U.K. rail strike

[tamada]

It would appear that the RMT (union calling the strike) have felt the need to claim their first day of industrial action was a resounding success. This after most regular train commuters managed all sorts of clever workarounds such as taking a sickie, walking, cycling, taking the bus, driving or working from home. That last one must have upset JR-M immensely.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... oid-travel

The following suggests that the RMT do have some issues masquerading as 'safety' concerns.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/20 ... ug-socket/

[stattointhailand]

Noticed Grant Swapps being interviewed (ripped to pieces ) by Kay Burley on Sky. He sai;d the govt were gonna change the law to allow "Agency workers" to be allowed to cover for strikers ........... wasnt that EXACTLY what he and his mates were so upset about with the P & O debacle.
We as a govt dont think its our business to get involved
It's up to the RMT and the companies owners to sort out
err hello !!!! The friggin' govt ARE the "owners" of Railtrack

[tamada]

Noticed Grant Swapps being interviewed (ripped to pieces ) by Kay Burley on Sky. He sai;d the govt were gonna change the law to allow "Agency workers" to be allowed to cover for strikers ........... wasnt that EXACTLY what he and his mates were so upset about with the P & O debacle.
We as a govt dont think its our business to get involved
It's up to the RMT and the companies owners to sort out
err hello !!!! The friggin' govt ARE the "owners" of Railtrack

Already covered on Twitter. Apparently he has a twin brother?

Must be pretty rubbish though when Kay Burley tears you a new ringpiece. Wasn't she suspended by SKY for flaunting the Covid rules in place at the time while having herself a splendid birthday bash? I recall Hatt Mancock blubbering on SKY. Was that when he was facing Kay's probing questions like, "Do you really care about the ordinary people?" Not a dry eye in the house...except for Hatt.

[deankham]

Well done RMT, you really showed them fat cats. Keep it going and maybe you'll get to help increase the price of train tickets even more for the general public who are already suffering enough from the crazy price of fuel.
..Maybe your actions will also help to accelerate the roll out of driverless trains and put your drivers out of work earlier than planned.

Good job.

PS why not think about retraining as a baggage handler or customs officer and helping with the cluster fek at the airports.

[stattointhailand]

Is this the same govt that has awarded MP's higher wage rises than Railway workers/Nurses/Doctors etc etc ... and the Self same govt that has just proposed doing away with the EU regulation that stops top "city executives" being awarded mega pay rises AND BONUSES of over 100% of their salaries? (introduced to stop these same executives making foolish decisions post the crash of 2008) .......... does that not increase inflation for Joe public?

[deankham]

^ Hi Statts, I'm not disagreeing with what you say. Just IMO a big union like RMT going on strike does not achieve anything positive in the medium / long term. I.e the Shipbuilders (me coming from a Shipbuilding family on the Wear) and Coal Miners (while also growing up in a Coal Mining village).

I think it's a disgrace that pay for Nurses particularly and other essential workers has not increased at a rate higher than inflation. Same for emergency services. Teachers, well that's anther story, where were they during Covid? Not supporting the kids that's for sure.

[stattointhailand]

You can only talk for so long Dean whilst you are having sand kicked in your face. Sooner or later you have to do something or you end up ruining the country anyway ......... It showed what happens when you dont stand up for what's right in the eighties, they just keep walking all over you. The country still hasnt recovered from Thatcher 40 odd years later

[Khun Paul]

Although in some cases one can feel empathy to the Rail Workers, new information about their objection to out of dsate working practices be violated are also an eye-opener. One thing you can be sure of the Union Leaders WILL NOT be on STRIKE pay .

[Earnest]

We've been here before with the miners, Sir. The Lefties lost the 2019 election so they're now trying to effect change through promotion of a general strike. I'd have 'em up against the wall (apologies to Pink Floyd).

[stattointhailand]

No need to do that Earnest ........ leave the "Righties" in power for much longer and the working/middle classes will starve to death anyway. (apologies to Band Aid)

[stattointhailand]

Although in some cases one can feel empathy to the Rail Workers, new information about their objection to out of dsate working practices be violated are also an eye-opener. One thing you can be sure of the Union Leaders WILL NOT be on STRIKE pay .

Perhaps some of your "new information" is coming from the right wing press kp?

Having watched how Kay Burley ripped Grant Shapps to shreads yesterday, I had to have a little smirk when Mick turned the tables on her and did not bite when she tried to get him to make a fool of himself ........ instead he provided her with facts that she couldn't disprove.
What will your picket line do if agency workers go in and do your jobs?
err where will they come from you need 4 years training before being allowed to signal high speed trains, and you have to pass regular tests
He also told some jumped up whipper snapper he was a liar in front of the cameras (about 6 times)

Stangely enough the link to the you tube video doesnt seem to work ........ how strange

here's Mick in all his glory anyway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHMFOqDLZvY&t=40s

[tamada]

^ A leader is born.

[stattointhailand]

When compared to the wallies sitting on both sides of the house pretending to care for this or that seeing someone like this does restore a little bit of faith that there are honest people out there

[Earnest]

No need to do that Earnest ........ leave the "Righties" in power for much longer and the working/middle classes will starve to death anyway. (apologies to Band Aid)

Monkey trousers!!!

[BillaRickaDickay]

Arthur Scargill was good with his mouth, are the unions still paying his £34,000 a year rent in the Barbican Centre?

[stattointhailand]

No, he bought the place under Thatchers "right to buy" scheme which robbed the councils of most of their available housing. Saved him nearly a million quid, which means it COST the council a million quid. Now work out how much of OUR taxpayers money was lost nationwide by her stupid scheme to get more "homeowners" (Tory voters)

[GT93]

That Mick Linch is awesome. The Guardian had a good article on him:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... -the-media

NZ currently resides is at the other end of the political landscape from the UK. Cindy has shoved it to employers really really hard. She's quite a leftie.

[stattointhailand]

That's just because the Right has gone so far to the right worldwide that centre / middle of the road politics is now seen as "left wing"

[BillaRickaDickay]

No, he bought the place under Thatchers "right to buy" scheme which robbed the councils of most of their available housing. Saved him nearly a million quid, which means it COST the council a million quid. Now work out how much of OUR taxpayers money was lost nationwide by her stupid scheme to get more "homeowners" (Tory voters)

Interesting!!! So how do you see him? The working man's hero, or A capitalist pig taking advantage of a policy laid down by his bitter rival Thatcher, who bought in the policy to help working class people own their own properties.

[stattointhailand]

Did she f*** ........ she bought in the policy to get more votes for the Torys, she never once gave a thought to "help" working class people
All it did was take thousands of houses/flats off the council list and make it impossible for kids to get a place of their own, whilst filling the boots of Private landlords who could up their rents due to the massive demand
You only have to look at every development nowadays 40 yrs later and they try (and fail) to get the developers to provide a minimum amount of "affordable housing" as there is no council housing left.
I dont see AS as either working class hero or capitalist pig, I see someone who took advantage of a broken system to sell his Yorkshire home and make close on a million quid ........ I dont blame him, or anyone that purchased their council property back in the day, I just dont think the option should have been made available, in much the same way as they should not have been allowed to Privatise the Railways ....... that worked out well "not"