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Train union threatens four day strike
A union representing South West Trains' (SWT) drivers has threatened strike action in a dispute over pay.
The rail operator, one of the country's biggest, runs services through much of south-west London including London Waterloo and Clapham Junction.
Train drivers' union Aslef has threatened to stage a four-day strike from March 31 to April 3 if pay talks fail.
SWT has offered staff a 4.5 per cent pay which they say would give a driver working in London a basic salary of £40,447 for a 37-hour week.
Stewart Palmer, SWT's managing director, said: "We regret the significant disruption this will cause to our passengers and we reassure them that we will do everything we can to avoid this strike taking place.
| “We regret the significant disruption this will cause to our passengers and we reassure them that we will do everything we can to avoid this strike taking place." | | Stewart Palmer |
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"We are very disappointed that ASLEF has taken this decision as we believe that this is a very good offer in the current economic climate."
A statement on Aslef's website said: "The union will make a statement when the talks are concluded. It regrets that the company did not choose to do the same thing."
6:13pm Wednesday 19th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Keyworker, Kingston on 8:49pm Wed 19 Mar 08
40 grand to drive a train!!! And a pay rise offer far more than a policeman, nurse or teacher who all get paid far less. Disgusting - hope they get sacked for striking.
40 grand to drive a train!!! And a pay rise offer far more than a policeman, nurse or teacher who all get paid far less. Disgusting - hope they get sacked for striking.
Posted by: D, Surbiton on 12:52pm Thu 20 Mar 08
I agree, it is an absolute disgrace. The country is on the brink of recession, and train companies are paying £40k for what is essentially an unskilled job!
Also, £40k is the basic salary, and most of these lazy jobsworths will not work a minute over 37 hours unless they get paid overtime as well.
The Aslef and RMT unions have become too powerful, and need to be cut back.
Train and tube drivers salaries should actually be cut until they are more in line with similar jobs. Who is going to want to drive a bus for £20k a year and deal with the public, when they could drive a train for twice the monay, and have to deal with no-one?
I agree, it is an absolute disgrace. The country is on the brink of recession, and train companies are paying £40k for what is essentially an unskilled job!
Also, £40k is the basic salary, and most of these lazy jobsworths will not work a minute over 37 hours unless they get paid overtime as well.
The Aslef and RMT unions have become too powerful, and need to be cut back.
Train and tube drivers salaries should actually be cut until they are more in line with similar jobs. Who is going to want to drive a bus for £20k a year and deal with the public, when they could drive a train for twice the monay, and have to deal with no-one?
Posted by: Tom, Richmond on 12:58pm Thu 20 Mar 08
Oh come on D and Keyworker. I'm not a rail worker but I recognise that you're talking about people who have a huge amount of responsibility on a daily basis for the lives of hundreds of people. This is a well trained, skilled job - the safety training alone is substantial. Do you really want another Clapham Disaster because you're not willing to pay enough for skilled workers? Do the lives of the travelling public really mean so little to you? You should be ashamed, the pair of you.
Oh come on D and Keyworker. I'm not a rail worker but I recognise that you're talking about people who have a huge amount of responsibility on a daily basis for the lives of hundreds of people. This is a well trained, skilled job - the safety training alone is substantial. Do you really want another Clapham Disaster because you're not willing to pay enough for skilled workers? Do the lives of the travelling public really mean so little to you? You should be ashamed, the pair of you.
Posted by: Farringdon O' Neill on 4:04pm Thu 20 Mar 08
@Keyworker & D:
The tube is currently advertising for vacancies for train operators. Perhaps you would like to apply? Or maybe you don't want the commute? The anti-social hours? The abuse (see above)? Maybe you're scared of the dark, or you're petrified of rats?? Perhaps you enjoy having your bank holidays/christmas/n
ew year off to spend with your families? Maybe you couldn't handle the responsibility of being responsible for over 1000 lives at any one time? Maybe you'd be too bored?
[bold]Whatever you're reason: If you don't want to do it yourself, don't begrudge others for doing it.[/bold]
I could be a doctor or a commercial airline pilot and earn over £100k+ per year, but I choose not to - you know why? Because I can't be bothered. And it's for that reason I don't begrudge them their wages.
Grow up. Seriously.
As for the strikes - there'll be more to it than just the pay. Typical media slant on people standing up for themselves.
@Keyworker & D:
The tube is currently advertising for vacancies for train operators. Perhaps you would like to apply? Or maybe you don't want the commute? The anti-social hours? The abuse (see above)? Maybe you're scared of the dark, or you're petrified of rats?? Perhaps you enjoy having your bank holidays/christmas/n
ew year off to spend with your families? Maybe you couldn't handle the responsibility of being responsible for over 1000 lives at any one time? Maybe you'd be too bored?
Whatever you're reason: If you don't want to do it yourself, don't begrudge others for doing it.
I could be a doctor or a commercial airline pilot and earn over £100k+ per year, but I choose not to - you know why? Because I can't be bothered. And it's for that reason I don't begrudge them their wages.
Grow up. Seriously.
As for the strikes - there'll be more to it than just the pay. Typical media slant on people standing up for themselves.
Posted by: james on 6:58pm Thu 20 Mar 08
40K!!!
ill have that job
Posted by: railworker, purley on 8:08am Sun 23 Mar 08
[quote][bold]D[/bold] wrote:
I agree, it is an absolute disgrace. The country is on the brink of recession, and train companies are paying £40k for what is essentially an unskilled job! Also, £40k is the basic salary, and most of these lazy jobsworths will not work a minute over 37 hours unless they get paid overtime as well. The Aslef and RMT unions have become too powerful, and need to be cut back. Train and tube drivers salaries should actually be cut until they are more in line with similar jobs. Who is going to want to drive a bus for £20k a year and deal with the public, when they could drive a train for twice the monay, and have to deal with no-one?[/quote] 1.40k is not the basic salary for Southwest Train drivers.
2.They were offered a lot less and accepted that offer.
3.The strike is not about money but about working conditions, South West Trains would have you think otherwise.
4. If you have ever worked for South West Trains you would have chosen your words more carefully.
5.If this job was so unskilled it would not be accepted in the U.S & CANADA.
6.South West Trains earn millions per day.
7. Over working the drivers is not a good idea, try driving for 37 hours per week.
D wrote:
I agree, it is an absolute disgrace. The country is on the brink of recession, and train companies are paying £40k for what is essentially an unskilled job! Also, £40k is the basic salary, and most of these lazy jobsworths will not work a minute over 37 hours unless they get paid overtime as well. The Aslef and RMT unions have become too powerful, and need to be cut back. Train and tube drivers salaries should actually be cut until they are more in line with similar jobs. Who is going to want to drive a bus for £20k a year and deal with the public, when they could drive a train for twice the monay, and have to deal with no-one?
1.40k is not the basic salary for Southwest Train drivers.
2.They were offered a lot less and accepted that offer.
3.The strike is not about money but about working conditions, South West Trains would have you think otherwise.
4. If you have ever worked for South West Trains you would have chosen your words more carefully.
5.If this job was so unskilled it would not be accepted in the U.S & CANADA.
6.South West Trains earn millions per day.
7. Over working the drivers is not a good idea, try driving for 37 hours per week.
Posted by: tim for change, esher, surey on 10:11pm Wed 26 Mar 08
I recommend that all passengers should 'strike' as well. When you are next asked to present your season ticket then ask the inspector if they voted for the strike. Refuse to show them your valid ticket until they find you a colleague who did not vote for the strike. This works best at Waterloo on the underpass where they have a row of inspectors. As long as you have a valid ticket then you are breaking no law. Only give respect where respect is due. Commuters stand up!
I recommend that all passengers should 'strike' as well. When you are next asked to present your season ticket then ask the inspector if they voted for the strike. Refuse to show them your valid ticket until they find you a colleague who did not vote for the strike. This works best at Waterloo on the underpass where they have a row of inspectors. As long as you have a valid ticket then you are breaking no law. Only give respect where respect is due. Commuters stand up!
Posted by: SWT Driver on 3:08am Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]D[/bold] wrote:
I agree, it is an absolute disgrace. The country is on the brink of recession, and train companies are paying £40k for what is essentially an unskilled job! Also, £40k is the basic salary, and most of these lazy jobsworths will not work a minute over 37 hours unless they get paid overtime as well. The Aslef and RMT unions have become too powerful, and need to be cut back. Train and tube drivers salaries should actually be cut until they are more in line with similar jobs. Who is going to want to drive a bus for £20k a year and deal with the public, when they could drive a train for twice the monay, and have to deal with no-one?[/quote] What a stupid and arrogant posting, 40k is NOT the basic salary, and if this was just about pay then we would of accepted, this is about terms and conditions.
Unskilled job you say, then why the hell have i gone through 18 solid months of training / exams / testing ??
I am highly skilled, you don't just jump in the front of a train and go you know!!
Idiotic comments like these are exactly what SWT hope to obtain from uneducated people like yourself who post with NO facts about the situation. We are currently working up to 8 days in a row and up to 10 hours a shift, maybe you could try and keep 100% concentraion levels up for that amount of time starting at 4am and having the lives of 1000 people in your hands, and then let us 'have your say' eh!!!
D wrote:
I agree, it is an absolute disgrace. The country is on the brink of recession, and train companies are paying £40k for what is essentially an unskilled job! Also, £40k is the basic salary, and most of these lazy jobsworths will not work a minute over 37 hours unless they get paid overtime as well. The Aslef and RMT unions have become too powerful, and need to be cut back. Train and tube drivers salaries should actually be cut until they are more in line with similar jobs. Who is going to want to drive a bus for £20k a year and deal with the public, when they could drive a train for twice the monay, and have to deal with no-one?
What a stupid and arrogant posting, 40k is NOT the basic salary, and if this was just about pay then we would of accepted, this is about terms and conditions.
Unskilled job you say, then why the hell have i gone through 18 solid months of training / exams / testing ??
I am highly skilled, you don't just jump in the front of a train and go you know!!
Idiotic comments like these are exactly what SWT hope to obtain from uneducated people like yourself who post with NO facts about the situation. We are currently working up to 8 days in a row and up to 10 hours a shift, maybe you could try and keep 100% concentraion levels up for that amount of time starting at 4am and having the lives of 1000 people in your hands, and then let us 'have your say' eh!!!
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