First Capital Connect workers call off strike threat (From The Argus)

It sounds like a fair deal to me in the current economic climate. And it is good to know that the commuters of Brighton will be getting to their desks on time. Well done all!

Kind regards,
Charlotte Vere (Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Brighton Pav)

“Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realise that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” - Ronald Reagan

Charlotte Vere wrote:
It sounds like a fair deal to me in the current economic climate. And it is good to know that the commuters of Brighton will be getting to their desks on time. Well done all!

Kind regards,
Charlotte Vere (Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Brighton Pav)

You just lost my vote. Fark off.

Charlotte Vere wrote:
It sounds like a fair deal to me in the current economic climate. And it is good to know that the commuters of Brighton will be getting to their desks on time. Well done all! Kind regards, Charlotte Vere (Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Brighton Pav)

shouldn't it say Prospective, prior to Conservative, like it does on the Conservative Party website?

FCC brought this on themselves anyway, by designing a service which requires drivers to work overtime to keep it running. in some ways they have stitched themselves up into giving a larger pay rise than necessary. most people in the public transport sector are getting rises of between 0-2%, so FCC staff can count themselves very fortunate. i hope that this rise brings better customer service, with trains running on time, and happier staff. what FCC should have done is re-work the rosters to keep the services running without the need for overtime, a job which should have been done originally. the public will not put up with any more messing around, and FCC really need to get their house in order. the staff will now see this as a way of holding the company to ransom every time they decide they don't like something. we all want a fair days money for a fair days work, but these drivers are already well paid and only work a shortish day by law.

davyboy wrote:
FCC brought this on themselves anyway, by designing a service which requires drivers to work overtime to keep it running. in some ways they have stitched themselves up into giving a larger pay rise than necessary. most people in the public transport sector are getting rises of between 0-2%, so FCC staff can count themselves very fortunate. i hope that this rise brings better customer service, with trains running on time, and happier staff. what FCC should have done is re-work the rosters to keep the services running without the need for overtime, a job which should have been done originally. the public will not put up with any more messing around, and FCC really need to get their house in order. the staff will now see this as a way of holding the company to ransom every time they decide they don't like something. we all want a fair days money for a fair days work, but these drivers are already well paid and only work a shortish day by law.

What does a pay rise have to do with trains running on time? Are you suggesting drivers make people jump under trains or cause the signals to fail to get paid more. The company offered a zero % pay rise to increase profits no other reason. Why should the staff suffer so the managers get bigger bonus for keeping costs down.

"Aslef general secretary Keith Norman said: "I'm pleased the company has come forward with an improved offer and hope they will address the causes of the current disagreement by recruiting more train drivers." "

If the existing drivers all did more overtime, their take home pay would be higher, but of course he wants the company to recruit more drivers, more drivers means more union subs, means he can get a better wage from the union, and many other perks.

tellystar wrote:

davyboy wrote:
FCC brought this on themselves anyway, by designing a service which requires drivers to work overtime to keep it running. in some ways they have stitched themselves up into giving a larger pay rise than necessary. most people in the public transport sector are getting rises of between 0-2%, so FCC staff can count themselves very fortunate. i hope that this rise brings better customer service, with trains running on time, and happier staff. what FCC should have done is re-work the rosters to keep the services running without the need for overtime, a job which should have been done originally. the public will not put up with any more messing around, and FCC really need to get their house in order. the staff will now see this as a way of holding the company to ransom every time they decide they don't like something. we all want a fair days money for a fair days work, but these drivers are already well paid and only work a shortish day by law.

What does a pay rise have to do with trains running on time? Are you suggesting drivers make people jump under trains or cause the signals to fail to get paid more. The company offered a zero % pay rise to increase profits no other reason. Why should the staff suffer so the managers get bigger bonus for keeping costs down.

happier, well paid staff tend to be more punctual, and also prepared to put themselves out more. trains will run on time because there will be the staff to man them. however, FCC should never have got into this problem in the first place, by arranging rosters properly, without resorting to expecting drivers to work overtime. this is not compulsory, and timetables should be run without it.