Re: More about Privatisation from Britain

["Michael Walker" <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

>Did anyone read the artical in the Herald Sun re: National Express and
>CGEA's rail operations in Britain being unreliable???
>
>I haven't seen the article but I was told it said something along the lines
>that its cheaper to pay the fines for late running than fix the
problems????
>
>Could someone enlighten us to the article!!!!
>
That's been around for a while, the Herald Sun must have had a slow news
day.

I pity some of the workers under these new employers. Apparently when
Bayside were taken over by N.E., most of the station and train staff kept
their jobs but a company representative and security guards turned up to the
maintenance depots where they divided the sheep and the goats into separate
rooms, gave job offers to the sheep and told the goats they had half an hour
to get their stuff off the premises. One guy asked for extra time as he had
more stuff than he could get out in half an hour and was told he had half an
hour, too bad. He came back for his last load after the half hour and when
he responded negatively to the query from the security guard at the entrance
as to whether he had an appointment was told to F. off.

Is this the sort of treatment their customers can expect too if they don't
conform to company norms?

Apparently Hillside employees were treated better but there were still
cutbacks to some staff, in particular senior management. This bodes slightly
well in that they are reducing their cost structure by removing un-needed
management but keeping the workers.

Any other good privatisation stories?