Comments by "Stephen Jon" (@stephenjon3502) on "Down the pub with Mick Lynch and Eddie Dempsey" video.

@0w784g And that's the trouble with the general public looking at other people's wages. The proverbial people on 2k an hour telling those on minimum wage that those earning £40 an hour are the problem. So the bloke gets a pension. Are we all supposed to live in poverty in our old age to keep you happy? If you haven't got a private pension then do a job that gives you one. Not rocket science.
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@90sgamer.person Fortunately John unlike warehouse workers you have to be fully qualified to be let loose on the front of a 250 tonne train that holds 1300 people at full capacity. Up to 12 months of interviews, exams, stock training and route learning then another test day with a manager to pass out. So unlike a warehouse worker you can't just rock up a foreign agency worker because you need the relevant licences and have passed the necessary tests. Yes, they have made it easier from when I joined the railway 35 years ago but not everyone had the nouse to pass all the tests. Besides all that, I thought all you angry brexit supporters wanted rid of foreigners anyway? So much for being a patriot!
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@90sgamer.person I was talking about a tube train (unladen)which is where I worked. Well done for your hard work. I don't knock people for what they earn which is what you've done. Obviously the broom/warehouse piss taking went over your head John. And that's your problem fella - you've just spent countless posts knocking other people's wages, the common issue is comparing a train driver to a nurse. But you don't like it when I mention that you earn more than a nurse for still effectively working in a warehouse. Not nice is it? My suggestion is that you find out ALL the reasons why rail workers are striking, stop going down the usual route of being one of the sheep that look like they've soaked up over a decade of tory crap and stick by them as one day YOUR job could be next. Also, let's not forget that if you get weekends and bank holidays, annual leave, pension, anti discrimination rights, maternity/paternity pay etc etc where they all came from. Yes, The union members over the years all losing money to fight for what's right for EVERYONE.
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@Razmatazuk That's because people were silly enough to believe the Brexit con fella. Let's make life hard for ourselves and more expensive by leaving the market with our next door neighbours! Not the brightest thing to do was it?
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Maria. You are a legend. Well done for caring for your old man. I'd love to buy you a pint. ( beer or whatever ) best wishes for you all. 👍
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@90sgamer.person On the subject of driverless trains John. It won't happen in our lifetime. The infrastructure and money isn't there. Please don't quote the DLR as that's an entirely different entity.
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Sorry to hear that. It does prove that Brexit was and is a load of tosh. If these companies can't get staff from Europe they will get them from India etc all part of sweeteners from any trade deals.
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Another silly comment John. I joined 33 years ago. So am I supposed to work for the same wages then rather than now. You should get in touch with Jacob Rees-Mogg as he would love someone like you.
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@nbaballers2277 Think it will be a bit harder to get rid of qualified train drivers but in these times who knows. I hope you stay strong for yourself and your family. I got stitched up by a manager that I had known for 25 years and was at the christening of one of my kids. These people have no morals. Regarding mental health - make sure you talk and don't be afraid to seek help. I did and it helped me no end. 👍
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@stephenhill545 Didn't matter. As soon as she reached hell she immediately closed furnaces 1,2, and 3.
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That's incorrect. If you read the piece on what he said it didn't say he supports him. As for Brexit I agree with you, but Eddie won't have any worries as I'd hazard a guess that when he goes to Europe he uses his Irish passport to maintain his freedom of movement and healthcare.....
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@90sgamer.person As I've said, you earn far more than a nurse who's far more qualified. No wonder you are happy getting loads of money to doss in a warehouse. Unskilled labour has never been so well paid.
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@90sgamer.person I feel the same way John. You people sound like a broken record. The proverbial run a key down the side of a nice motor because it's better than yours springs to mind....
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@90sgamer.person You've missed the point. You said that a train driver should know what they signed up for. If you haven't worked out why I said what I said no wonder you work in a warehouse. I was so crap at my job that I'm retired and writing this on a beach in Greece at 54 .
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Seemed to work for 12 million on Furlough though. Just a shame the rest of us have to pay for them with inflation at all time record levels!
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Not sure what country you live in but here in the UK the Conservatives have been in power for 12 years. If we are going back in time then I'd hazard a guess that the Milk Snatcher was the catalyst for all of today's problems. Other than that BLM/5G/Corbyn/EU/communist/marxist lefty people. ( include whatever suits this week )
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Both of Irish decent. Both probably think that Brexit will give a united Ireland at some point and both unlike any RMT member who is born and bred English with no Irish in them still have freedom of movement and healthcare rights abroad. Look how many plastic paddies went straight out and got an Irish passport after Brexit. Think the count is around 1.4 million..
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That's their main fault. Look at P&O bringing in cheap workers from India. RMT members were advised to vote leave in the referendum. No doubt both Mick and Eddie were hoping that the result would be a united Ireland and no doubt when they go to any European country on holiday they produce their Irish passport to assist in their freedom of movement.....
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Socialism seemed to work for nearly 12 million when they sat in their gardens for best part of a year on ' free ' money. Only when it suits....
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A dpd driver has a load of parcels behind him or her. A train driver has 1300 people behind him or her in the Peak. Stop comparing others. It's not the fault of rail workers that other people in different industries get crap pay and conditions. ITS THE GOVERNMENT.
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Yes, they are affiliated to the WFTU but the rest of your comment is total nonsense.
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The rail fares will go up anyway. If you look at the London Underground then it's the oldest metro system in the world that receives the least money from central government which is why its expensive. If you vote Tory then you can blame yourself rather than rail workers.
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Takes up to 12 months to fully qualify as a train driver. I don't think you've thought it thru properly.
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My idea would be to get the Self employed to actually pay a proper amount of N.I. and tax, that way the rail ways could be better subsidised and be cheaper to use just like in Europe.
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That's why they advised their members to vote for brexit.
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@jasontiemann6536 Unfortunately Jason whilst we have people like John thinking that everyone is lucky to have a job and to keep doffing their cap it's easy to see that the RW media's job of winding the gullible working classes up against each other over the last decade has worked a treat. If we did have a general strike then no doubt the media would be blaiming train drivers on 100k a year and 30 weeks holidays...
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I can find the info on his comment about Lennon but nothing on what you mention. Can you post a link please?
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Thought not.
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Agreed. Let's all work for £5 an hour to keep you happy.
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2 problems Rob. The government and privatisation. Train fares are high to keep the shareholders and senior staff happy. When you have a CEO earning 4 times what the Prime minister earns then you have a problem. All those high up jobs are old boy network.
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If you don't pay your gas/electricity bill they will send someone around to install a pre payment meter. If your meters are inside the house ( mine are outside ) they will get a court order and enter your property just like they did to my neighbours 2 years ago. They will then send you another bill on top of what you owe for the cost of the bailiffs and locksmiths. Be carefull who you listen to Laura. Most of these campaigns are trumpt up by RW fanatics who all voted blue....
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Only immediate family get travel concessions. No extended family ( cousins 35 x removed etc ) get them. That's complete twaddle. Once kids are out of education and not living at home they are gone too. Lots of companies give discounts to their workers. It doesn't cost YOU anything if a spouse uses their family priv pass so why are you making a big thing about it? I don't get a discount buying a car but someone who works for a car company will get a discount. That's life. Pensions are good compared to other companies but are not all funded by the taxpayer as you mention.Maybe you should look at other companies/the government and why theirs aren't as good. As for the Taxpayer? Yes those that work on the railway pay taxes too - train drivers pay 40% on part of their earnings. N.I. contributions are amongst the highest unlike the self employed who pay peanuts. Central government give the LEAST amount of money to THE oldest metro system in the world. This might have something to do with us having a tory government and labour mayor. One reason the fares are high in comparison to europe. Don't believe me? Watch now what Wandsworth council tax payers have to pay next year once funding has been chopped to the bone in retaliation. UK has been gaslit as your comment proves, most of it sounds like you have regurgitated Grant Shapps twitter account. As for the pandemic, yes you are right in saying that a lot of trains didn't run but train staff were still required to book on for duty. That's why they were paid, unlike most of the office staff, management etc sitting in their gazebos taking 3 zoom meetings then putting their feet up on furlough just like nearly 12 million of the uk. Billions were pilled into the mainline ( private ) companies so the likes of the network Rail CEO could still be paid nearly 600k basic plus bonuses, the same for the shareholders. Time to wake up fella.
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@Boxersboy-um1fd Thanks for your reply. The free travel for immediate family is called a spouse pass. On the Underground you used to have a choice of an oyster or privilege ticket for the mainline. That was a reciprocal agreement which was eventually taken away about 15 years ago. As I previously mentioned it's a perk which essentially doesn't cost you anything. The train runs anyway regardless if the Mrs is on there or not. The politicians/media ( the ones that all get free travel ) have been winding the public up about this for years. No one outside the workers home gets any concessions, when my eldest moved out and into work he lost his ticket the same day. Police force get free travel yet don't work for the railways. Again it doesn't cost you any money directly so not really important. Let's not go down the " taxpayer " rabbit hole as my taxes paid for lots of things I never used. You don't get any say in where it goes. A company car is still a perk. If you decide to get one and have to pay tax on it then it will still be a lot cheaper than if you purchased directly and with a good accountant you can get everything back. Same goes for meals,travel, clothing and any other expenses that can be wacked thru. My builder mates all do it. With regards to booking on then going home that's a fallacy and I'm not sure where you got that idea from. No manager's would allow you to do that. Emergency timetables were in place as trains still ran. Core staff turned up for work all the way thru the pandemic. It wasn't their fault that only 10% of trains ran, those decisions being higher up the food chain. Pensions on the rail have been final salary, again it seems that the media's constant echo of trying to turn Joe public against rail workers because of these has worked on you. Ask yourself why yours isn't as good. It won't be because train drivers are at fault but down to your employers/and the government. Again it is what it is, we all have a choice, my self employed friends constantly go on about it but seem to switch off when I remind some of them how many Caribbean holidays they have which are paid for with their cash in hand jobs earnings! Shall we all be piss poor in retirement? Seems that way. All spouted by people who will never have to worry about paying a gas bill that have got the people on the street frothing. As for whatever tax a driver pays its the same over whatever the set amount is decided by the government. 50k plus is in comparison a warehouse work good money but the responsibility of a train driver is far higher. Lots of my friends earn far more than I did. Mainly all of them in the building trades. Good luck to them. It is what it is. People should stop comparing jobs, especially nurses to train drivers. Everytime rail workers stage any form of action we see the usual comments from people who have clearly been gaslit by the RW media over the last decade. More proof of this comes in your last point about over inflation pay increases as on the railway most of the pay deals are struck on multi year deals and not yearly. They are linked to RPI so when we've had an increase over the rate of inflation that was because the pay deal was struck 2 years previously but the media doesn't mention this, just spouts numbers to get you wound up. Have you woke up yet? 😉
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@Boxersboy-um1fd Wow. After reading that lot I'm well and truly asleep rather than awake. War & Peace springs to mind. 🤣 Son left home at 19 and lost his pass straight away as was no longer in education. Hope that's acceptable. Police - Whether you're on or off duty, you'll enjoy free travel on London Underground and buses, seven days a week. Travel passes are issued after completion of initial police learning in week 12. You can also opt in to our rail travel scheme for heavily discounted rail travel up to 70 miles from central London. Straight off the met police website. Info on btp is probably on theirs too. I worked on the gateline for a brief period after a suicide and was told that police travel free on production of a warrant card so not sure what info you got. Maybe you still begrudge them getting free travel - I don't, as should NHS and Fire service but I don't make the rules up. Tax - not interested in what or who pays in or where its going as we would be here all night. I gave up years ago worrying about who pays what as most of my self employed mates are the biggest piss takers. We constantly have conversations similar to your taxpayer nonsense, again the self employed getting away with murder. I paid 36 years in and have never claimed for anything since leaving school. I don't go on about the taxpayer picking up anyone's bill. You clearly have a beef with the taxpayer paying towards the country's transport system but have been part of an institution that has caused most of the countries problems in the past. Seems odd that you can pick up your pension but begrudge others one? As for who done what during the pandemic I could only confirm what my old colleagues told me as I retired shortly before the pandemic kicked in. All were required to book on for duty. You cant just pick up another job ( like in a bank/office) as you have to hold the relevant safety licences. At the end of the day train staff went to work. Sorry if that it doesn't fit in with what you think but thats it. My problem with the covid nonsense was that nearly 12 million sat at home on " taxpayers " money whilst university students still paid 10k to do their courses from home. Being a taxpayer I'm paying for those people that sat in their gardens for best part of a year, most of them probably Conservative voters who decry anything socialistic! Nurses quite rightly have a huge responsibility I never said anything other. I said not to compare jobs - which is what you've done. Nurses ( have one in my family ) should be on a minimum of 45k imo but that's all down to the tories and the idiots that keep voting them in BB. No good clapping at 8pm then giving them a 1% payrise is it? My point was that because a train driver is on 60k that's not their fault that nurses earn much less is it? A tube driver has 1300+ people sitting behind them in the peak. I've lost count of trains I've evacuated over the years including 3 on 7/7 in the height of bombs going off. I've also had 6 suicide attempts. The last one taking months to get over. Its not as you said a " simple job" For those payrises, they were all agreed over ( normally ) a 4 year period. So if the RPI figures dictated that rail workers received an above inflation payrise then it's a bonus. Personally I'd be asking why someone like Andrew Haynes is getting 4 times more than the Prime minister of the UK. At this moment in time ( won't be long before Liz changes the law) you still have a right to withdraw your labour. My best goes out to all the hard working rail staff who get up in all weathers to fight against what's going on. Whilst you mention about 20% business is down I would have thought from your responses that you have more than half a brain BB. The railway requires a certain amount of staff in particular roles for safety reasons, one thing the bosses are trying to cut. It's funny that they don't ever look at cutting management grades as they have far too many now. Remember PM May over a 6 year period getting shot of 21,000 FULLY TRAINED AND QUALIFIED police officers to tick a box only for Bojo to spout a complete load of twaddle for his echo chamber following to believe that he's tackling crime by putting 20,000 new police ( that will need training ) on the streets! Same goes for 40 new hospitals, 350k a week going to your son and his colleagues blah blah blah. All nonsense to keep the Daily Fail readers happy. So. Hopefully I've answered a few of your questions. Best of luck to your son in the NHS. Tell him thank you for his hard graft thru the pandemic. ( I won't however be clapping ever)
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@Boxersboy-um1fd I find some of your responses a bit odd. You berate rail workers for booking on at work thru the pandemic but then ask me to tell you what people who were paid by the taxpayer to sit at home in their gardens should be doing! You really seem to have a problem with staff travel being extended to immediate family even though it doesn't cost you a penny. What about bank staff and concessions with mortgages, loans, etc? That's OK I take it. Strange that you complain about rail workers pensions yet don't mention how many billions the banks fleeced from the taxpayer? As for NHS pensions, the old rate ( now changed in the CARE system) their pensions were topped up by 20.6% As you think rail workers pensions are too inflated do I take it you feel the same for all public sector employees? Shall we stop contributing to Teachers, police, fire, military and Nurses to pensions the latter which would cost your son money in his retirement? Train drivers can't work 60 hours as they are governed by many safety regulations. That applies to the notion of train drivers earning 40k extra thru overtime which has been reported and is total fiction. A train driver has 3 times more people sitting behind them as an airline pilot. If you work 60 hrs a week ask yourself why you need to, Don't question someone who has the lives of 1350 people in the peak sitting behind them. I find the use of exorbitant pay a bit misleading. I have friends who earn far more with the highest earning £260k a year for sitting at a desk in front of a computer - that's exorbitant, not someone who gets up at all hours in all weathers to get the public to their places of work. I don't harp on about it as it is what it is. As you've said we have differences in opinions. One thing you should look at though is not why a train driver earns 60k but that why a nurse, teacher, fire or police person etc doesn't. You seem to be saying that train staff are overpaid for the job they do ( even though you've never done it yourself ) then complain that your son has to use other means to travel to work on strike days, unfortunately that's his problem. When I took a job on the railway I knew I would have to be at work when public transport wouldn't be running so I used a big metal box with a rubber wheel in each corner i.e. A car. That was the same when a different union was on strike too. Strikes are advertised well in advance, the same for engineering works which the public seem to always have a problem with. Finally, with regards to the unions, If your son gets any weekends off, annual leave, paternity pay, bank holidays, anti discrimination law protection, pensions etc where do you think those conditions came from? And who lost money fighting for them? Stephen jon 2022.
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@Boxersboy-um1fd Oh forgot. Yes, I should be entitled to a state pension. The reason for this was me paying in very large amounts of N.I. for 36 years. I take it you and your son will get one too or will you refuse it? If you want to take a swing on that one then I suggest you have a go at the Self Employed who also get one but pay peanut contributions in N.I. I appreciate your contribution BB but it definitely looks like you've been gaslit by the people on £1000 an hour telling those on £10 an hour that the problem lay with those on £35 an hour....
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@Boxersboy-um1fd Oh forgot ( again ) BTP police and specials receive a police oyster card for free travel on lul. Police officers from Essex, Herts, kent, Surrey, and Thames Valley get free travel on production of their warrant card. This applies to specials too. These rules were updated in 2014. ( Another edit !) As for the increase in londoners council tax the reason for this isn't to increase train drivers pensions as you've insinuated but because of the tory government paying out the least in Europe in subsidies to what is the oldest metro system in the world that provides transport to the hub of the countries businesses ( including banking) The same government refused to hand over any of the 500million from londoners vehicle excise duty which is funnelled outside of the capital. TBH £20 extra is peanuts for what most properties are worth in London now days. Personally I'd make it a ton. Similar problems will no doubt happen to boroughs of Wandsworth and Westminster now the local councils are labour run, watch their CT go up massively once money stops coming in from central government. It's not hard to see unless you have those huge cognitive dissonance blinkers pulled forward to far like most tory supporters. Maybe as your dead set against anyone travelling for free they could stop the over 60s getting free travel. That's another load of money - Just a thought.
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@Boxersboy-um1fd It seems BB that ( as you mention ) you are the proverbial ES reader so I'm now clear on knowing why you think the way you do. You can keep going on about family travel as much as you like, yes the ES does bring this up around 10 times a year ( or used to as I flicked thru it changing ends ) it's a staff perk that gets you people frothing at the mouth. There was talk about taking these back at some point but seeing as management get these too we will see. As previously mentioned it doesn't cost you anything regardless how you try to spin it. The same would go for taxes and who pays what. I don't use the arts or watch football but no doubt I might have contributed to it in some form over the years. Likewise I voted to remain in Europe and an now paying for the extra costs of shopping, delivery charges, travel etc etc. It is what it is. The state pension and a private pension are 2 total separate entities. I've never claimed for anything since leaving school so I'm just a entitled to one than anyone else. Thanks for your advice about answering things but tbh I'm typing this on a mobile whilst having a crap as it helps pass the time. I have far more important things to do like swimming in the sea to write everything down and take it all piece by piece so please forgive me on that one my friend. Yes, I did notice you mentioned control room staff. I wasn't being funny but I said POLICE officers get free travel. That role would come under some form of admin and you wouldn't have a warrant card. I used to have a friend who worked in the same role in the shires ( no longer live in London) and she was always moaning about the same thing. I told her the simple way was to apply for the railway in some form. ( she now works for the rail in a control room and gets free travel - woopdeedoo) As I've also mentioned the other roles getting some form of public help I will leave it for you to check out, either way if we were to take railworkers pensions away I'd expect the same in all other jobs and with this shower of shite you won't be surprised what they have planned. You could be working until 75 to get that pension the way things are going. As for who does what you are right that I've not had to deal with a hostage situation although we were involved in training that went thru it. I did however evacuate 3 trains full of people at the height of 7/7 as the fire brigade stood and watched from afar as they were waiting for their relevant checks to be able to help out. I've had a hand gun poked in my boat, spat at on 3 occasions. Knives pulled, and 6 suicide attempts, a few train fires thrown in for good measure so it's not just pressing buttons etc. As for the driver who was drunk as you say I cannot comment as know nothing about it. You are required to book on with a duty manager so seems odd that would have been missed. Who knows but if you read about it in the ES then I'd take most things with a pinch of salt. Dumps finished, I'm back to top up my tan. Take care BB 👍
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Oh. About Christmas. That is true that is the only day off the year we got off but they take a days annual leave from you. I stabled a train at 0134 hrs one Christmas day so you could say we do work it. Engineering staff have worked over Christmas too. The last year I worked a boxing day i picked up roughly about 50 passengers over the entire 8 hour shift - a complete waste of time.
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@Boxersboy-um1fd Thanks BB. Sorry I missed the question about the 20% drop. The main problem is this - unlike other jobs the railways require a certain number of staff in various locations for safety reasons etc ( think back to Kings x ) whilst it may seem to Joe public that people are standing or sitting around they aren't. They are there if ( and often when ) the shit hits the fan. As for train drivers you will need a number of extras ( spares ) to cover lateness, sickness, annual leave, or training and over the years the management ( ones out of uni not the old school go up thru the grades ones) have best tried to cut these to the minimum only to find out that trains were cancelled and thus important people like your son not being able to get to work etc. In another way think of Theresa May getting shot of 21,000 fully trained and experienced police officers getting the boot over 6 years then having a new and improved bullshitter tell the gullible, pot bashing, clappy clap clapping public that they are going to introduce 20,000 new ones to hopefully stem the tide of the yuuts going around shanking one another because they live on the other side of the village! And next year flairs are making a comeback as well! You can't run the railway with skeleton staff. They know this but keep trying. One reason I'm glad I'm away from it all. We've narrowed down the free travel from extended grandparents twice removed down to your spouse and children whilst still in education but you are still not happy - hence the ES comment. Tbh I'm not bothered what you or anyone else reads but the media people keep forgetting that they report on one thing but haven't told the public that those travel expenses always get paid back! It may change, it may not. Over 3 decades driving the things I try to avoid them at all costs and get the Bentley out of the garage - far more civilised. Good luck to you or anyone else if they get perks. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. You do realise though that to get the free travel and similar wages all you had to do was apply for a job on the tube BB - you certainly sound like you could cope my friend. I get your point about the email, it would be nice to have a pint and a chat with someone who can give a bit and take a bit without it decending into tribal warfare. Unfortunately I'm far too busy testing flip flops for my sponsor these days and am doing my very best to finally get out of the UK for good. Great to have a chat. Please give your family and especially your lad my best ( my mum in law worked in the NHS too as Nurse& midwife) I hope one day he too gets far better wages than now and maybe even free travel. They certainly deserve it. 👏 Obrigado. S.J.
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