The RMT, under their very reasonable and even handed Leader Eddie Dempsey (he of the friendships with Putin's paramilitaries), have found another reason to go on strike, conveniently starting just before Christmas.....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck7vpplgvrjqo?source=newscura

 
Not for the first time the RMT take the view that they should be the primary arbiters of how the London Underground, and also the National Rail network - see East-West rail info, should be run.

 
I used to be - note past tense - rather anti-union.   But these days, sadly, I see a significant case for them in standing up for the rights of the people doing the job on the ground.   From local personality clashes and inadequate managers who bring needless distress to good workers through to the much more systemic approaches taken by some employers to save money / reduce costs / increase profits at the expense of those doing the hard work at the coal face. On the other hand though, I sometimes get the feeling that organised worker groups are putting the interests of their members, and perhaps their political interests, as an absolute priority above just about everything else.

In some of the more extreme cases, no-one comes out smelling of roses - in fact they can all give the appearance of being little (or big) sh*ts - without consideration of the greater good and - in rail example terms - without due consideration for the passenger, and for the wider benefits brought by having a consistent, reliably operational public transport system.

Rather sadly, I can offer no practical solution as to how to solve these issues ... I would love to see east/west rail open for daily traffic. I would love to see the tube running on what will be some of the very busiest days around Christmas. I would love to see catering and proper reliable train services of appropriate length running.  But getting more in the wage packet of staff, and more in the pockets of shareholders (which is more becoming the taxpayer) seem to be a priorities with teeth, where the passenger voice - the customers for whom the services run - seems muted and toothless.

 
A strike designed to stop people having the choice of a shorter working week and more time off is a strange choice to make.

 
Beware greeks bearing gifts!
An employer offering a shorter working week - brilliant.  Yes, I'll take it.
Hang on. It has to save the employer money, so what's the catch?

I believe staff can chose the 4 or 5 day working week - so those who want a four day week can have it.

 

Yep - that quote is directly from a senior ASLEF official, whose members have voted to accept the new arrangements.

This is largely about Dempsey doing what Dempsey does.