TSSA strike GWR 6 and 7 October

[Bald Rick]

I think it's a bit more nuanced than that - There are different dates for different unions at different companies.

TSSA weren't out at GWR; but I believe they were at NR.

Maybe, but I wouldn’t trust TSSA to run the proverbial event in a brewery, given the horlicks they made of their strike announcement for 26/7th Sept, what the other unions think about them, and what is going on at the top.

 

[43066]

Generally speaking, TSSA are thought of to represent the grades who, if they went on strike, wouldn't cause much of an operational impact to the railway. Membership rates are typically lower amongst eligible grades than RMT or ASLEF achieve - and with zero disrespect to my colleagues, the trains don't usually stop running if the booking office is shut; or train planning aren't writing next month's engineering amendments.

Today and Tomorrow blow that fallacy clear out of the water. Control staff striking can and are making an impact on behalf of those roles whose withdrawal of labour aren't strongly felt.

There are significant risks running a train service with control so short-handed; so the number of routes operated needs to be culled down. The number of trains on those routes at any one time needs to be reduced. The number of staff and units working the services that remain need to be drawn down to a bare minimum. With limited control staff on duty, there aren't as many pairs of eyes making sure units don't exceed their fuel ranges; aren't as many to book taxis to get traincrew into the right places for their work; aren't as many to keep customers up to date during any disruption or ultimately, make arrangements to get them home when the trains can't.

I am genuinely sorry that there is disruption tomorrow. To a man person, none of my control colleagues wants to be causing this much disruption to our customers - we are all passionate about our jobs; and while it may not seem it to the armchair critics, in normal times we do everything in our power and more to respond as well as we can to disruption. You don't hear the tales of control doing a great job because when we do it isn't noticed. But these aren't normal times any more. None of us has had a pay rise since early 2019; we're not listened to during consultations despite our obvious expertise; train operating companies (jointly) can't give any reassurances over what will happen to TOC Control staff under GBR, and all it's heralding of eliminating duplication of work. But above all we can give teeth and a voice to those in much lower-paid TSSA-represented roles - Booking Office Clerks, Train Planning Assistants, Delay Attributors, Social Media team; who are really struggling and in many cases openly facing redundancy if this industrial action does not succeed. A line eventually has to be drawn and a stand taken. Today and Tomorrow we stand on that line.

Great post.

 

[Horizon22]

Maybe, but I wouldn’t trust TSSA to run the proverbial event in a brewery, given the horlicks they made of their strike announcement for 26/7th Sept, what the other unions think about them, and what is going on at the top.

I mean they've managed to severly reduce the GWR network, almost as much as any RMT strike day, so I'm not sure about the bit in bold at least!

 

[Bald Rick]

I mean they've managed to severly reduce the GWR network, almost as much as any RMT strike day, so I'm not sure about the bit in bold at least!

Possibly more by luck than by intention!

 

[43066]

I mean they've managed to severly reduce the GWR network, almost as much as any RMT strike day, so I'm not sure about the bit in bold at least!

To be fair for a union that is generally regarded as weak and toothless they’ve had quite an impact! Unite action has also significantly reduced long distance services on the midland mainline…

 

[Surreytraveller]

Mistake I think, perhaps mixing up Thursday Service (where journeys were generally finishing up by 1830); with today.

The TSSA strike action finished at 1200; so all control staff rostered late and night shift will be in, so from our perspective there are no longer any barriers to a full service - my colleagues will be in delivering what's left of this evenings timetable, ensuring everything is set up ready and right for tomorrow's reduced service due to RMT (including NR Signallers) taking their turn for Industrial Action.



I think it's a bit more nuanced than that - There are different dates for different unions at different companies.

TSSA weren't out at GWR; but I believe they were at NR.

The barriers to a full service are the trains and staff won't be in the right place. If the stuff doesn't come out right in the morning, you cannot just magic it out right when the late turn books on

 

[JN114]

The barriers to a full service are the trains and staff won't be in the right place. If the stuff doesn't come out right in the morning, you cannot just magic it out right when the late turn books on

Well yes, that’s why I prefaced it with “from our perspective…”.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Well yes, that’s why I prefaced it with “from our perspective…”.

Think I may have quoted the wrong post. Although whose work does a TOC controller duplicate?
Or is that from a perspective of someone who doesn't know what a TOC controller does, as its a bit of a niche role

 

[43066]

Think I may have quoted the wrong post. Although whose work does a TOC controller duplicate?
Or is that from a perspective of someone who doesn't know what a TOC controller does, as its a bit of a niche role

Presumably the concern is that, while they’re employed by TOCs at the moment, GBR (or whatever ends up happening) could end up resulting in changes to the areas they cover with fewer being required?

 

[JN114]

Although whose work does a TOC controller duplicate?
Or is that from a perspective of someone who doesn't know what a TOC controller does, as its a bit of a niche role

There’s overlap in responsibilities with Network Rail train running controller; and duplication with multiple operators running over same line of route, where they may want to make “efficiency savings”.