No I'm not saying that at all. You're just looking for reasons to union bash.

Do you believe 94% of train drivers voted because they wanted to bring down the Tories?
I've seen one quote from a union guy that doesn't represent drivers, if you show me quotes from 94% of its members that they voted to bring down the Tories then I will accept this is political, but until then my friend, one quote from a broken arrow is not enough to convince me

With respect fella, for many years I worked to introduce Extension of DOO. I've sat in many many meetings with managers/union reps and health and safety officials from NR.
I think I have a better idea as to why 94% of drivers voted against DOO. It ain't a conspiracy to bring down the Tory government

But in 50 odd pages on here you have not been able to make a coherent argument for the strike?

The current procedure of a guard 'having a look' doesn't seem much safer than someone looking at 'ropey' cctv cameras, surely the driver could also poke his head out too. I have travelled on trains for the last ten to fifteen years and witnessed how much effort the guards make (they are always pleasant chaps) so do not need telling fanciful stories of how they cry themselves to sleep at night worrying about my safety.

In the words of Duncan Bannatyne 'I am now out' before you post several dozen photos or links to facebook/blogs.

Edited by Only 10 a year!! (19 Dec 2016 2.14pm)

I think there have been plenty of coherant arguments as to why the drivers are on strike. The main one being that drivers don't want to be responsible for the despatch of a 12 carriage train, with over 1000 passengers given that the equipment they use to do this is at best shoddy. The idea of the driver popping his head out of the window is fine with 3 or 4 carraige trains, but do you expect a driver see 12 carriages back? What if the platform is on a bend? A driver cannot see around corners!
Southern themselves have admitted that a person in charge of train despatch is a safety requirement but refuse to guarantee this.

Apparently this was down to the DFT who are the ones saying it isn't political (as reported in the press - the same press who are now saying the unions have made this political by repeating what a union leader said at a meeting of the shop stewards network - standard conference rabble rousing 'we're all together brothers and sisters' type stuff).

Southern are not losing anything in all of this, they are still getting paid.

The unions' mistake is 3 days of action. It will lose public sympathy - ask any sane person 'would you like your train journey to be safer?' they'd say yes, so I think a majority of the public are on the unions side.

But, what else can the drivers do? If there is an incident , the driver is deemed culpable and can be prosecuted. Imagine being told that you and the train crew (who have the responsibility for the safety of hundreds of passengers) will have to operate the train with one of the most crucial members of the crew taken away. Would you still be happy to do the job?

EDIT. I understand that there has been a report saying that DOO is safe, however from what I've heard, it is generic and by no means sets a precedent for H+S on railways. It doesn't cover some of the situations Southern drivers will face.

Edited by nickgusset (19 Dec 2016 2.53pm)

Of course it's not a conspiracy to bring down the government, but offers insight into the mindset of those striking which doesn't indicate safety is the primary concern. Anyway, I give up, in line with the rest of the thread wait till someone questions your answer with reason and when you have nothing else to say.."I worked in the industry, there's no way you know more than me so no point debating that point."

FYI, bankers do gods work and deserve monumental bonuses and tax payer funded bail outs. Don't bother questioning it, I work in the industry, you wouldn't understand.