ken, you'ver got a bus passenger!

[helpmetoo]

good old red ken,
tube strike for three days now at least i wont have to stand under a sweaty armpit!

anyway after swamping the roads of london with so many buses thay run around even at rush hour mostly with 2 or three passengers on board ( never mind the pollution ken aren't they new and shiny?)

at least today and until thursday the drivers will be rushed off their feet with passengers, -wouldn't be surprised if they strike over this inconvenience-

vote boris!! things can only get better!

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, apparently i heard a lot of the tube strikers were driving buses and getting paid double for it...

[MrBen5]

Actually thinking back, i mentioned about strikes in an earlier post of mine.
A lot of people were saying that its fine and they support anyone who strikes.
I wonder if those people are gonna comment on this now, as i know a few were from London.
Come on show yourselfs...

[jno]

Ken's been protesting fairly vigorously against it, hasn't he?

"It would be incomprehensible to disrupt the lives of millions of Londoners and lose their members significant amounts of pay when all the assurances they have asked for have been given."

He doesn't have any power to settle the thing himself but he's made his position clear. I can't see how Boris would do any better, especially as he'd be too busy seducing employees to notice.

[Lonnie]

Allow me, as a Tube Train Driver to give you a bit of info on it.

The strikers are all Metronet workers, these are the people that maintain the trains in the Depots, and the Rails the trains run on when carrying passengers.

The drivers are not on strike, but in the interests of safety of the passengers, we have refused to take an unprepared train, onto an uninspected track.
This is why there are no trains on the affected lines.

Main reason for the strike.
Regardless of whats being put out, there are two main issues,
As you must know, Metronet has folded, although the wrkers are still getting paid, I believe, by London Underground, but since Metronet has folded, no money has been put into the workers pensions, and they want the lost money reinstated.

The other reason, is that Ken Livingstone, promised, without consultation with London Underground, that the workers would be taken back 'inhouse', to London Underground. this, LU have refused to do.

Hope that explains a bit about it.

[NJOK]

MrBen,

As I suspected at the time, you misunderstood the gist of the debate about the prison officer strike.

People weren't necessarily supporting the strike. They were disagreeing with you that prison officers should somehow be legally barred from ever striking, no matter what.

Similarly, although this three-day strike puts me out, I'm not opposed to maintenance staff striking. And I doubt many people are. Hope this helps.

Your time of power will come etc etc.

[MrBen5]

Hmmm NJOK, i think if you read back you will see that some people 'were' supporting the strike.
Anyway on this topic, i dont think strikes should be allowed in this day and age on key jobs. I suppose these could be classed as key jobs as they are causing major disruption to our capital...

[NJOK]

And what would happen if strikes weren't allowed?

Let's say members of a trade union decided their demands weren't being met and they walked out for a day anyway. What would happen? Genuine question.

[China Doll]

I feel like my ears should be burning.

Have you not gone away yet mrBen5?

I'm not sure I agree with the reasons to this strike. But I do support their right to be able to.

However... I'm leaving this one to NJOK. He's a lot better at this than me. Harder head I would imagine.

[sp1814]

I am in full support of the striking tube workers.

I have no idea what they're striking about, nor do I care. All I know is that I can now work from home until Thursday, meaning I can work whilst simultaneously watching series five of The West Wing.

God bless you tube workers. May the sun shine over your house.

[terence7556]

i support their right to strike because the present standard of director/owner /md/politician has shown that they care gmore about their remuniration/sharepackage/perks /pension/golden hello or goodbye and whatever they feel is right for them regardless of performance,service to company-client-voters-electrote
how many times in the past decade or so have a parent company stripped out the funds in a pension scheme without regard to the wellbeing of those who rely on those funds for their retirement
i feel envious sometimes because the rmt and their members have the guts and the organisation to stand up for their rights and to actually do something about it