Re: industrial action by cityrail train guards - 22 july

[zambuck@my-deja.com]

In article <7p2id1$1h3b$1@otis.netspace.net.au>,
  "Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au> wrote:
>
> Michael Walker <walker@hotkey.net.au> wrote in message
> 934548825.319044@diddley.primus.com.au">news:934548825.319044@diddley.primus.com.au...
> > >I would suggest to you that in Melbourne there has been no
reduction in
> the
> > >quality of service because the guards have gone, to the contrary,
there
> has
> > >probably been an improvement in the quality of service in some
ways.
> > >
> > Indeed, some railway employees I heard speak were glad the guards
> positions
> > had gone and even commented it had improved train reliability
because this
> > way the driver either turned up for work or didn't, under the old
system,
> if
> > either the guard or driver didn't turn up, the train didn't run. Of
> course,
> > this may have been an isolated group not sticking up for their
fellow
> > workers, but I suspect not based on rumour and the comment above...
> >
> > My 2c worth is that while SPOT was being introduced, there were all
sorts
> of
> > disasters (I was travelling to Elsternwick every week day when SPOT
was
> > first introduced on the Sandringham line and the trains were so
unreliable
> > it was a joke) but now you can't tell the difference. In terms of
> security,
> > most guards I observed did not do much. The only area where
potentially
> the
> > guards are missed is with the increase in incidents involving prams
jammed
> > in doors as the train departs and other such things, many though
being
> just
> > as much a result of passenger stupidity as much as there not being a
guard
> > to act as a safety net to prevent them being entrants in the Darwin
> Awards.
> > The drivers of course were happy to take the extra money...
> >
>
> You can't help the stupidity of some people, no matter how many
employees
> are on the train.
>
> Last night after a stop at a station on the Hurstbridge line, I closed
the
> doors started to move, when a rather chubby man, about 45 - 50, forced
open
> the doors and jumped from the moving train, I made an emergency stop,
as I
> started to move away again he ran back to the train, again forced the
doors
> open got one leg in and tried to get on, (one leg jammed in the door
the
> other trying to run along the platform), I stopped again and he forced
the
> doors open and got in.
>
> The train was packed so I just commented over the PA what a clever
person he
> was!!!
>
> He got off the next station, (very sheepishly) I guess some of his
fellow
> passengers must have added to my comments?
>
> Bob.
>
>
There's no question on the attitude of some passengers.   There has to
be some way of deciding the number of workers on the train than the
present 'eliminate till something happens' method.  CountryLink union
members have been set a ratio mainly for their reduction, but his could
be used to set some sort of jobs-based system.  I was thinking of this
in regard to stations.   for example, number of patronage to staff
ratio.  Or mileage to crew change ratio.

Paul


Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.