British Rail Strike for 4 Days after Easter?
Mar 30th, 2010, 12:48 PM
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British Rail Strike for 4 Days after Easter?
Just read, and it may be old news, that rail unions are planning a 4-day national rail strike in Britain starting after Easter?
Any updates on that.
It would seem to be ill-fated for unions if such a strike torpedoed Gordon Brown's amazing comeback where he is neck to neck with Conservatives with the finish line in sight.
That's why such a strike would seem so so incredible- but there may be more to it than meets the eye.
I wonder if Gatwick and Heathrow rail services would also be struck -guess so if it's a national rail strike.
Any updates on that.
It would seem to be ill-fated for unions if such a strike torpedoed Gordon Brown's amazing comeback where he is neck to neck with Conservatives with the finish line in sight.
That's why such a strike would seem so so incredible- but there may be more to it than meets the eye.
I wonder if Gatwick and Heathrow rail services would also be struck -guess so if it's a national rail strike.
Mar 30th, 2010, 01:09 PM
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Mar 30th, 2010, 10:07 PM
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As a rule: never assume a threatened strike will happen till it actually starts.
In this case, though, it looks more likely than not. The strike isn't a complete suspension of services: in practice it means a dramatic reduction in service frequency and some lengthening of journey times.
The Gatwick Express will be cancelled for the four days, though there'll be a reduced service on Southern. The Heathrow Connect will be cancelled, though there'll be a reduced service on the Heathrow Express - and the tube's almost entirely uaffected.
ALL other railway services will be disrupted throughout the four days, even though the strikes are for just a few hours a day (there'll be a huge knockon effect as trains will be in the wrong places). Passengers need to go to the website of te operating company concerned for full details. Road traffic in London will be ghastly all week
As for the politics. The unions brought Maggie in: they'll probably save Cameron's bacon too. As a glorious irony, Brown was widely assumed to be announcing the election date on Tuesday April 6. Any hoopla he'd intended for the announcement will now be against a background of traffic gridlock. He might even need a helicopter for the traditional journey to the Palace.
In this case, though, it looks more likely than not. The strike isn't a complete suspension of services: in practice it means a dramatic reduction in service frequency and some lengthening of journey times.
The Gatwick Express will be cancelled for the four days, though there'll be a reduced service on Southern. The Heathrow Connect will be cancelled, though there'll be a reduced service on the Heathrow Express - and the tube's almost entirely uaffected.
ALL other railway services will be disrupted throughout the four days, even though the strikes are for just a few hours a day (there'll be a huge knockon effect as trains will be in the wrong places). Passengers need to go to the website of te operating company concerned for full details. Road traffic in London will be ghastly all week
As for the politics. The unions brought Maggie in: they'll probably save Cameron's bacon too. As a glorious irony, Brown was widely assumed to be announcing the election date on Tuesday April 6. Any hoopla he'd intended for the announcement will now be against a background of traffic gridlock. He might even need a helicopter for the traditional journey to the Palace.
Mar 31st, 2010, 07:54 AM
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thank you both for your kind replies and article link
seems to this clueless onlooker that the unions may be cutting their own throats if this helps the woeful Tory campaign to actually beat Labour- i gather public sentiment for such a strike to be rather lacking?
seems to this clueless onlooker that the unions may be cutting their own throats if this helps the woeful Tory campaign to actually beat Labour- i gather public sentiment for such a strike to be rather lacking?
Mar 31st, 2010, 09:34 AM
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"public sentiment for such a strike to be rather lacking?"
Ish. But there's also a bit of an assumption that any enemy of Network Rail can't be all bad.
No-one seriously believes the bad old days of pre-Thatcher unions are likely to come back. But many, many people still blame Thatcher (and, by extension, Cameron) for the problems at Network Rail, BA and Royal Mail, and there's an element (but not much more) of truth in that.
But politics is never fair. My sense is that, apart from hard-core supporters of one or other side, most people blame management and unions equally - and that Conservative attempts to blame or incriminate Brown really aren't getting anywhere. Apart from anything else, they distract public attention from Brown's near single-handed responsibility for the current economic mess.
Ish. But there's also a bit of an assumption that any enemy of Network Rail can't be all bad.
No-one seriously believes the bad old days of pre-Thatcher unions are likely to come back. But many, many people still blame Thatcher (and, by extension, Cameron) for the problems at Network Rail, BA and Royal Mail, and there's an element (but not much more) of truth in that.
But politics is never fair. My sense is that, apart from hard-core supporters of one or other side, most people blame management and unions equally - and that Conservative attempts to blame or incriminate Brown really aren't getting anywhere. Apart from anything else, they distract public attention from Brown's near single-handed responsibility for the current economic mess.
Apr 1st, 2010, 08:30 AM
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A High Court judge grants an injunction blocking a national rail strike planned for next week.
For more details: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news
For more details: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news
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