On 3 Nov 2016 at 6:37pm Marlen wrote:
By deciding to go on strike just before Christmas and over the New Year RMT have just cancelled our Christmas and New Year - and completely lost our support. So far we have supported their action 100% , but their latest decision shows a cynical disregard for customers whose only way to get together over the festive periods is the train. Shame on RMT. Shame on Southern. And shame on our politicians who are full of empty words and still pretend to be surprised at our disdain for them.
On 3 Nov 2016 at 7:28pm R Swipe wrote:
Yes, I agree with you.
They have lost I suppose as this seems like a desperate death rattle.
The company and the government have allowed a greedy, cynical infrastructure to prevail over the wishes of the travelling public- and our support for the union and their cause has been completely thrown back in our faces.
A really bad advert for our representative governance. (Another one)
On 3 Nov 2016 at 7:34pm A-Greed wrote:
Agreed too. With no jobs at risk, the RMT level of action is massively disproportionate and now at the point where I also believe they should call off these strikes. To take this action around Christmas and New Year feels like it's them extending holiday . F**k the RMT.
On 3 Nov 2016 at 8:47pm Local wrote:
Has it really taken this long for you to "smell the coffee"? Good Lord!
On 3 Nov 2016 at 9:05pm Kinja wrote:
Roll on when they have to re apply for their positions .unlike the many people that have lost their jobs and livelihoods whom we should feel sorry for
On 3 Nov 2016 at 9:34pm The Old Mayor wrote:
So are the general public absolutely happy in a crammed packed, standing room only, 12 coach train, with just one driver ?
On 3 Nov 2016 at 10:16pm Sir Bufton Bufton-Bufton wrote:
The RMT managed to get the company to agree that conductors should go on the trains they asked for, it was then obligatory for the company to go to the government to sign off on that deal and the government said no. If you want someone to blame for all this then May's government are clearly the ones in the frame.
On 3 Nov 2016 at 10:36pm Marlen wrote:
That may be so but nobody is forcing the RMT to call out strikes on Christmas and the New Year, fully aware that this will hurt the public more than on any other dates. I have been supportive of them throughout, even though I could ill afford the financial losses caused. But choosing those dates shiws them to be as cynical and bloody minded as Govia and the government.
On 3 Nov 2016 at 11:19pm Thank you RMT wrote:
I think they have more than redeemed themselves by striking on the Fifth of November. I just hope they do it every year.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 4:57am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Otoh, they could be inconveniencing fewer people as there may well be fewer commuters travelling on those dates.
The roads are certainly quieter in the run-up to Christmas and don't get back to their normal level of busyness until after New Year. It always seems as though a lot of people take time off either side of Christmas.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 8:07am Another B and B lady wrote:
Yes ACT but then what is the point of striking over Christmas and New Year if it doesn't inconvenience the public? It has no publicity value so why do It? This situation is completely out of control. ThIs horrible Government is obviously making this dispute an example and will eventually break the RMT by holding the public to ransom. They really don't care. The Franchise is a poisoned chalice anyway and no one else wants it. Govia presumably only took it on because of the huge subsidies the Government give it. I.e. You and me.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 9:09am Marlen wrote:
This post is not about being "inconvenienced" nor about the PR value of a Christmas strike. It's about cancelling Christmas and New Year because I don't have the luxury option of a car ; nor do my children so we wont be able to see each other. Some of the posts suggest that this may be hard for a "green", middle class, two-car- Guardian family to imagine.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 9:40am notforthelikesofus wrote:
Keep up the strikes the company ruining that line and being paid for twice by the taxpayer should be stripped of its franchise. We pay their subsidy from central government and we pay for tickets, what a scam!
Nationalise it.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 11:28am ar10642 wrote:
As I've said before, the current GTR setup is as close as you'll get to nationalisation without actually doing it. Nationalisation will bring *more* of this type of dispute, not less. Proper "for profit" franchises can't afford to have disputes with the unions like this.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 1:11pm bob bob bob wrote:
What utter rubbish. Close to nationalised?! It's privately owned and the biggest rail operator in the UK. It's parent companies have annual turnover around 10 billion.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 3:00pm ar10642 wrote:
Read about it. The current GTR franchise (not GoVia as a whole) is unique being run as management only. That means the DfT is taking all ticket revenue and paying GTR a fixed fee for the running of the service. This means that GTR get paid the same no matter whether trains run or not. So this to me looks very similar to the nationalised railway, only the DfT has subcontracted the train running of this franchise as the local council does with the binmen.
*That's* the reason that DOO is being brought in now.
As it was before (and how it currently is with all other TOCs) Southern was a normal franchise where they *had* to make money through the fares box *and* got financially penalised if trains didn't run or were significantly late. So before there was no way they could afford to have this dispute.
Now we effectively have the government underwriting the company, the government couldn't give a toss if the trains run or not, and they effectively have bottomless pockets. There is no way the RMT can win this one unless the situation becomes politically dangerous, and there's zero chance of that happening in the current climate.
On 4 Nov 2016 at 5:06pm Honey Dew wrote:
The RMT are fighting for our safety on trains, stay strong your support will be very much appreciated,
On 4 Nov 2016 at 6:10pm ar10642 wrote:
What are they actually achieving though? GTR and the DfT show no signs of backing down whatsoever. None of the other strikes have achieved anything, why will these ones? There were no trains at all on the Seaford line for months and there were effectively no penalties for anyone involved.