"Robin" wrote:
Recliner wrote:
The trouble is that it's hard to stockpile driver hours like you can
coal. I think the government's plan is to let the unions annoy the
population so much that there will be overwhelming support for
legislation to ban strikes in essential services.

Which sadly would still leave the problem of "blue flu"?

ISTM the least bad option is to de-skill the job with automation so
that, even if there is a need for a person on board*, it is a job which
can be done by many more people after much less training.

*I have never understood the obsession many seem to have with staff on
trains. If the train can be moved by remote controllers, and help
summoned by calls to them, ISTM the main thing lost is the driver's
ability to deal with heart attacks, fights etc which start while a train
is unable
to move due to power loss etc. Just how often has that been a
significant benefit in the past - leaving aside circumstances which
wouldn't arise with modern communication systems and platform edge
screen doors? Indeed, do our wonderful, highly trained, tube drivers
carry defibrillators and know how to use them or are they waiting for a
one-off payment and extra salary?

When BA was faced with regular cabin crew strikes, it reminded them how
little training was needed for their jobs, and recruited many new flight
attendants on cheaper contracts. They only needed a few weeks training.
That put paid to the strikes, which were all about defending the perks of
the senior cabin crew who were recruited by BOAC on civil service style
contracts.

The cabin crew have roughly the same safety role as train attendants may
have in the future, plus they have to serve the food and drinks when not
doing safety-related stuff, something that Tube attendants thankfully won't
have to do. They do have glamour and foreign travel associated with their
role, which is some compensation for low wages, but the new cabin crew earn
less than half what Tube drivers do.

For anyone who thinks that the Tube drivers' high pay, long holidays,
regular strike days off during key sporting events, and short working hours
sounds attractive, this is worth a read:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/gene...Heres-why.html

Doesn't it remind you of the route to becoming a steam engine driver in the
old days?