Forum Topic

Greedy Tube Drivers at it Again

Yet another strike threatened for Boxing Day by the most overpaid group of workers in the country. Despite having an agreement covering Bank Holiday working already their Union want double pay and time off in lieu - essentially triple pay. They already get 9 weeks holiday a year!Management have made the very sensible offer of double pay for those who want to work on Boxing Day. Hopefully there are enough drivers who aren't so workshy that they would pass that up.

Danny Kopech ● 4546d11 Comments

If you want to talk about capitalist gangsters Goldman Sachs and HSBC do it so much better and make so much more money.Who has caused more damage to society: the tube drivers or the 'masters of the universe?'

Charles Lawrence ● 4544d

If the tube drivers are capitalists they are of the gangster variety. You have to join a union and how you get to become a driver remains opaque with the unions clearly having undue influence. The number of women and ethnic minorities in the role remains tiny compared to other equivalent jobs. They rotate strike action between different branches of different unions to but constant pressure on management to increase pay and avoid too much loss of earnings when on strike.

Danny Kopech ● 4544d

'They're just a group of workers, like any other group of workers, exercising their democratic right to maximise their income.'This is a bit of a stretch but even if taken as correct it doesn't show that tube drivers aren't overpaid.'As for your contention that tube fares are going up because of them, what a load of nonsense!'The largest proportion of TfL's operating costs are staff salaries. As their borrowing capacity is currently constrained there is no other option to raise fares if salaries rise.'Tube fares are going up because Boris decided they should increase. Nothing like that happened when Ken was Mayor.'This is totally incorrect. Fares rose just as fast under Ken as Boris.'Always blame the workers, eh!'The majority of people who use the tube to get to work will be paid less than the person driving it. Higher pay for tube drivers and the fare rises that result are effectively an additional tax which falls most heavily workers on low pay.'As for your contention that (ordinary) bank employees work longer hours, can you back that up?'Yes, a tube drivers' contracted working week is 37.5 hours with 9 weeks holidays. Most banks contracted working week will be 40 hours (which most people will work longer than without additional pay) and they will get 5-6 weeks holiday.'I was talking about the oh so talented guys who work in finance whose greed caused the crash, the consequences of which we will all be living with for years to come.'Okay, you've got me there. There are some people who work at City institutions who are paid more than tube drivers.

Paul Corcoran ● 4546d

They're just a group of workers, like any other group of workers, exercising their democratic right to maximise their income.Good capitalists, actually!As for your contention that tube fares are going up because of them, what a load of nonsense!Tube fares are going up because Boris decided they should increase. Nothing like that happened when Ken was Mayor.Always blame the workers, eh!As for your contention that (ordinary) bank employees work longer hours, can you back that up?But, in any case, you know I wasn't talking about them. I was talking about the oh so talented guys who work in finance whose greed caused the crash, the consequences of which we will all be living with for years to come.

Charles Lawrence ● 4546d

You've lost me. Danny's contention about tube drivers being paid more than bank employees is probably correct. The latter probably also work longer hours, have inferior pensions to which they make a larger contribution and most importantly to me have absolutely no responsibility for the latest rise in tube fares which will make another dent in the disposable income of the working population of London who use public transport.

Paul Corcoran ● 4546d

"the most overpaid group of workers in the country"....I think you'll find that's the bankersPrecisely...I was talking about 'bankers'

Charles Lawrence ● 4546d

Only a small proportion of people who work in the City are bankers. There are is a larger number who work in stock broking, insurance and investment management. Even people who do work for banks aren't actually bankers in the way it would be understood by a layperson. The capital markets arms of most banks are based in the City and they would tend to be the most highly paid but the commercial and personal lending operations are usually done from elsewhere.Whilst there are a lot of people in the City who are highly paid I don't believe a significant proportion are overpaid. Generally extraordinarily high rewards will relate to profits generated by an individual and institutions are ruthless in getting rid of staff who don't make a positive contribution to revenues.

Paul Corcoran ● 4546d

Average City salary: £83,000Average Tobe drive salary: £50,000http://www.standard.co.uk/business/citys-average-pay-leaps-12-to-83000-6370229.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2044668/London-Underground-RMT-deal-Bob-Crow-discusses-50-000-salaries-Tube-drivers.html

Charles Lawrence ● 4546d

Not 'Tobe'...Tube!

Charles Lawrence ● 4546d

Sorry Charles but the average tube driver is more highly paid than the average bank employee.

Danny Kopech ● 4546d

"the most overpaid group of workers in the country"....I think you'll find that's the bankers

Charles Lawrence ● 4546d