Great Western franchise

[Rich McLean]

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Rail-union-franchise-claims-expose-Great-Western/story-20094424-detail/story.html

Union officials say the cash could have been invested in staffing, infrastructure and new fleet.

General secretary Bob Crow said: “The news that the rail franchising shambles is set to cost the taxpayer another quarter of billion pounds on the Great Western route will come as a bitter blow to staff and passengers contending with attacks on pay and conditions and eye-watering fare increases to travel on notoriously overcrowded trains.

“First Group are laughing all the way to the bank, not only did they dodge £800 million in premium payments by ducking out of the old contract early but they’ve now ended up with a rollover dropping into their laps worth a cool quarter of a billion pounds in further lost returns to the taxpayer.”



Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...tory-20094424-detail/story.html#ixzz2l2Dbetq7

What a load of tosh. If it was let on the original extension, first would end up handing back the keys, which would probably cost the tax payer just as much, more likely a lot more, and wouldn't effect the rolling stock situation.

 

[YorkshireBear]

People will believe it though and he is dragging First's name through the dirt.

Can any FGW staff enlighten me on whether FGW are attacking staffs pay and conditions?

 

[Captain Chaos]

No idea. We just got a pay rise with no strings attached as far as I can tell.

Personally I would have forgone some of the pay rise if it meant giving the cleaners a good increase too. They could really do with it tbh.

 

[Donny Dave]

Hmm, I think Comrade Bob is getting mixed up here. First didn't end the GW franchise early, they merely didn't take up the option of and extension.

Secondly, isn't Bob Crow getting his members* better than inflation pay rises? If that's an attack on pay and conditions, I dread to think what he'll call a below inflation increase!

*I'm not union bashing here. That's what they are there for. Get the best they can for their members.

 

[LowLevel]

If I could think of a major bugbear that spreads across most if not all TOCs, it's the absolutely horrendous manner in which they allow their cleaning staff to be treated by giving these terrible contractors business as they TUPE from one nightmare to the next. Minimum wage, rubbish equipment and uniforms, no job security - it's horrendous. They should be ashamed and I wish it was brought more obviously to the attention of their passengers.

I've known local managers at my company who have got so fed up with the way the cleaning staff are treated (obviously they have no say in the letting of contracts as that's a high level thing) that they have taken it upon themselves with their own time and money to do nice little things for them to try and make it feel less like hell, as their own managers couldn't be less interested in them.

Even me and my colleagues in my team will put together something to get them something nice every now and then, even if it's just a round of drinks from the shop or a box of chocolates for their messroom, or helping them carry their rubbish bags to the skip from time to time. All they get from their bosses is threats of dismissal and contempt.

 

[YorkshireBear]

If I could think of a major bugbear that spreads across most if not all TOCs, it's the absolutely horrendous manner in which they allow their cleaning staff to be treated by giving these terrible contractors business as they TUPE from one nightmare to the next. Minimum wage, rubbish equipment and uniforms, no job security - it's horrendous. They should be ashamed and I wish it was brought more obviously to the attention of their passengers.

I've known local managers at my company who have got so fed up with the way the cleaning staff are treated (obviously they have no say in the letting of contracts as that's a high level thing) that they have taken it upon themselves with their own time and money to do nice little things for them to try and make it feel less like hell, as their own managers couldn't be less interested in them.

Even me and my colleagues in my team will put together something to get them something nice every now and then, even if it's just a round of drinks from the shop or a box of chocolates for their messroom, or helping them carry their rubbish bags to the skip from time to time. All they get from their bosses is threats of dismissal and contempt.

Good on you then. Much better to do what you are doing than try and fight the big men who don't care.

 

[tbtc]

There was a thread on here recently with the Union threatening strike action because (and I paraphrase, slightly) "now that First have got a megamillion payday, they can afford to spend it all on staff terms and conditions".

Seems that the strike threat has gone away, but that well known TV "personality" is still complaining.

 

[ainsworth74]

Hmm, I think Comrade Bob is getting mixed up here. First didn't end the GW franchise early, they merely didn't take up the option of and extension.

That's the way it's been spun since that happened so nothing new there!

 

[Class377/5]

Its been mention by Mr Ford that £150m of life extending the HSTs is being borne by FGW so this idea that money could be better spend on fleet and pay increases just shows how much of an idiot he really is.

Maybe one day he might spend more time getting his facts right than ranting to anyone who will listen.

 

[F Great Eastern]

No doubt the whole reason First put that clause in there to be able to exit the deal early if they wished because they didn't have any faith in the Department for Transport to deliver what they said they would with regards to infrastructure and the Intercity Express Trains coming into service on time and everything which has happened since the franchise was signed all those years ago has proven that First were right to not have faith!

But of course lets not let the facts get in a good rant of Bob Crow. He'd have a lot more respect from me if he calls the DFT out for many of the issues they have caused a little more, but he continues to blame everything on TOCs even things that are beyond their control, without mentioning that circumstances like this one are actually influenced by other parties on a number of occasions, and not just the TOCs.

Honestly it really disturbs me how the DFT manage to escape any blame for a number of royal mess ups over the years with delays, rolling stock orders and infrastructure, blame automatically seems to go on the TOC, without actually looking at the factors behind it all.

 

[Donny Dave]

No doubt the whole reason First put that clause in there to be able to exit the deal early if they wished

I'll repeat .... First didn't not end the franchise early. It ended on the date agreed with the DfT. All First did was to exercise their right not to take up the optional extension to the franchise.

 

[Barn]

Honestly it really disturbs me how the DFT manage to escape any blame for a number of royal mess ups over the years with delays, rolling stock orders and infrastructure, blame automatically seems to go on the TOC, without actually looking at the factors behind it all.

Bob wants the railways to be owned and managed directly by the state. Corporate greed is a better story for him than state ineptitude.

 

[andykn]

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Rail-union-franchise-claims-expose-Great-Western/story-20094424-detail/story.html



What a load of tosh. If it was let on the original extension, first would end up handing back the keys, which would probably cost the tax payer just as much, more likely a lot more, and wouldn't effect the rolling stock situation.

Did the other franchises handed back to the Govt cost them that much? East Coast and Connex?

 

[The Ham]

Bob wants the railways to be owned and managed directly by the state. Corporate greed is a better story for him than state ineptitude.

Quite, and if he says that the DfT are rubish then he'll look silly when he says that they should be running the railways rather than the TOC's.

 

[Oliver]

No doubt the whole reason First put that clause in ..............

When you are negotiating a contract with the Government, you don't just put clauses in that suit yourself. Both sides agree every aspect of the deal. In this case there was an option to extend the initial term for an additional two years with defined costs. First had the right to choose whether to go with that option or not. They chose not to, and eventually a different extension to the original term was agreed. That's not too difficult to grasp, is it?

 

[tbtc]

Maybe the RMT should put a bid in for the next franchise, if its that easy to make megabucks - run it as a workers co-operative or what not?

 

[The Ham]

Maybe the RMT should put a bid in for the next franchise, if its that easy to make megabucks - run it as a workers co-operative or what not?

... and it's not like they don't have the expertise as between their members they should have access to it. Although if they don't they could just partner up with another union who's members do.

For Mr Crow running a railway should be easy given how much he knows better than anyone else, so I can't see any downside in the RMT putting in a bid (other than the possible bad press as soon as something goes wrong, but how likely is that to happen).

 

[anthony263]

Didnt the RMT state they would put a bid in for the east coast franchise when it was taken back in house by the DFT after National Express handed back the keys?

 

[jon0844]

Bob seems like the kind of man who talks big, but if you said 'here you go, you do it' would quickly backtrack or make up some massive excuse.

 

[Aictos]

Didnt the RMT state they would put a bid in for the east coast franchise when it was taken back in house by the DFT after National Express handed back the keys?

Wrong Union altogether, it wasn't the RMT who said that but rather ASLEF - see BBC report here

All the RMT with TSSA as well have said is for the East Coast to be kept in state hands ie operated by Directly Operated Railways in the form of East Coast rather then have it privatised again.