnahabhain]

We got a 1% increase this year with higher grades (management, surprise surprise) getting higher. SO 2.75% is nothing to be sniffed at.

So? Are you in a union? Did you question why you only got 1%? Did you just take it and say nothing and feel grateful?

You might be happy racing to the bottom and living on minimum wage or below inflation increases, I on the other hand I quite prepared to fight for what I feel is right. If that inconveniences people then so be it, but just remember that there are always two sides to every story and its always "damn you greedy workers". We're not greedy, we work damn hard and deserve parity with our colleagues.

 

[LowLevel]

We got a 1% increase this year with higher grades (management, surprise surprise) getting higher. SO 2.75% is nothing to be sniffed at.

Do something about it then rather than whinging.

 

[David Barrett]

They did require reminding that you need more than executives and drivers to run the railway.

Most certainly: a largely unseen and underrated body, seemingly regarded from within as not being proper railwaymen and from outside as not being proper craftsmen. Few really knew what "The Fitters" were about but most knew where to come running when things went belly up.

 

[LowLevel]

Most certainly: a largely unseen and underrated body, seemingly regarded from within as not being proper railwaymen and from outside as not being proper craftsmen. Few really knew what "The Fitters" were about but most knew where to come running when things went belly up.

Yes indeed. It's a miracle they keep the 25 to 40 year old trains they are responsible for running as well as they do and despite the fact 'FHD', 'next B exam' and 'Fault not found' send blood pressure skyrocketing in traincrews, I for one certainly appreciate them with the pressure from above to work on a shoestring that they're under. Just a shame the other union the RMT effectively abandoned them to it.

 

[bunnahabhain]

Yes indeed. It's a miracle they keep the 25 to 40 year old trains they are responsible for running as well as they do and despite the fact 'FHD', 'next B exam' and 'Fault not found' send blood pressure skyrocketing in traincrews, I for one certainly appreciate them with the pressure from above to work on a shoestring that they're under. Just a shame the other union the RMT effectively abandoned them to it.

With any luck the current Regional Organiser will be voted out.

 

[Robertj21a]

So? Are you in a union? Did you question why you only got 1%? Did you just take it and say nothing and feel grateful?

You might be happy racing to the bottom and living on minimum wage or below inflation increases, I on the other hand I quite prepared to fight for what I feel is right. If that inconveniences people then so be it, but just remember that there are always two sides to every story and its always "damn you greedy workers". We're not greedy, we work damn hard and deserve parity with our colleagues.

Typical comment - 'If that inconveniences people then so be it....'.

Thank you for reminding me how members of UK rail unions view the rest of the population.

Me.....me.....me.....

 

[bunnahabhain]

Typical comment - 'If that inconveniences people then so be it....'.

Thank you for reminding me how members of UK rail unions view the rest of the population.

Me.....me.....me.....

*removed*

 

[Wolfie]

Typical comment - 'If that inconveniences people then so be it....'.

Thank you for reminding me how members of UK rail unions view the rest of the population.

Me.....me.....me.....

As opposed to "if it affects me in any way, shape or form I will adamantly oppose it. I don't care if you get screwed over so long as I can get home with no inconvenience", or "I got screwed over at work so how dare you stick up for yourself".....

Me..me..me..

Pot, kettle!

 

[David Barrett]

About right,

"A recession is when you lose your job, a depression is when I lose mine".

 

[TUC]

Given that Northern Rail use Neville Hill as well as some other TOCs to a lesser extent http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_Hill_depot ), do they all employ their own maintainance staff within the depot? I would have thought it may make more sense for such depots to run as a single businesses with contracts with individual TOCs as appropriate.

 

[dk1]

About right,

"A recession is when you lose your job, a depression is when I lose mine".

I like & may use that

 

[David Barrett]

I like & may use that

Why not, it deserves more widespread recognition. I have used it once or twice but I inherited it from a wise man back in 1981 and have never in all those years heard it used anywhere else.

 

[Legzr1]

The strike is to express displeasure at EMT giving the drivers more than anyone else - a significant raise in the case of the shed drivers and generally widening the pay gap. They are making the point that it's not just drivers who run the railway. The only way the company has kept things moving is through greater use of the Bombardier maintained 222 fleet and LNWR at Crewe and Crown Point at Norwich taking on more maintenance work.

Unfortunately the RMT despite it's member's concerns accepted the deal and hopefully the regional organiser involved is about to be booted out of office in an election very shortly.

Please don't take this the wrong way (it's NOT intended to wind anyone up) - Most understand that the railway operates as smoothly (!) as it does because of everyone from carriage cleaners all the down to MD's and all grades between.

The issue the lower-paying TOCs and FOCs face is the huge cost of training drivers in terms of time as well as money and the real risk of freshly qualified drivers taking their skills and training to rival companies - a tried and tested answer to this is to raise wages and improve T&Cs to match that of rivals.

Fitters don't seem to attract this pilfering and poaching and, even though anyone on the inside values their skills very highly, there doesn't seem to be anywhere near the same demand for time-served, experienced fitters.

Not an ideal situation and they have my sympathy - anyone that thinks differently should be given a 2" drive wrench in 50C temperatures and asked to change a cracked exhaust - Oh, yes, you have 35 minutes...