And yet more rail chaos coming! Hmmm...

Do you want to catch one of these trains on either the 3rd or 5th of October 2017? Well, you may not be able too, because, have a guess what?!? Yep, conductors, supported by the RMT union, are going on strike again... Why? Because they believe that trains, including 8 and 12 carriage trains, should have more than just one member of staff on board, and Southern Railway, ie the franchise owned by Govia Thameslink, think they only need one member of staff on board, and they are supported by the Government, and by taxpayers' money which funds the Government's battle against the unions (including the drivers' union Aslef)! More at this website.

Dear oh dear, when will we get a decent rail service?

Industrial Action on the Railways... AGAIN!

So, yet another day with the train 'service' effected by industrial action in Hastings and the South and South-East, though this time, RMT members, ie conductors on Northern and Merseyrail as well as on Southern, have joined in (thanks to the BBC for this image, by the way)! If you need to travel on Southern before midnight, here is a link to what's been arranged to account for a disrupted service on Southern's website.

Of course, rail workers from other rail companies are now joining in the fray, as the Government continues to interfere in 'franchised' train companies operating, with its policy of bringing in driver-only trains across the country to save staffing costs. The unions' argument (Aslef  drivers are still involved, of course, indeed, many Aslef drivers on Merseyrail have refused to cross picket lines and so further disrupted Merseyrail's service today) is that this is about safety, though it has to be about jobs as well, in reality.

The unions do not trust the Government, let alone the train operating companies, to ensure jobs are safe, as plans are afoot to re-train guards to become drivers as current drivers retire, thus, the so-called reduction of guards' duties will see only one member of staff left on trains, including 12 carriage trains stopping at platforms where there are fewer than 12 carriages meeting the platform, and we have many station platforms down here that have fewer than four carriage length platforms! Consequently, jobs will be lost...

Not to mention, no guards to help customers with special needs and disabilities, eg blind people and those in wheelchairs, nor guards to collect fares from those who board trains at stations with no staff, thus losing income too! Oh well... I haven't been around for a few days as I had a weekend away, coincidentally, having to use the 'replacement bus service' between Brighton and Polegate yesterday, this one due to railworks, will it ever end?

And Rail Users Continue To Get The Worst Deal!

Go-Ahead, who own 65% of Govia (who operate Southern Railway), have announced that their profits have dived because of the catastrophe that is Southern... 

"Go-Ahead said it was talking to unions to try to resolve the issues. Group chief executive David Brown said: "We have faced lengthy and significant industrial relations issues related to the modernisation of working practices.

"Our customers have suffered months of disrupted travel, impacting work and family lives and we are sorry that such inconvenience and hardship has been caused. Discussions with trade unions are ongoing as we strive to reach a full resolution of these issues," he added." See more at the BBC. 

If you really want to make more profits, don't do the Government's dirty work for them (See previous blog). Meanwhile, taxpayers continue to pay £millions to maintain this farce, fares continue to rise ahead of inflation, and rail users aren't getting a service! 

The RMT (conductors) have organised a 24 hour strike in this area, and around the country, for Monday 13th March, and who knows what Aslef (drivers) will do next...

Southern Rail and Christmas Conflict!

Following on from the RMT resting back on industrial action, but with Aslef joining the affray, now Southern aren't entering the Christmas 'spirit' that RMT are, but they appear to be seeking to escalate industrial action in our region, as in, they have decided to take to the Courts to attack the newcomer to the conflict, ie Aslef' and its separate industrial action (see the BBC). When will they ever learn? 

Oh no, I forgot, the Government are supporting Southern to beat the unions (see my previous blog, nearly 4 months ago); obviously they don't give a toss for us customers!

Southern's Intransigence is Intransient!

The industrial action continues from midnight tonight until midnight on Wednesday, don't expect peace before the end of the year, thanks to Government interference (see my blog of 6 August)! So, travelling from Hastings is going to be much easier on South Eastern for a couple of days, indeed, even on a non-strike day, travelling on Southern can be farcical, noting that no-one knew what was going on at Bexhill yesterday, and my return to Hastings on a bus that should have been retired years ago...

Though even Southern have accepted they made one mistake, see BBC website, if only because this tactic resulted in a torrent of criticism!