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IR Drivers to strike over 10min service rosters
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They will it is almost inevitable that all services will be 2/4 coaches off peak and possibly a few 6 coaches at peak hours.
The proposed frequency is heavily overestimated in comparison to actual demand and I would give it 6 months before capacity cut and possibly freq cuts in the evenings. While I agree with the comment about the unions, 8 coach units will become history unless thousands more flock to DART because of the timetable change which is unlikely.
An extra 8 coaches at peak hours will help.
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There is only a certain amount of time the NTA will plug the black hole and IE cannot expect commuter/intercity customers to make up the short fall as it was us who bared the brunt of cuts in recent years until it clicked that DART needed to have significant cuts to bring it into line with demand.
The unions are not talking about off-peak - they're talking about peak times. Hence my comment.
Off peak capacity would be fine with 4-car sets or 2-car sets at certain times.
It's the peak time where capacity is relevant, and with extra sets being pressed into service I don't see the issue. There will be enough 8 car and 6 car sets to cover it.
As for what will happen, I would suggest it might be better to wait and see rather than taking a Daily Mail style approach of doom and gloom and predicting failure.
You are really putting the cart before the horse.0 -
The unions are not talking about off-peak - they're talking about peak times. Hence my comment.
Off peak capacity would be fine with 4-car sets or 2-car sets at certain times.
It's the peak time where capacity is relevant, and with extra sets being pressed into service I don't see the issue. There will be enough 8 car and 6 car sets to cover it.
As for what will happen, I would suggest it might be better to wait and see rather than taking a Daily Mail style approach of doom and gloom and predicting failure.
You are really putting the cart before the horse.
I don't see 8 coaches staying at peak hours unless there is going to be a dramatic increase possibly 3 6 coach and 3 4 coach per hour.
We know this vote has nothing to do with capacity as it would be illegal strike.
I am been realistic as we have said Luas runs at 15-20 minutes late at night and some trans could carry as low as 10-15 people in the city center, how a high freq DART will be sustainable is management and the NTA living in fairy land.0 -
Idbatterim wrote: »election coming up typical, thank god FF arent in power, their only question would be "how much to keep them quiet" endless money for pay rises etc, virtually nothing to invest in the infrastructure, carriages etc, typical of here!
Don't be naieve, bribing unions to avoid hassle is not a FF thing, it's a politician thing, esp an IRISH politician thing, we dont' want confrontation. Mark my words, history runs in cycles, FG will begin making all the exact same fiscal errors FF did, they are already promising tax cuts mixed with spending hikes, even FF never did that when we had a deficit.
We've also seen these guys record on infrastructure, the embarrassing flip flop going from nothing to airport Luas to metro in 3 days.Yes lets do away with the state railway etc and make it private ownership like the luas....... oh wait theyre going on strike too!
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The Luas IS NOTprivately owned, the state owns it, it's privately OPERATED day to day by a tendered contractor. A very important distinction
As for the unions muddying the waters, they are using the same tired, jaded excuse for this they use for everything (imagine thick north dublin accent) "health n safety we can't do dah...health n safety".
Same old sh1te, from unions and the Irish state, just a new cycle.0 -
The unions are not talking about off-peak - they're talking about peak times. Hence my comment.
Off peak capacity would be fine with 4-car sets or 2-car sets at certain times.
It's the peak time where capacity is relevant, and with extra sets being pressed into service I don't see the issue. There will be enough 8 car and 6 car sets to cover it.
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2-4 cars sets are not good enough off peak with 20min gaps. I have gotten DARTs at lunch time on Sundays that were 4 cars and they were wedged to the doors with bikes and buggies. You can't cut capacity and frequency.
As it is there are not enough sets to run 6-8 car trains every 10 mins, it's impossible with the current feet.
The DART I usually get in the evenings from Connolly to Malahide at 17:00 was always a 4 car 8500 set up till the new year, all this week it has been increased to an 8 car train and the difference is amazing, stress free commuting finally.0 -
Look closer and you'll see that the luas strike can be linked to the payscale in CIE.
Yes because they do a similar job and get crappier wages for it. Even if 50% is too much in one go you cant expect em to continue on the wages they are with the cost of living going up.The Luas IS NOTprivately owned, the state owns it, it's privately OPERATED day to day by a tendered contractor. A very important distinction
As for the unions muddying the waters, they are using the same tired, jaded excuse for this they use for everything (imagine thick north dublin accent) "health n safety we can't do dah...health n safety".
Same old sh1te, from unions and the Irish state, just a new cycle.
Yeah its not so much shite when there's truth to the whole thing. Theres also another issue: lack of actual drivers. The new drivers they trained up ended up replacing drivers out on sickness who may never be back. There might not be enough drivers to actually run the service at this time.0 -
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Captain Chaos wrote: »The DART I usually get in the evenings from Connolly to Malahide at 17:00 was always a 4 car 8500 set up till the new year, all this week it has been increased to an 8 car train and the difference is amazing, stress free commuting finally.
I was really annoyed when I saw they lengthened the 16:54 from Connolly, that train was busy with quite a few standing always, but was not in the same league as the 17:54 and 18:42 that regularly have large number of passengers unable to board at Connolly and Clontarf.
In my whole time commuting in Dublin, I have never seen trains busier than those two Malahide DART, I have seen people pass out on them several occasions, it's like the trains you see in China etc where people are being pushed and squashed on.0 -
In my whole time commuting in Dublin, I have never seen trains busier than those two Malahide DART, I have seen people pass out on them several occasions, it's like the trains you see in China etc where people are being pushed and squashed on.
Yeah I'd agree with you there on that. There should be NO 4 carrige trains at all from 4pm to 7pm and the same fron 7am to 10am. Reason being is all it takes is one train failing to block up the whole thing and once that happens and you got a 4 carrige train involved we end up with crush scenarios. Look at what happened with the enterprise last month. Trains blocked all the way to dun laiorie from harmonstown. Even with less dramatic scenarios if a trains 10min late or delayed abit for whatever reason during the rush hour and its a 4 carrige people are crushed into the thing before even passing through the city centre. Its ridiculous.
The whole 10 minute thing IMO is a poorly thought out idea. The demand outside the rush just isnt there most nights. Quality over quantity it would be much better to simply just remove short darts from the rush hour periods entirely and focus on eliminating the deficiencies like long gaps between trains at certain times and possibly turning the howth branch into a shuttle service out of rush hour like the m3 to clonsilla service and running all darts to Malahide instead every 15min. Build up gradually and match service to the demand.0 -
Yes because they do a similar job and get crappier wages for it. Even if 50% is too much in one go you cant expect em to continue on the wages they are with the cost of living going up.
The job is similar alright, but the wages are far from "crappier". Its a very good wage for what they do. They happily took the job at that wage rate and they are just trying to grab the coat tails of IE loco drivers who have over 60 years of culture behind them.
Luas drivers are well paid for what they do and please don't give me any guff about being responsible for the lives of many people. A Deli worker in any shop, supermarket or garage is working for the minimum wage and has the responsibility for the well being of customers served. Haccp etc etc.0 -
Quality over quantity.
From a passengers point of view, quantity is a quality of its own. You keep saying that demand isn't there but, quite obviously, NTA are trying to stimulate demand by providing a better service.
If drivers have a problem with a change in working conditions or potentially unworkable rosters, that's fair enough. But this pretence that they care so much about passengers and have more insight into what passengers want that they're willing to go on strike is laughable.0 -
Drivers job is to drive the trains. Management & NTA's job is to decide how many and how often. Drivers should stick to doing their job - instead they think they run the place (and in many ways they do).If drivers have a problem with a change in working conditions or potentially unworkable rosters, that's fair enough. But this pretence that they care so much about passengers and have more insight into what passengers want that they're willing to go on strike is laughable.0 -
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I was really annoyed when I saw they lengthened the 16:54 from Connolly, that train was busy with quite a few standing always, but was not in the same league as the 17:54 and 18:42 that regularly have large number of passengers unable to board at Connolly and Clontarf.
In my whole time commuting in Dublin, I have never seen trains busier than those two Malahide DART, I have seen people pass out on them several occasions, it's like the trains you see in China etc where people are being pushed and squashed on.
I regularly get that 16:49 from Pearse bound to Malahide. It's been a 6 car train for the last few years. Plenty of seats free from connolly onwards. Has it been lengthened to 8 cars now?
I go to Kilbarrack so can get any dart. The busiest journey I have been on was the 18:04 from pearse to howth as a 4 carriage train. This is 23 minutes after the previous Howth train. 20 minute gaps with 4 car trains would be a disaster for both Howth and Malahide.0 -
I regularly get that 16:49 from Pearse bound to Malahide. It's been a 6 car train for the last few years. Plenty of seats free from connolly onwards. Has it been lengthened to 8 cars now?
Yes, it was the one train to Malahide that wasn't heavily overcrowded and they lengthened that and didn't bother doing anything with the ones that actually left people behind. In fairness it probably needed the six cars, but certainly didn't need eight.I go to Kilbarrack so can get any dart. The busiest journey I have been on was the 18:04 from pearse to howth as a 4 carriage train.
Having been on that train, I can tell you that the reason for it being busy is not simply because of the 23 minute gape in Howth Services since it is practically empty after Howth Junction. If you live in Kilbarrack I wouldn't complain too much, you have it far better than those of us on the Malahide branch.This is 23 minutes after the previous Howth train. 20 minute gaps with 4 car trains would be a disaster for both Howth and Malahide.
Not really, the majority of the Howth services barely have enough passengers to fill a single carriage after Howth Junction, whereas the Malahide ones are completely full at the same point, which suggests the balance is completely out of sync with actual demand.
Some of the Howth trains might be busy,. but that doesn't mean the capacity to Howth is needed at the level it is. They need to look at where the passengers are traveling from or to and the loadings after the split, rather than just say at Connolly Howth Train has x passengers and Malahide train has Y passengers.
Incidentally 20 minute frequency to Malahide would be a huge improvement than what there is now, there are gaps of between 30-45 minutes between services in evening peak on the Malahide branch now.
From Clontarf for example there are 5 Howth trains between 5.30 and 6.30 which are all carrying huge amounts of thin air after Howth Junction, with just two Malahides between 5.30 and 7.00pm, which are both 4 cars and so full all the way to Clongriffin that people are sometimes are unable to board.0 -
Just to make the point that you do need to look at what trains those sets operate throughout the roster - schools traffic can require longer trains on specific trains in the afternoon heading south - it's not just the services heading north through Connolly that are busy!0
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Having been on that train, I can tell you that the reason for it being busy is not simply because of the 23 minute gape in Howth Services since it is practically empty after Howth Junction. If you live in Kilbarrack I wouldn't complain too much, you have it far better than those of us on the Malahide
Incidentally 20 minute frequency to Malahide would be a huge improvement than what there is now, there are gaps of between 30-45 minutes between services in evening peak on the Malahide branch now.
From Clontarf for example there are 5 Howth trains between 5.30 and 6.30 which are all carrying huge amounts of thin air after Howth Junction, with just two Malahides between 5.30 and 7.00pm, which are both 4 cars and so full all the way to Clongriffin that people are sometimes are unable to board.
If you think the howth branch isn't so busy try getting a dart at kilbarrack from howth in morning rush hour. They're basically all packed.
Also do malahide passengers use the commuter trains? I've often got one of these to howth junction in rush hour. Plenty of room to stand for a short journey and even more room after howth junction. You have to include these when discussing trains to Malahide.
I'm not trying to create some kind of howth/malahide competition for extra trains. I can see that for passengers before the howth junction split all trains are busy.0 -
The current timetable delivers an approximate 15 minutes service to stations on the line to Malahide in the evening peak from Connolly by a combination of commuter and DART services.
The problem is that anyone at one of the intermediate stations (such as Clontarf Road) cannot avail of the commuter trains as they run non-stop between Connolly and Howth Junction.0 -
Drivers job is to drive the trains. Management & NTA's job is to decide how many and how often. Drivers should stick to doing their job - instead they think they run the place (and in many ways they do).
Drivers dont run the place but that doesnt mean they dont have any say when it comes to things that affect them from management would try to throw on them without agreement either. Lets also be clear here whats happening isnt a result of greed or any of the stuff people THINK is happening but a result of a management under a CEO that has alienated his workforce entirely, trying to force his ideas through without agreement or even listening to his drivers concerns and they basically have had enough and arent tolerating it. Lets be honest here depite all the problems it wasnt until Franks came along with his hamfisted approach that strikes and disputes began breaking out. This is a result of drivers being alienated and walked over and as a result this is potentially the 3rd industrial dispute to break out in the rail in the space of 2 years. Even the other 2 bus companies havent had it this bad so that doesnt speak well of his approach.
As for the 10min service this isnt the NTAs idea it was Franks as far as I'm aware. End of the day if management have undermined the confidence and trust of the staff in any company this is the end result.0 -
The sooner they are replaced by computers the better.
Hopefully the new metro will use driverless trains only.0 -
As for the 10min service this isnt the NTAs idea it was Franks as far as I'm aware. End of the day if management have undermined the confidence and trust of the staff in any company this is the end result.
I commend your honesty (and sympathise with your situation). It works be great if your union could come out and say that instead of pretending these strikes are about something they're not.
I presume this means every change proposed by anyone will be met with strike threats on an effort to throw Frank under the bus? I'm asking as a prospective customer. If this is the way things are, I'll stick to driving.0 -
Infini2 wrote:As for the 10min service this isnt the NTAs idea it was Franks as far as I'm aware. End of the day if management have undermined the confidence and trust of the staff in any company this is the end result.
The ten minute service is for the benefit of customers. Are the drivers in the job to suit themselves or their customers?0 -
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I commend your honesty (and sympathise with your situation). It works be great if your union could come out and say that instead of pretending these strikes are about something they're not.
I presume this means every change proposed by anyone will be met with strike threats on an effort to throw Frank under the bus? I'm asking as a prospective customer. If this is the way things are, I'll stick to driving.
Changes dont get rejected simply because people dont like them (theres alot of drivers with different views but theyre genuinely reasonable if people talk to then normally, theyre not all "we do what we feel like" type of people), they get rejected because theyre either they gonna cause too much conflicts and problems like safety or personal issues for example for those who are meant to work the rosters OR the confidence in management who are meant to lead and inspite confidence in their workforce has been corroded completely through either refusing to listen even to genuine concerns or downright arrogant "youll do what i say whether you like it or not" approach which basically destroys any trust there is.
End result: Industrial action.
From what I've gotten from talking to people the drivers arent the only ones concerned. Staff up in CTC have concerns as well as how this is gonna play out as well as some things dont always manafest until the timetable goes into service. The only reason the drivers are getting so much attention is because theyre the ones gonna be upended the most by the roster changes.0 -
jimmycrackcorm wrote: »The ten minute service is for the benefit of customers. Are the drivers in the job to suit themselves or their customers?
Drivers still have personal lives and their own schedules as well and they can have their life plnned around a fixed roster. If someone decided to change your work schedule that made a mess of your life like picking up your kids from school on certain days that your other half might be in work as one example or left you working at different times all over the place that made things hell for you to keep organised you'd be the first one to say no to that and dont deny it.
Throw in a type of management that thinks they can treat you like dirt or refuses to even take onboard the problems that make it unworkable for you and this is how it ends up. Thats how it ends up in any job with that approach.0 -
If you think the howth branch isn't so busy try getting a dart at kilbarrack from howth in morning rush hour. They're basically all packed.
Morning the timetable and capacity is more balanced between the two lines which means that there is not the same issue there is in the evening when they are unbalanced. Nobody expects trains not to be busy in rush hour but a situation where the trains to one branch are leaving people behind and completely full by the time they pass the split and the other ones are close to empty when they pass the split is not acceptable and shows a lack of balance of capacity.
That assumes that you are not boarding at Clontarf Road (home to a huge business park), Killester, Harmonstown or Raheny, a train that does not stop there is no use to these people. That is before you factor in that not every commuter train stops at Clongriffin as well.Also do malahide passengers use the commuter trains? I've often got one of these to howth junction in rush hour. Plenty of room to stand for a short journey and even more room after howth junction. You have to include these when discussing trains to Malahide.I'm not trying to create some kind of howth/malahide competition for extra trains. I can see that for passengers before the howth junction split all trains are busy.
We're not talking about if the trains are needed between Connolly and Howth Junction, we're talking about the balance between the two lines. If Irish rail are looking at capacity based on how many people are on trains before the split to decide where they should run to, they don't have a clue how to build a proper robust timetable.
The capacity split provided on the two branches should be based on the number of passengers traveling to the stations on those branches not the number of people who are traveling to stops before the two branches. For the people who get off at Howth Junction or earlier it matters little if the trains are going to Howth or Malahide. They can take any train.The current timetable delivers an approximate 15 minutes service to stations on the line to Malahide in the evening peak from Connolly by a combination of commuter and DART services.
Indeed but the current situation of just two DARTS between 5:30 and 7.00pm to Malahide from Clontarf whereas there are five Howths between 5:30 and 6:30 is the core problem here, add to that the fact that both of those Malahide's have four cars, the fact they are almost always late promoting further overcrowding, is the core problem here.I commend your honesty (and sympathise with your situation). It works be great if your union could come out and say that instead of pretending these strikes are about something they're not.
Franks from my point of view is doing a fairly good job, I really feel for him when he has his authority undermined by staff who believe that the company is run on their behalf and will not allow anyone to make any improvements to work practices, customer timetables or any initiatives. So of course the staff are going to hate it, they've had it easy for years.
I read an interview from Franks a while ago where he said that working in the private sector doing some things you get fired, whereas in the public sector or in semi state companies you get a slap on the wrist. I think that perfectly underlined the culture in IE about how customer focused they are.Changes dont get rejected simply because people dont like them (theres alot of drivers with different views but theyre genuinely reasonable if people talk to then normally, theyre not all "we do what we feel like" type of people), they get rejected because theyre either they gonna cause too much conflicts and problems like safety or personal issues for example for those who are meant to work the rosters OR the confidence in management who are meant to lead and inspite confidence in their workforce has been corroded completely through either refusing to listen even to genuine concerns or downright arrogant "youll do what i say whether you like it or not" approach which basically destroys any trust there is.
Basically that is exactly what you are saying. If staff do not like something they will not do it because they will always find some excuse. Work practices change in any company in line with market or trading conditions or demand, staff have to realize that.
It is managements job to set policies and outline a vision for how the company is run and deal with these kind of things. If staff don't like that in the private sector they always have the choice of leaving. The ironic thing is unions claim that the railways should be publicly operated in Ireland to prevent parties from putting their interests before the public, but IE staff do exactly the same thing.
If you don't like having management do that, set up your own company and be your own boss then you can do whatever you want.From what I've gotten from talking to people the drivers arent the only ones concerned. Staff up in CTC have concerns as well as how this is gonna play out as well as some things dont always manafest until the timetable goes into service.
Considering the fact that CTC do an appalling job anyway with zero communication about any issues that arise before 7.30am, I'm all for any moves that actually force them to work the same hours as the train operates, remember it's supposed to be run for the benefit of the public, not the staff, but don't worry that I'll be late for work, it's not 7.30 yet and IE don't get out of bed until then despite services have been running for a good 90 minutes.0 -
Drivers still have personal lives and their own schedules as well and they can have their life plnned around a fixed roster. If someone decided to change your work schedule that made a mess of your life like picking up your kids from school on certain days that your other half might be in work as one example or left you working at different times all over the place that made things hell for you to keep organised you'd be the first one to say no to that and dont deny it.
Unfortunately that is the way with the transport industry, you know that Irish Rail operates services 7 days a week and they operate services at hours outside 9-5. I'm sure that was outlined to people who took an interview to start at the company.
Previous experience has taught me that when staff are moaning about having to work unsocial hours and say some of the things that you did in the last paragraph, these concerns magically go away when a large enough amount of money is offered or the pay-rise they are given is high enough, which comes back to what I said ages ago, there is a smokescreen here.Throw in a type of management that thinks they can treat you like dirt or refuses to even take onboard the problems that make it unworkable for you and this is how it ends up. Thats how it ends up in any job with that approach.
So if management disagree with anything with you, it means that you will go on strike? I hate to say it, but in any workplace, if staff raise concerns, it does not always mean that management will agree with you and implement your ideas for various reasons. But if you are saying every time the workers go to management with something they don't like, it ends up with a threat of industrial action, then that by it's definition is defiance of authority by saying we either get our way or go on strike.0 -
Staff up in CTC have concerns as well as how this is gonna play out as well as some things dont always manafest until the timetable goes into service.
The staff at CTC have zero credibility given the shoddy nature of the operation they run. I suspect that they are only worried because the increased frequency might force them to engage in traffic control rather than just monitoring pre-programmed routings.0 -
Is that not proof that the changes are unreasonable, the company is willing to pay the worker more for the change.Previous experience has taught me that when staff are moaning about having to work unsocial hours and say some of the things that you did in the last paragraph, these concerns magically go away when a large enough amount of money is offered or the pay-rise they are given is high enough, which comes back to what I said ages ago, there is a smokescreen here.
The public never hear of changes that the staff do with out a fuss, as they are reasonable, it only when management make unreasonable demands that the public find out.0 -
Franks from my point of view is doing a fairly good job, I really feel for him when he has his authority undermined by staff who believe that the company is run on their behalf and will not allow anyone to make any improvements to work practices, customer timetables or any initiatives. So of course the staff are going to hate it, they've had it easy for years.
I agree that Franks seems to be doing a decent job within the constraints imposed on him and I think that the unions' actions are ultimately self-defeating.
Franks has consistently pushed for increased financing for Iarnrod Eireann, highlighting the low level of subsidy it receives compared to other European operators.
He seems fairly shrewd and I suspect that he might have calculated that he might be able to achieve his goal by providing an improved service, particularly in the Dublin region. This would benefit everyone involved in the company. It just might work but it certainly won't if its torpedoed by the unions.0 -
So if management disagree with anything with you, it means that you will go on strike? I hate to say it, but in any workplace, if staff raise concerns, it does not always mean that management will agree with you and implement your ideas for various reasons. But if you are saying every time the workers go to management with something they don't like, it ends up with a threat of industrial action, then that by it's definition is defiance of authority by saying we either get our way or go on strike.
And thats the kinda attitude that completely undermines the trust and credibility your workforce have in you. If you think you can go around treating staff like they're back in secondary school and can walk all over them however you want your gonna have a bad time.
You can think the staff are in it for their own benefit however much you want. It doesn't make it true. There's always a few bad apples, there's some of those in EVERY job but most drivers are reasonable and have agreed to changes before with no financial compensation they just got on with it and have for a good while. The problem is people here are too easy to think its all the drivers looking for their own way and are completely blind to the other side which is bad management.
Bad managers that cant handle the job or go on a powertrip and think they're better than everyone else end up alienating their staff under them and antagonize them by trying for example to force through changes without even talking with their staff first how this might work. They do this long enough and end up pissing the staff off enough to the point that they go on strike. Remember drivers LOSE money for going on strike so its not like they're doing it "for their own benefit". They only strike because they feel that they've had enough of being walked over and treated like crap and not even being listened to even when they have LEGITIMATE concerns.
Franks style of management has not helped. End of the day this is the THIRD potential industrial dispute in the space of 2 years. You can say that the drivers are doing it for their own benefit as long as you like but if someone causes that amount of strikes in ANY company in ANY sector in that short space of time what does that tell you? It's that they don't listen to their staff and think they're better than them and they can do whatever they want without consequence.0 -
And thats the kinda attitude that completely undermines the trust and credibility your workforce have in you. If you think you can go around treating staff like they're back in secondary school and can walk all over them however you want your gonna have a bad time.
The Management are there to manage, and make decisions and run the company. That may mean making decisions on occasion that some people do not like.The problem is people here are too easy to think its all the drivers looking for their own way and are completely blind to the other side which is bad management.
Defiance of authority or insubordination to me. What you're saying is that if staff do not agree with any decision management make it should not be implemented.Bad managers that cant handle the job or go on a powertrip and think they're better than everyone else end up alienating their staff under them and antagonize them by trying for example to force through changes without even talking with their staff first how this might work.
Managers are there to manage the company and make decisions to do that, that is why they are called management and not operative workers. The very definition of management is the process of dealing with or controlling things or people and staff are preventing said management from doing their job correctly.Franks style of management has not helped. End of the day this is the THIRD potential industrial dispute in the space of 2 years. You can say that the drivers are doing it for their own benefit as long as you like but if someone causes that amount of strikes in ANY company in ANY sector in that short space of time what does that tell you? It's that they don't listen to their staff and think they're better than them and they can do whatever they want without consequence.
It tells me that the staff and the unions are too used to getting their own way and if something doesn't go their way they will throw their toys out of the pram and go on strike until they can get management to give in to their demands.
Recently my employer had discussions about certain changes, some ideas were put forward. Management accepted some and not others and we all got on with our jobs after discussions. In Irish Rail, staff would go on strike unless they got every single change pushed through.
Franks is the best MD they have had in a long while, I'm not saying that he is perfect and doesn't have a lot more to do, he does and the bar isn't exactly set high from the previous bosses, but at least he has some idea of how to run a railway for the benefit of more than just the staff.
The biggest problem with Irish Rail is they were set up as a public company in order to ensure that shareholders interests does not get in the way of their public service remit and being run for the benefit of the public. The real tragedy is that whilst that idea was good, in reality the company isn't run for the benefit of the public and instead of the shareholders you have the staff, unions and management too busy squabbling about their own interests to take care of the reason they're all working there in the first place.
That's why I laugh when I see unions turning around and moaning about private companies who would milk the passengers for all they are worth and serving the public is of secondary concern. Because serving the public is of secondary concern anyway, the only difference is instead of the private companies being more interested in money than passenger service, we have staff and their unions in subordinating and defying authority to block any service improvement unless there is something in it for them.
The irony being, the very same people say how horrific it is that private companies won't do anything to improve public transport if there is nothing in it for them.
Hypocrites.0 -
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The Management are there to manage, and make decisions and run the company. That may mean making decisions on occasion that some people do not like.
Managers need to convince people as well. If your argument is solid then you can win it. If its based on shoddy or flawed arguments its not. Just because your a manager doesnt mean your right all the time humans beings can make mistakes as well. Its when they become blind to them and refuse to even talk to them that the real problems begin.Defiance of authority or insubordination to me. What you're saying is that if staff do not agree with any decision management make it should not be implemented.
Truth is in the eye of the beholder. People dont necessarily always agree but remember if your making EVERYONE go against you then you have a problem and are doing something wrong. Things get done if your reasonable and convince the majority of your staff what your doing works. Forcing your way through with no regard for concerns or even talking about it is where things break down. Just because your in charge doesnt make you god law and infallable.Managers are there to manage the company and make decisions to do that, that is why they are called management and not operative workers. The very definition of management is the process of dealing with or controlling things or people and staff are preventing said management from doing their job correctly.
Managing is also a leadership position. You need to convince the majority of those under you that what your doing works and that they have confidence in you. Not everyone will agree but if your able to do this with solid arguments and at least don't get vicious about it then your doing your job right. Its when your NOT bothering to do this and try bulling people into getting your own way that your not doing it right.It tells me that the staff and the unions are too used to getting their own way and if something doesn't go their way they will throw their toys out of the pram and go on strike until they can get management to give in to their demands.
You would be suprised about how much management have gotten away with things up to now. Changes have been made. The problem is they've pushed too hard and now people are running out of patience with them.Recently my employer had discussions about certain changes, some ideas were put forward. Management accepted some and not others and we all got on with our jobs after discussions. In Irish Rail, staff would go on strike unless they got every single change pushed through.
If that kinda attitude was taken by management in the rail then there wouldnt BE any strikes or nowhere near the amount we've had. Thats the whole thing. Its because they didnt accept some changes they wanted it all their way or the highway that staff got fed up and crossed the godzilla threshold as they say.0
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