Christmas Strikes...

[ToraToraTora]

To Help out gulliver, what can the government do about all these strikes?

[Islay]

Well they could make it illegal to strike but that would hardly be democratic.

They could urge the companies to improve the conditions so that the workers don't have to strike to get better pay and t&c's.

[ichkeria]

Abolish Christmas

[naomi24]

Islay, some people would strike whatever their pay and terms and conditions. This is deliberate disruption.

[Islay]

I will have to bow to your greater knowledge on this then Naomi, you obviously have information on this that is not available elsewhere!

[naomi24]

Islay, information is readily available - if you take the trouble to look.

//"No jobs are being lost and no pay is being cut, but the unions are in dispute over who presses the button to close the train doors," he said.

"Driver-only operated services have been safely used across the rail network for 30 years and the rail regulator has confirmed it is safe."//

http://news.sky.com/story/southern-rail-strike-talks-fail-to-put-an-end-to-dispute-10697201

[vulcan42]

\\
"Driver-only operated services have been safely used across the rail network for 30 years and the rail regulator has confirmed it is safe."//
And believe it or not Islay, before that passengers were actually allowed to close the doors themselves.

[Old_Geezer]

Few, very likely none IMO, would strike whatever their pay and terms. There is a cost/benefit analyse strikers will make before embarking on an action. Strikes are, therefore, the action of final choice when all else has broken down.

The government can do little apart from sabre rattle and express disapproval unless they wish to oppress the people and impose tyranny. Folk have a right to withdraw labour when they believe it to be appropriate. They are not serfs. However maybe someone could call for arbitration ?

[weecalf]

Stop the BBC charging licence fees

[Baldric]

Anyone with an iota of sense can see wages and conditions have nothing to do with it, it is politically motivated.
Sack 'em, get someone in that will do the job.

[ToraToraTora]

bang on balders, BA

[ToraToraTora]

weecalf, I think you are on the wrong post mate!

[Baldric]

Thanks TTT.

[Jackdaw33]

The working classes are toiling under the feudal yoke of this fascist Tory government. The only weapon they have at their disposal is the withdrawal of labour until such time as Jeremy sweeps to power and frees them from their chains.

(BTW, I'm taking the Mikey).

[ToraToraTora]

or, horror of horrors, they could get a job they like!

[Gromit]

// GTR’s (the Company running the service) turnover amounts to some £1.3 billion, with just over 90% of that coming from the fee, paid by the Department for Transport, for running the franchise. The amount of fine—it is really difficult to drill down into exactly how much fine it has paid—seems to be about £2 million. Less than 0.2% of its annual revenue. //

Perhaps if the fines were higher, and affected the company's profits more significantly, there would be an incentive to sort out the strike and the resulting appalling service.

Also, the Souther franchise is unique in the country. There is not another like it. All the money from fares does not go to the company, it goes directly to the Department of Transport. That means that the strike, and the loss of revenue does not affect the company at all, it is a loss to us the taxpayer. In fact less customers means they don't have to work so hard for their huge fee from the Government. That contract accounts for why Southern aren't really that bothered by the strike, and why it is in no hurry to resolve it.

The Franchise should be retendered, and a proper contract written were the operator suffers the loss of revenue, not the taxpayer.

[Gromit]

A competent Government, suffering huge losses in revenue, would do something about it. This one seems to be happy to accept the losses and just sit idly by and do nothing. If the actions of the operator mean the Government get no fare revenue, then replace the operator with one that can run the service properly.

[jno]

most interesting, Gromit, I hadn't realised.

Yes, it may be no coincidence that the company is worse managed than any other.

[Gromit]

I don't think it is a coincidence that the company with the unique franchise has unique problems like appalling punctuality and poor industrial relations.

[mushroom25]

Gromit, that's a bit sweeping to accuse "southern" of appalling delays - from NwR's figures for Period 9
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/about/performance/

65% of delays to GTR's services are attributable to the infrastructure controller.

[New Judge]

“Well they could make it illegal to strike but that would hardly be democratic. “

Why wouldn’t it if a bill was put before Parliament and approved by both Houses? That’s precisely what is being requested to approve Brexit (which has already been approved by a far larger and more important forum).

“They could urge the companies to improve the conditions so that the workers don't have to strike to get better pay and t&c's.”

The Southern trains strike is nothing to do with pay and precious little to do with T&Cs. What Noami mentions has nothing to do with greater knowledge. It is information in the public domain. Nobody will lose their jobs or any pay as a result of the measure. The rail safety authorities have given their approval to it (which they could hardly deny as similar operation already exists on about 40% of the network). The Union’s contention that their members will be sued in the event of an accident resulting from the new procedures is thus specious to say the least. So with all that in mind, one has to conclude that there is an ulterior motive for the action.

“A competent Government, suffering huge losses in revenue, would do something about it. “

And do what, precisely?

There is no “compromise” available here. Management want a change in procedures. The Unions do not. There is no halfway house that can be accommodated. It is simply a matter of who is running the service, management or the Unions. I accept that the franchise is badly let and is a dog’s breakfast. But the issue under dispute would be the same even if it were not. The Unions are picking a fight because they know what a mess the franchise is, they know it is principally the government’s fault that it is a mess. And they know that people will say “the government should do something”. But they forget to add that the dispute is totally unjustified.