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Southern Rail STRIKE details



Deadly Danson

Well-known member
Oct 22, 2003
3,987
Brighton
FROM RMT PRESS OFFICE
Immediate
RMT demands action from Government as even Tory MP's are now queuing up to demand that GTR be stripped of their franchise
RAIL UNION RMT today stepped up the pressure for Government action on basket-case rail franchise GTR as even Tory MP's have begun queuing up to demand that they be stripped of the Southern and Thameslink franchises.
Tories from Lewes and Croydon have been forced to wade in after a campaign of pressure from RMT has mobilised thousands of passengers against axing guards and closing ticket offices.
Lewes MP Maria Caulfield said in her local paper;
“Despite repeated attempts by MPs across Sussex to ask Southern Rail to improve their services, this month sees the worst performance to date with figures showing Southern and Thameslink being the worst performing operators.
“My constituents can take no more and are fed up with cancellations, late running trains, strikes and early terminations. I have asked to meet with the rail minister as a matter of urgency.”
Conservative Croydon South MP Chris Philp said in the Standard that;
"Southern Railways should be immediately stripped of its franchise because performance levels are getting worse for thousands of passengers despite promises to improve."
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;
"GTR have waged war against both their staff and their passengers and with even Tories now lining up to stick the boot in its time for this mob to be thrown off the railway with the public sector given a chance to sort this mess out.
"No amount of fare-payers money blown on advertising, and no amount of abuse of their own staff, can spin GTR out of this one. The attack on the guards, safety and ticket offices is all part of an overall picture of a privatised rail franchise in total meltdown.
"The game is up, the racket is over and the Government should be forced to step in immediately. "
Ends
Geoff Martin
 




Ernest

Stupid IDIOT
Nov 8, 2003
42,739
LOONEY BIN
Southern have also now started running 313s all the way to Southampton. So no toilets for a nearly 2 hour trip. Putting passengers first as usual.

Twitter reply to me said no driver so had to run a 313 instead of a 377 and which drivers know Southampton and 313's but don't sign 377's ? Bullshit reply and I called her out on it
 


Deadly Danson

Well-known member
Oct 22, 2003
3,987
Brighton
Twitter reply to me said no driver so had to run a 313 instead of a 377 and which drivers know Southampton and 313's but don't sign 377's ? Bullshit reply and I called her out on it

Good on you. They really do come from the Bellotti school of delusion.
 




Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
The conversation on Twitter is truly painful, it was a shortage of stock, fair enough that happens but why the continual need to blame everything on drivers and conductors being sick or unavailable ?
As a neutral - well, a Thameslink commuter - I reckon an educated guess is that Southern have effectively declared war on the RMT and are trying everything un their power to turn commuter anger onto the unions.

Personally, I think there is a portion of blame on both sides but the lion's share of that blame sits with Southern. I also think Southern are beaten but just don't know it. They WILL lose the franchise, I think that's clear.

I've got to say as a day user of Thameslink that they are not too bad. We have off days like this morning where I was 20 minutes late getting into London but generally (touch wood) it's okay.
 




Ernest

Stupid IDIOT
Nov 8, 2003
42,739
LOONEY BIN
As a neutral - well, a Thameslink commuter - I reckon an educated guess is that Southern have effectively declared war on the RMT and are trying everything un their power to turn commuter anger onto the unions.

Personally, I think there is a portion of blame on both sides but the lion's share of that blame sits with Southern. I also think Southern are beaten but just don't know it. They WILL lose the franchise, I think that's clear.

I've got to say as a day user of Thameslink that they are not too bad. We have off days like this morning where I was 20 minutes late getting into London but generally (touch wood) it's okay.

Southern may win the war with Conductors but as a Train Company they're as toxic as Connex now
 








albionite

Well-known member
May 20, 2009
2,753
As a neutral - well, a Thameslink commuter - I reckon an educated guess is that Southern have effectively declared war on the RMT and are trying everything un their power to turn commuter anger onto the unions.

Personally, I think there is a portion of blame on both sides but the lion's share of that blame sits with Southern. I also think Southern are beaten but just don't know it. They WILL lose the franchise, I think that's clear.

I've got to say as a day user of Thameslink that they are not too bad. We have off days like this morning where I was 20 minutes late getting into London but generally (touch wood) it's okay.
The rumour is gtr do not want the southern part of the deal and just run thameslink and gatwick express as that is where the money is.
 




albionite

Well-known member
May 20, 2009
2,753
Southern may win the war with Conductors but as a Train Company they're as toxic as Connex now

Funny enough the ceo of connex was Charles Horton. Will most probably get another large bonus for failing this time round.
 






Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Apparently letters being sent out today giving 12 weeks notice to all Conductors so maybe things will ramp up next week ?

Then the RMT and conductors have nothing to lose. I'd be interested to see on what basis notice has been given. Is it redundancy or is it for gross misconduct?
 






Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Redundancy, but they're not making them redundant as they're offering them these new jobs, very murky to me. Hopefully the RMT lawyers will be all over it

Err...yeah. Very murky. There is a ton of case law behind these sort of "redundancies" that RMT can cite to drag this out for ages. Personally, I really don't understand the need for this change. I understand why the RMT are saying they are opposed to it and I don't have strong opinions on that one way or the other but the system as it is works reasonably well. The commuters haven't asked for change, all we want a stable, regular and safe service. This should be the priority. God knows we pay for it.
 


Jul 7, 2003
8,607
Redundancy, but they're not making them redundant as they're offering them these new jobs, very murky to me. Hopefully the RMT lawyers will be all over it

How does all this line up with the press release Southern put out before Christmas when they admitted that they didn't have enough staff to deliver the service and were currently recruiting and training crew?

They seem to have conveniently forgotten that they created (and admitted to) their own mess in the stories being put out now.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,286
Redundancy, but they're not making them redundant as they're offering them these new jobs, very murky to me. Hopefully the RMT lawyers will be all over it

they are making the role of the conductor/guard redundant, with a different role of train customer service engineer (or whatever nonsense) in its place. different duties, different job, so that going to be very clear cut legally. what we have to question is what they get out of it, because they retain the same head count and presumably a similar wage bill. you or other have said its so they can raise more revenuve, i dont see why they couldnt just change the existing role to have more emphasis on checking/selling tickets.

i dont think they really know why, someone had a great idea, sold to c-level and is pursuing their little mission. its not normal for any business to give so little attention to customers and service reputation, especially in a service industry.

at a different level something similar is going in my company, everyone is pursuing a strategic change in how we handle and process data, because someone has had a brain fart and sold it, even though everyone knows its a crock of shite.

How does all this line up with the press release Southern put out before Christmas when they admitted that they didn't have enough staff to deliver the service and were currently recruiting and training crew?

that was about drivers.
 


Carrot Cruncher

NHS Slave
Helpful Moderator
Jul 30, 2003
5,052
Southampton, United Kingdom
Apparently the next Southern 'Meet the Manager' session is at London Bridge on the 8th June. What's the betting they bottle it and it's cancelled...?
 






albionite

Well-known member
May 20, 2009
2,753
Any idea of the figures for Bognor as they seem to be blaming that depot for the majority of Coastway West cancellations? Is it just as low?

Been told there are 10 sick at Barnham and a few of those have been long term sick. Considering these are the main two depots No idea where they get the figures of 45 a day.
 


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