Bob Crow - has he finally lost it?

It most certainly does NOT. this one is all about the station staff , during the last three disputes with management , we asked station staff for their support, all the drivers were out but all the station side staff came in . so they can take a run and jump , if on new years eve there arent anough station staff to man the stations , then no trains will run and i am quite happy to spend new years eve sitting in the canteen doing absolutley nothing

lul management is crapping its kecks over this one and you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be resolved well before new years eve ,

Is there not a split between RMT and ASLEF on the stations and trains, or are all trains RMT and all stations ASLEF (or other way round)?

More and more I'm starting to see the similarities between Bob Crow and Arthur Scargill.....

Everything in the media regarding the "staff cuts" is extremely vague. Is anyone able to give any more detail regarding what is actually in dispute?

Unfortunately for LU, bloggers like Annie Mole are only able to go on what the media say, which means that a lot of people (as usual) are flaming the drivers for this strike!

So far only one LU staff member has been willing to comment on Annie's site and help to dispel some of the myths being bandied about. Her latest post is here.

i wouldnt worry too much, the turn out was very low regarding the ballot and the station staff wont turn down the chance to earn an extra 150 quid for 1 nighs work, all of the stations will be open and the planned all night running will go off without a hitch , having spoken to quite a few station staff along the picc earlier tonight, they have all said that they are working normally

To put it basically (and not including anything too sensitive) LU are introducing shorter working weeks for station staff, which the unions that approved it are assuming will mean staffing cuts, when there are none planned.

Sam

Is there any news on whether the strike will go ahead or not?
A trip on another forum is dependent on them running, andit won't happen if the strike does - but nobody seems to have heard anything definate for a while.

*sigh* God help if there's a pay row in 2012....

Look I keep hearing in the media that the RMT is renegeing on an agreement already made. While I doubt that is the case can someone PLEASE explain what this agreement was and therefore the reason for the strike? I am no nearer knowing what all the kerfuffle is about than I was two weeks ago. What are these new rosters and what is the problem with them?

My trip has now been cancelled, just from me this means lost revenue for
1. First Great Western (and their car park operator)
2. TfL (at least 2 Z1-6 travelcards)
3. Tower Bridge experience
4. a pub somewhere near either Tower Bridge or Rotherhithe and the brewery that supplies them.
5. Brunel engine house musuem
6. a pub in Loughton and the brewery who supply them.
7. the band playing in the above pub
8. at least one food retailer somewhere in London, possibly two

There were due to be at least 8 people on this trip.

From everything I have seen and heard about this strike (inlcuding on this forum), there are only two issues that I am aware of that the union has concerns about:
1. That there will be fewer staff at some stations, particularly in ticket offices and safety will be compromised as a result
2. That some staff will have to work further from home than at present.

LU seem to be saying in relation to number 1 that this will not compromise safety in any way. I've not seen or heard any comment from LU regarding point 2.
From what I understand all these matters relate to an agreement LU and the RMT reached last year. I know of no reason why any satisfactory agreement has not been possible in the intervening time. Since the strike date has been set it appears to me that the RMT have had their hearts set on causing the maximum disruption to the maximum number of people, to the extent that they have refused to meet LU management for discussions.

In my opinion the RMT are more interested in headlines than resolving the dispute - which appears to be entirely of their own making. If I were a member of LU station staff, an RMT member and knew only what I currently do then I would seriously consider crossing the picket line.

IMHO there will be no winners from this.

Chris

Last year RMT agreed a deal with LUL to implement a shorter working week for station staff. LUL started plans to implement it, then RMT realised that LUL have taken advantage of the agreement to reduce ticket office staff and re-deploy CSA's and station supervisors. RMT have now thrown their toy's out of their pram with the resulting (and predictable) industrial action. I have other opinions of the RMT, but will just say I now belong to ASLEF instead.

Just to add to my previous post & the "Oystercard only" fantasy - the pass agents are all convinced that this (i.e. 2006) is their last year.

So:

From 2007 all passenger journeys will be logged; buses will cost as much as tubes to ride and none of us will know how much we've spent on our journeys or how much we've got left on our Oysters - in other words, a forced loan of say £10 a passenger to TfL

I think you will find they will be on Oyster by 2007, if not before. This is the aim, to have every ticket on Osyter by that time, hence the reason the Family Travelcard is going, as you you cannot have one card between 8!