Uncle Festa wrote:
just apply for a job and see for yourself the criteria you have to reach just to get a job let alone work the night shift 12 hours through the night at the weekend, many people say stuff that at the first hurdle.
Uncle Festa; Firstly. please don't tar us all with the same brush as I am sympathetic to any union that sticks up for it's members (look back at my other posts). I also 100% support any union which is attempting to prevent mass job losses such as the automatic trains would inevitably lead to
However, you simply cannot claim that drivers deserve £46K (+ benefits) as they work at night and do 12hour shifts. There are thousands of semi skilled workers (especially in this part of London near LHR) who work similar and longer hours, so that is a pathetic attempt at justifying their salary package
I was in the fire service for 32 years. My colleagues still work long shifts (including Xmas day when train drivers are stuffing their faces like the rest of us!) & night shifts. When you talk of 'one unders', although I do not doubt the emotional trauma it causes the drivers, it's the fire service who often scrape the human remains and severed limbs into plastic bags and sheets. Meanwhile a firefighter's wage is more than £17K less than a tube driver - much more than that if you take into account train op's benefits such as free travel. So be careful when justifying this salary as it simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny or comparison.
The truth is that the RMT is one of just a handful of unions that can bring the UK to it's knees on day one of a strike and totally incapacitate this country within days. That is why they have been managed to negotiate such a generous pay settlement and it has nothing to do with the work carried out by the drivers.
I am not jealous of the drivers salary and I do support the RMT's position of ensuring their members get the best conditions of service and safe working environment - that's their job. But like the FBU, the RMT are a little trigger happy when it comes to resorting to industrial action. Hard fought rights like the ability to strike must be used responsibly.