A lot of exciting, innovative things are happening on Britain's railways. Electrification schemes, line and track reinstatements and doubling, station renovations and a little way in the future, HS2.
One might have thought that the unions would be totally on board , delighted at the job opportunities offered and the immense benefits for the customers.
Think again.
Talking about the planned introduction of 24 hours a day operation on some core London Tube lines starting next year, Rail magazine quotes two union leading lights pronouncing:
"Whilst the RMT is not against night running of the Tube in principle...."
"ASLEF is not opposed to extra services but..."
As ever most of the "buts" are centred around the traditional Union barricades of protecting and avoiding changes to existing jobs even if they have become or could become redundant. Hence the ongoing battle against driverless underground trains even though automated ones are already running on some Tube lines albeit with drivers still sitting in the cab. Entirely driverless trains have operated entirely safely on London's highly successful Docklands Light Railway for several years.
Negative attitudes have to be an enormous and debilitating drag both on managements trying to make things happen and on staff and potential new staff who want to embrace the new opportunities with enthusiasm and make them work. This is true in any industry and the dire effects of negativism are well apparent in many including shipyards, the old docks and historic car manufacturing. Transport industries are all about making things happen and delivering service. Traditional legacy unions seldom, if ever, are.
Happily though it looks as if there will be all night Tubes in London and eventually the automated trains will even run as they are designed to.
One might have thought that the unions would be totally on board , delighted at the job opportunities offered and the immense benefits for the customers.
Think again.
Talking about the planned introduction of 24 hours a day operation on some core London Tube lines starting next year, Rail magazine quotes two union leading lights pronouncing:
"Whilst the RMT is not against night running of the Tube in principle...."
"ASLEF is not opposed to extra services but..."
As ever most of the "buts" are centred around the traditional Union barricades of protecting and avoiding changes to existing jobs even if they have become or could become redundant. Hence the ongoing battle against driverless underground trains even though automated ones are already running on some Tube lines albeit with drivers still sitting in the cab. Entirely driverless trains have operated entirely safely on London's highly successful Docklands Light Railway for several years.
Negative attitudes have to be an enormous and debilitating drag both on managements trying to make things happen and on staff and potential new staff who want to embrace the new opportunities with enthusiasm and make them work. This is true in any industry and the dire effects of negativism are well apparent in many including shipyards, the old docks and historic car manufacturing. Transport industries are all about making things happen and delivering service. Traditional legacy unions seldom, if ever, are.
Happily though it looks as if there will be all night Tubes in London and eventually the automated trains will even run as they are designed to.
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