Quite a long post, sorry!
Allegations of Unions and Drivers making things awkward.
I'll deal with this one first:
I am no fan of the current structure and governance of the Industry as my recent posts will have indicated. However I cant believe all of the TSGN shambles is solely down to the franchisee or its client. ASLEF are very good at conducting stalling tactics in negotiations and prevaricating over recruitment of new DI's, agreeing route learning norms and material which ultimately ties management up in knots until they know longer know which way is up. Final agreements are only reached at the 11th hour thus limiting the implementation phase to weeks instead of months and offering guaranteed chaos to the travelling public and the tax payer alike. ASLEF rarely say NO but more importantly they hardly ever say YES either. I know this because in a past life I was there and know how toxic GN/TL industrial relations are. This is no fault of any individual but as a consequence of a philosophical hatred of privatisation.
Please explain how ASLEF, "prevaricate over recruitment of DI's".
Everyone knows there needs to be more DI's, especially the Union, who's own Trainee Driver members have at times been kept waiting for several months on Trainee wages until one becomes available for them. The company realise that DI's are needed and there have been regular vacancies for Driving Instructors posted, with on the GN side rarely if ever, the number of applicants going over double figures on each occasion, despite being
freely open to anyone with the requisite years of experience. This is despite the GN side Instructors having a lucrative financial reward until the rôle becomes harmonised with TL Driver Trainers in October.
Route Learning norms: The 'normal' amount of time/trips needed to learn a particular route, with regard to complexity, and risks etc.
These were agreed in April - quite some time after route learning commenced. If ASLEF had wished to be difficult, they could've objected to the release of anyone to route learn until they had been agreed.
That didn't happen.
Instead the local reps offered to assist with picking who was to go route learning, only for the management to initially decline the offer and pick themselves. Unfortunately, when choosing at one depot they didn't take account of the depot's one large link being split into two smaller links and picked two drivers to learn a route that they wouldn't be working (as they were in a link that will work to a different destination).
Again, ASLEF could've been unhelpful and let the two drivers be released, and waited for the management to realise their error, having two drivers effectively being sent out 'on a jolly' knowing they'd be learning a route they wouldn't be working, pointlessly.
That didn't happen.
ASLEF pointed out the error, which was perhaps an understandable one as the change to two links at that depot were recent, even though their initial offer of assistance had been declined, and there was no delay to any route learning because of it.
It was also agreed that with the reduction in size of certain depots on both TL and GN, that the usual 'locker day', off roster, to clear out your locker when you transfer depots, would be a day's payment instead, which would stop literally tens and tens of drivers not being productive last week, as Blackfriars closed, Bedford, Kings Cross and Hitchin all reduced in size.
Why would a union with an axe to grind agree to help things go more smoothly? It would've been easy for them to just say no.
A few opportunities there for stalling, which could've been easily taken up. But weren't. Most probably because the Union's members are on the front line of being put in awkward situations of trainloads of people being diverted or turfed off trains when the timetable doesn't run as planned.
As for allegations of some sort of unofficial "Don't work overtime lads," I can tell you that's nonsense. Overtime during route learning has been encouraged. There is a Rest Day Work sanction that will run for the duration of this pay deal (until the next pay review in October 2020), and there is an enhanced scheme overlaid on this until this December (but you have to give four weeks notice of your availability to be eligible for this).
Sundays are at time and 55% - a good incentive.
Unfortunately, drivers didn't get four weeks notice of their roster that started in May though - it was only about a week, so other than the usual suspects who like their overtime, anyone else has been hampered a little in being able to plan what extra days they are available.
Bear in mind this is half term week, which was bad enough not knowing what days you were to work and which you weren't with short notice. Some on here seem to think train drivers should ask their wives questions like this, and that that is perfectly reasonable!:
"Shall I work an extra rest day in half term Dear, even though I can't tell you yet which days off I'm supposed to have?"
I expect conversations like this one though, DID take place in early May:
"Are you booked to work the first Sunday of half term?"
"I don't know yet."
"Because you're booked to do a late afternoon that would be okay, but a morning wouldn't work for us."
"I don't know yet!!"
"You'll have to put 'Not Available' then."
Cue a late afternoon being uncovered as plans at home fill up the whole day, and it WAS a late afternoon in the new roster.
Bank Holiday Monday.
No diagrams were issued until - well I don't actually know when. Very late indeed.
Bank Holiday roster is put up 14 days ahead, and as no diagrams had been issued in time for this, a Saturday service was assumed and drivers booked to Saturday sign on/sign off times. Because of the problems with Network Rail, it seems it's easier at such a late stage to run a Monday to Friday service with certain trains/groups of trains cancelled, as it was far too late to replan the timetable and resubmit it.
Consequently drivers are being told when they sign on, what job or part of a job to cover that fits the hours they were booked.
Add into that the on going problems of route conducting being resourced itself, and the snowballing effects of late running or cancellations.
