Rail Franchising - The Future

[DVL418]

RE: Rail Franchising - The Future

(04/10/2012 13:24)wirralbus Wrote:  Didnt London Midland have a problem because they had to take staff on from both Central Trains and silverlink who were on differing terms and conditions.

Those drivers from Central & Silverlink would have TUPE'd over so had some degree of pay & conditions protection, in the short term at least.

How I understand it, is they have got themselves in this mess because they can't recruit or retain drivers because the pay and conditions they are offering are so poor recruits go elsewhere and experienced drivers moving to other TOCs.

Perhaps they should have considered improving pay and conditions on offer (shock, horror ) rather than trying to squeeze maximum profits for minimum investment in most important aspect of any service industry - people?

Anyway, this fiasco will hit LM's profits when hopefully the regulator slaps a hefty fine on them for not honouring timetable, as well as they now having to improve pay, albeit rather late in the day.

Another example of how you can't run a national railway with venture capitalists and retail managers, rather than people who know how the industry works!?

Perhaps they will now appreciate that key requirement of providing a train service includes having a proper ongoing driver recruitment and training programme.