RMT rejects latest offer from both Network Rail and RDG (TOCs)

[the sniper]

I didn't bring it up - I was responding to a comment that said:

That's fair enough, I'd be surprised if they realistically expect that to happen though.

 

[Sly Sloth]

Well that's me travelling a different route on that date. Football in the North-east. So I could travel out Fri and back Sun but that'd cost me 2 nights in a hotel. Or instead I could go on the supporters bus. Bit of a no-brainer isn't it?



Targeting leisure travellers? What a truly brilliant idea, I commend you. It'd kill two birds with one stone because it'd get rid of virtually all those pesky football supporters (aka paying customers) that many on this forum would like to permanently ban from travelling

The football and rugby fans that today all had electronic tickets much to the disappointment of the TM who thought they make a killing in revenue

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If there are no strikes announced by the end of today the 25th should be fine. The unions have to give a minimum 2 weeks notice for strike action, which means they have to announce them today to strike on the 25th.

**EDIT: The Planner beat me to it

I'm booked to travel with LNER on the 4th and 8th of March, both of which are dates right in the firing line for potential strike action as it stands. If I was a betting person, I would say strikes will be called on at least one of those dates (the 4th most likely of the two), and more than likely both. So cue a nervous wait over the next 11 days for me.

I can see it being every Sunday for a month or so. It’ll only affect those with Sunday in the working week so in theory a dispute fund could be started to recompense those affected

 

[Goldfish62]

The quote from the Rail Minister Huw Merriman was quite clear: the cost of the national rail dispute has been far more than it would have taken to meet the demands of rail workers over pay, job security and conditions. Seems quite unequivocal to me.

It is not just loss of revenue that needs to be considered. The wider damage to the economy has also been huge.

I think most people understand exactly what he was saying even if they don't agree with him. His point was that although for this year it's costing more not to settle the cumulative savings year-on-year of the offer would more than outweigh the costs of the dispute.

 

[michael74]

I can see it being every Sunday for a month or so. It’ll only affect those with Sunday in the working week so in theory a dispute fund could be started to recompense those affected

Their is already a solidarity fund set up and is being accessed members.

 

[High Dyke]

More poor reporting by the BBC. The current industrial ballot lasts for another few months. Therefore industrial action can be called in line with legislation up to the end of that mandate. It doesn't require a further ballot for action.

New rail strikes ballot to start soon - RMT's Mick Lynch

Mick Lynch says the union will keep talking to rail firms, after it rejected an offer on pay on Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk

No further strikes are currently planned by the RMT - Britain's largest rail workers' union - but it has a mandate to call further strikes up until May.

I could continue, but you've already got the gist.

 

[fishwomp]

More poor reporting by the BBC. The current industrial ballot lasts for another few months. Therefore industrial action can be called in line with legislation up to the end of that mandate. It doesn't require a further ballot for action.

New rail strikes ballot to start soon - RMT's Mick Lynch

Mick Lynch says the union will keep talking to rail firms, after it rejected an offer on pay on Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk

I could continue, but you've already got the gist.

Until late May (https://www.rmt.org.uk/about/ballot-results/ shows previous ballot and these give six months, RMT is doing a lot of ballots these days).

They certainly don't have to hold another, but refusing to do so can be seen as admitting you may no longer have the support.. or equally, it can also be seen as using the leverage you were mandated by the members to use. Depends which newspaper you read..

 

[weeklycommuter]

Why not go the extra step and put to a vote?

Really our strike laws should include an obligation to reaffirm membership backing for strike action following offers. I am surprised they don’t already. Is the current law that you only need 1 vote and then you can go ahead and strike for as long as you want, based on that 1 vote and with no obligation to affirm continued backing for a strike? Seems like a very odd state of affairs if so.

The mandate for industrial action only last six months after which it has to be renewed with a new ballot of members involved in the industrial dispute. The current RMT mandate for industrial action at Network Rail lasts until May 2023. To continue industrial action at Network Rail after the current mandate expires in May 2023 the RMT has to reballot members at Network Rail. Same for industrial disputes with train operating companies. Hence the news today that the RMT will ballot members again soon.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/11/slugs-rmt-rail-strike-action-ballot

 

[Drogba11CFC]

The football and rugby fans that today all had electronic tickets much to the disappointment of the TM who thought they make a killing in revenue

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I can see it being every Sunday for a month or so. It’ll only affect those with Sunday in the working week so in theory a dispute fund could be started to recompense those affected

Great, so now they're targeting Ally Pally. I'm starting to wonder if they're intentionally going after my plans...

 

[Starmill]

The presentation of management fees as 'profit' by the union is misleading because those management costs would still need to be paid if the management was in house - OK maybe a bit less but it won't even touch the sides of the industry funding black hole.

And of course, sometimes the management fees are higher for the nationalised operator. For example, Arriva made a nice big loss on Northern, but since the transfer all of the risk and cost has been picked up directly by the Secretary of State via Northern Trains Limited.

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The reality is, the industry is going to be subject to considerable political interference for as long as it relies on public subsidy to exist.

Indeed. Still, at least nobody has been daft enough to vote for the current party of government at the last election, and then support a dispute because their English TOC or Network Rail hasn't offered them a satisfactory pay rise, eh.

 

[Cowley]

Well, I think we’re going to press the pause button on this thread until there’s some firm dates announced.

it’s on the whole been pretty civilised so thanks for that.