Eurostar: Strike action

[Cleoriff]

Bad news for  holiday makers using Eurostar this month. RMT have announced a 7 day strike is planned during August....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37031386

[Cairdeas]

Oh dear. On top of Virgin and Southern Rail also striking.. Not looking good for commuters at all  x

[jonsie]

It's always the poor holiday maker that suffers, obviously the workers want as much disruption as possible. Bad news for a lot of people.

[Cleoriff]

Just been announced that it's this weekend 12th-15th....and then three days over the bank holiday starting on the 27th......always designed for maximum impact on those travelling abroad. More disruption if they have booked an overnight stay in Paris...:smileysad:

[Toby]

What are your views on the reasoning behind the strike(s) guys?

[Cleoriff]

With Southern Rail it appears the dispute is related to the expectation that drivers will take on responsibility for some duties currently carried out by the conductors. I think this is dangerous and surely will create a massive health and safety issue (and loss of jobs) The Eurostar strike is to do with the company not honouring an agreement made in 2008. It is sad that strike action is a result....but my personal gripe is these sort of transport strikes are always happening in peak season and affect holiday makers.

[jonsie]

They will always choose to strike when it will have the biggest impact. I do have sympathy with their reasons but its sad they have to try and hold the companies to ransom. Undoubtably its a big issue but I hope they get what they are entitled to

Sometimes industrial action is needed.

[Anonymous]

According to an x-railway friend of mine ... its the company who want the conductors to catch more fare-dodgers ... but ... how can they get by in a crowded commuter train, with people standing ... & ... then get to their place to do the doors ... very sad for those caught up in this either holidaymakers or commuters ... but ... I would not wish the train drivers to be responsible for closing the train doors 

[PhoneChanger]

It's a tricky subject really, you only have to look at areas where driver close the doors now (London Underground) where the system works. The railways have already said no compulsory redundancy's will be made, so really it is just the detail of the role.

I've been on many a train (quiet ones too) where the conductor doesn't leave the back of the train, so from a company perspective they're not doing other elements of the job such as revenue protection.

[Cleoriff]

Just throwing it out there....if a group of drunken yobs get on a train late at night...would a lone woman feel safe? Who would control these types of situations?...Certainly not a driver who has other responsibilities.

Also I don't believe for one minute the tale of no redundancies. I have heard it all before