Strike!

ASDA delivery drivers are striking due to not being paid holiday pay for two(?) years as well.

Imagine not being paid your dues and not being able to do anything about it?

Benzin wrote:ASDA delivery drivers are striking due to not being paid holiday pay for two(?) years as well.

Imagine not being paid your dues and not being able to do anything about it?

Unionise, seize the means and smash the bourge.



Seriously though, having the ability to unionise is extremely important in ensuring fair pay rates and working conditions. Plenty of studies show the correlation between being unionised and experiencing better treatment. Society's inequality as a whole has skyrocketed since the crushing of unionised labour.

Blue Eyes wrote:

captain red dog wrote:I support them. As I understand it, it's to do with automation of the doors, potential job security and safety risks. Automation is something we are all going to have to deal with sooner or later, it could decimate a lot of jobs. I see no reason to rush in a change like this, might as well look at all options and all risks first.

Interesting to see the media spin on this with very little discussed surrounding the reasons for the strike but plenty of coverage of people moaning about it. To hear Teresa May calling legitimate and legal strike action a "disgrace" should be frightening to be honest.

All well and good but why absolutely strawberry float the public over at the very worst time of year?

Because that's how you send a message.

Somebody Else's Presents wrote:

Blue Eyes wrote:

captain red dog wrote:I support them. As I understand it, it's to do with automation of the doors, potential job security and safety risks. Automation is something we are all going to have to deal with sooner or later, it could decimate a lot of jobs. I see no reason to rush in a change like this, might as well look at all options and all risks first.

Interesting to see the media spin on this with very little discussed surrounding the reasons for the strike but plenty of coverage of people moaning about it. To hear Teresa May calling legitimate and legal strike action a "disgrace" should be frightening to be honest.

All well and good but why absolutely strawberry float the public over at the very worst time of year?

Because that's how you send a message.

I think teachers could get more parents on their side by taking the kids in as usual but making it abundantly clear that they will take a register, press play on a DVD and then do nothing bar breaking up fights and stuff. Parents can work, kids still get a doss, teachers don't teach, everyone wins.

Some of the people I know who use the trains are getting to the point where they think there should be mass sackings. I understand their anger, but it would be an injustice for people exercising their right to strike to be hit with a ton of bricks, because you know the executives will get off scot free.

I assume that when the next round of franchising is up for grabs Govia will be barred from bidding due to the awful mess they've made of this franchise. Just like Capita and Atos have been told their standard of work is not up to the standard required for our public services after their repeated cock ups and don't get given huge contracts time after time...

Dowbolph wrote:

Somebody Else's Presents wrote:

Blue Eyes wrote:

captain red dog wrote:I support them. As I understand it, it's to do with automation of the doors, potential job security and safety risks. Automation is something we are all going to have to deal with sooner or later, it could decimate a lot of jobs. I see no reason to rush in a change like this, might as well look at all options and all risks first.

Interesting to see the media spin on this with very little discussed surrounding the reasons for the strike but plenty of coverage of people moaning about it. To hear Teresa May calling legitimate and legal strike action a "disgrace" should be frightening to be honest.

All well and good but why absolutely strawberry float the public over at the very worst time of year?

Because that's how you send a message.

Some of the people I know who use the trains are getting to the point where they think there should be mass sackings. I understand their anger, but it would be an injustice for people exercising their right to strike to be hit with a ton of bricks, because you know the executives will get off scot free.

It's not about getting the public on side, that's not the message I was talking about. It's about significantly hitting the profits of Govia, and what better time to do that than their busiest time?

There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding of how the current Southern branch is structured.


Focus do not operate a typical franchise. They are simply the operator. The government currently receives all the fare revenue and pay Focus a fee for managing it.

Consequently it's the government's decision to introduce DOO trains not Govias, which makes it difficult if not impossible for Govia to offer any that the unions would accept.

However I would note that DOO operates elsewhere on the UK network already whilst I don't know how this compares to Southern trains and whether it is actually more dangerous. My guess would be its just an excuse to try and protect jobs.

However the unions are obviously in a monopoly position in the provision of labour over a key national resource in a job which whilst requires a good amount of training is required it's not overly complex and is already well remunerated.

Whilst I generally support strikes (BA cabin crew, Adds delivery drivers, Deliveroo etc) there is common interest in running a viable business. Due to the backstop of government and ultimately the taxpayer the two sides dont have a common ground in this and as it's not like the end result can be the line is no longer viable and therefore wer'e going to shut it down.

Therefore the unions are in an overly strong position (very rare these days) and are able to inflict horrific misery on people. As a result I feel some sort of legislation is required. Perhaps something like a minimum service guarantee which is in place in quite a few countries.

I also think to an extent these strikes are political considering the structure of Southern.

Somebody Else's Presents wrote:
It's not about getting the public on side, that's not the message I was talking about. It's about significantly hitting the profits of Govia, and what better time to do that than their busiest time?

Oh yeah, it was a just a slight tangent about how some groups can send a message without pissing the public off so much, thereby keeping public support for their cause at a higher level. From what I've read this doesn't actually hit Govia's profits, it hits the taxpayer, because of the messed up system in operation.

Ecno wrote:As a result I feel some sort of legislation is required. Perhaps something like a minimum service guarantee which is in place in quite a few countries.

I also think to an extent these strikes are political considering the structure of Southern.

Minimum service is something I'd agree with. Disrupt but don't cripple the service. Blue light services do this and generally get less demonised in the press etc. The problem with this is that Southern actually can't run a minimum service when there's not a strike!

The organisation/structure of the network is not the union's fault.

To be fair this is the first strike that has actually resulted in zero service, the other's have had trains in operation.

Apparently Northern and Merseyrail are striking along with Southern today.

It's spreading.

Drumstick wrote:Apparently Northern and Merseyrail are striking along with Southern today.

It's spreading.

Oh strawberry float off are Southern Striking a-fucking gain.

Thank god I'm not in London until Thursday.

Rail workers on strike? Did someone ask them to actually come in to work now and again in exchange for their salary or something?

Drumstick wrote:Apparently Northern and Merseyrail are striking along with Southern today.

It's spreading.

Yes, has delayed some of my team

I await the day when all of these concerns about safety are suddenly allayed by them being offered more money.