G4S cannot fulfil £300m contract.

[bigmarco]

Marco. What was the outcome of the tube driver's dispute on overtime during the games? Was it settled in the end?

There is a ballot ongoing at the moment but it's for action short of a strike. They have done away with framework agreements for the Olympics and have introduced some 9hr 30 min shift at the weekends. The problem is they originally accepted to allocate the duties to volunteers but then they added if there is not enough volunteers they would force drivers to work the shifts.
The problem for me is that if you have 4 SPADS (signals passed at danger) in a 2 year period you lose your job on the trains and they have allowed no let up in this for the Olympic period. So if a driver is already on say 2 spads he doesn't really want to be forced to do longer shifts.
Fortunately at my depot we have more than enough volunteers to do the longer shifts because they do carry an attractive premium.
So there is no danger of a strike it's just a case of giving some drivers protection if they want to stay within current parameters.

[lastlid]

There is a ballot ongoing at the moment but it's for action short of a strike. They have done away with framework agreements for the Olympics and have introduced some 9hr 30 min shift at the weekends. The problem is they originally accepted to allocate the duties to volunteers but then they added if there is not enough volunteers they would force drivers to work the shifts.
The problem for me is that if you have 4 SPADS (signals passed at danger) in a 2 year period you lose your job on the trains and they have allowed no let up in this for the Olympic period. So if a driver is already on say 2 spads he doesn't really want to be forced to do longer shifts.
Fortunately at my depot we have more than enough volunteers to do the longer shifts because they do carry an attractive premium.
So there is no danger of a strike it's just a case of giving some drivers protection if they want to stay within current parameters.

I see what you mean. And of course you are more likely to have a SPAD if you are tired...they should know that.

[bigmarco]

I see what you mean. And of course you are more likely to have a SPAD if you are tired...they should know that.

It's amazing how safety has been compromised to deliver the service they want. 6 months ago if I selected and used reverse on my train whilst on the running line I would have found myself at the Job centre. Now if I overshoot a platform they want me to stick it in reverse and pull into the platform. Its all about getting the sevice running as quickly as possible if there is a minor hiccup.
They have changed so many safety rules now that it requires something to go wrong dramatically before they are taken to task by the authorities.
So many things that if you had done 12 months ago would have got you the sack or dipped have now been given the ok.
The thing is I think that so many of the top brass at TFL are chasing gongs for delivering a trouble free service during the Olympics that they have compromised safety.
Only time will tell.

[lastlid]

It's amazing how safety has been compromised to deliver the service they want. 6 months ago if I selected and used reverse on my train whilst on the running line I would have found myself at the Job centre. Now if I overshoot a platform they want me to stick it in reverse and pull into the platform. Its all about getting the sevice running as quickly as possible if there is a minor hiccup.
They have changed so many safety rules now that it requires something to go wrong dramatically before they are taken to task by the authorities.
So many things that if you had done 12 months ago would have got you the sack or dipped have now been given the ok.
The thing is I think that so many of the top brass at TFL are chasing gongs for delivering a trouble free service during the Olympics that they have compromised safety.
Only time will tell.

Safety when it suits them....