Bob Crow - More harm than good for his members?

Burnsy2023 · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:05

Marky said:
One of the main positive reasons of turning to automated transport is so that you won't have train strikes, and it will be a constant, reliable service.

So his response to stop them sacking his drivers is... to strike.

Unbelievable...

I say bring on the Automation!

Indeed. If they didn't' strike so much automation wouldn't be so necessary.

AGD · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:08

No one I know likes Bob Crowe or underground staff because the feeling is that they just strike and are greedy. I welcome any attempt to automate more of the system.

PapaLazaru · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:14

simulatorman said:
Go Boris go!

Amen! Wooooooo!!!!!!!

doodah · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:19

Can someone clarify the £40k please? I can't help but think it is what they get after say 10 years? What is the starting salary?

£40k, free travel for me and a partner (need to get one first lol) which must be worth several thousand a year and 40+ days holiday........does sound tempting!

avec · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:20

I prefer having a driver on the Train, even when automated and I think for the considerable price we way to travel in London, it is fair to expect it.

They do need a lot of training and they are very important during an emergency situation.

However, they get a good wage/pension and all the rest of it, the striking should really stop, but someone like Bob Crow will never learn his lesson until it's too late. One strike too many and they'll find themselves in a similar predicament to some of the miners of old.

Yas786 · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:22

xibinim said:
Can someone clarify the £40k please? I can't help but think it is what they get after say 10 years? What is the starting salary?

£40k, free travel for me and a partner (need to get one first lol) which must be worth several thousand a year and 40+ days holiday........does sound tempting!

Well if you bother to google then you would have found this

: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jun/09/tube-strike-london-underground-faq

Which says in there the starting salary is £40k or thereabouts.

A station supervisor earns £35,000-£39,000, while a tube driver's starting salary is just over £40,000, according to TfL. Pay grades for station assistants start at either £24,000 or £29,000 depending on the role and responsibilities.

Sirrel Squirrel · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:22

I'm pretty sure those lines already drive themselves, the driver just has to open the doors.

meghatronic · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:24

xibinim said:
Can someone clarify the £40k please? I can't help but think it is what they get after say 10 years? What is the starting salary?

£40k, free travel for me and a partner (need to get one first lol) which must be worth several thousand a year and 40+ days holiday........does sound tempting!

It's a ridiculously high salary for a button pusher. They strike more than they work.

dekez · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:27

I can't stand Crow, but more than that I can't believe that tube workers keep on voting to strike, do they really believe that they have the public behind them?!

What is worse is that they keep on striking on essential days rather than doing it on the weekend or something.

The thing is it happens so much, and London's transport network is so vast, that most people I know can find an alternate route to work anyway, so the strike is nothing more than a minor annoyance.

ExRayTed · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:30

xibinim said:
According to the Telegraph....."A driver needs 16 weeks of training before being allowed to take the controls."

16 weeks before they can be allowed to be trained to drive.16 weeks of rules and regulations classes with assessments along the way.As long as the candidates prove competent in rules and regulations they go onto the next step which is practical handling.

I drive overground trains and the training is quite similar.

I will add I also think Bob Crow does more harm than good.His brand of militant left wing politics should be consigned to the bin marked '1970s..Do Not Open'

scorza · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:31

xibinim said:
£40,000 (*though is this an average salary or maximum?) for a 35-hour week, 43 days' annual leave and free staff travel for themselves and their spouse.

*either way - it isn't a bad salary!

Sounds like Bob Crow has done more good than harm for his members then doesn't it.

doodah · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:33

Spawn said:
Well if you bother to google then you would have found this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jun/09/tube-strike-london-underground-faq

Which says in there the starting salary is £40k or thereabouts.

Thanks

I did but only looked at the Telegraph story

, only stated £40k as a standard figure. That is unbelievable! £40k start! My job is great and I love it but get paid peanuts (though it is effectively an internship) but £40k is barmy! They did very well to wangle that, I remember when they were moaning years ago with £30k. However I can't imagine it being an enjoyable job.

Danthus · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:36

scorza said:
Sounds like Bob Crow has done more good than harm for his members then doesn't it.

Short term maybe, but is is pretty obvious that a driver less Tube negates the disruption a strike can cause.

The simple fact is the technology exists to do away with drivers, Crow could do well to remember that.

doodah · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:40

scorza said:
Sounds like Bob Crow has done more good than harm for his members then doesn't it.

It does seem that way.

Since he became leader RMT's membership increased from around 57,000 in 2002 to more than 80,000 in 2008, making it one of Britain's fastest growing trade unions

Though he seems to be undoing that work (unless they get £50k, 50 days holiday and an annual Z1-3 Oyster card for 20 family members of each driver

).

wildman · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:44

xibinim said:
According to the Telegraph....."A driver needs 16 weeks of training before being allowed to take the controls."

of which 15 are spent on strike or getting drunk in the union subsidised bar......

Compound · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:45

scorza said:
Sounds like Bob Crow has done more good than harm for his members then doesn't it.

Maybe up to now, but i would guess any benefits have peaked especially as they will begin to actually lose their lovely jobs when there are replaced by computers!

scorza · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:49

OldCoals said:
Short term maybe, but is is pretty obvious that a driver less Tube negates the disruption a strike can cause.

The simple fact is the technology exists to do away with drivers, Crow could do well to remember that.

Why? As you said the technology exists and has done for some time. If tube drivers were all on temporary contracts paying minimum wage they'd be more likely to have been replaced by the machines by now imo. It's a perverse incentive for employees, be compliant and lose out or fight your corner to the point of irrationality and win big. Not saying it's right but if I was a tube driver I'd make sure I joined the RMT.

LordSplodge · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:53

avec said:
I prefer having a driver on the Train, even when automated and I think for the considerable price we way to travel in London, it is fair to expect it.

Having a computer in charge of the train with staff in a control room sound better to me.

The feeling of safety of having a human "in charge" is a fallacy anyway.

Vonhelmet · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:54

There was good Boris quote in the Metro this morning saying "The patience of London residents has a limit" or words to that effect.

Danthus · 14 Jan 2011 at 15:07

scorza said:
Why? As you said the technology exists and has done for some time. If tube drivers were all on temporary contracts paying minimum wage they'd be more likely to have been replaced by the machines by now imo. It's a perverse incentive for employees, be compliant and lose out or fight your corner to the point of irrationality and win big. Not saying it's right but if I was a tube driver I'd make sure I joined the RMT.

But as you know, any suggestion of change and modernisation makes union leaders froth at the mouth, champagne froth, but froth none the less.