Irish Rail look to hire female train drivers

Ultimate Seduction

Yet more sexism. What the funk does it matter who drives the train, why are they "keen to hire women drivers".

The Rape of Lucretia

Of course they are keen to hire them. They need to disguise decades of sexism as much as and as quickly as they can, to avoid criticism of being sexist dinosaurs.

The real scandal is they pay though....€57k a year ? WTF ???

McDermotX

Heard something about this on the radio early this morning......something like only 4 out of 400 or so are female.

No mention of what the split has been with regard to internal applications up to this point. Suspect that might be the bigger issue.

The bigger issue that some don't want to hear.

PuppyMcPupFace

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Yet more sexism. What the funk does it matter who drives the train, why are they "keen to hire women drivers".

As a regular commuter I just care about the train getting there on time. What's between the legs of the driver is irrelevant.

This is just PC garbage.

Effects

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

The real scandal is they pay though....€57k a year ? WTF ???

You mean you want to be getting more than that, after ten years of service?

DontThankMe

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Yet more sexism. What the funk does it matter who drives the train, why are they "keen to hire women drivers".

It doesn't matter who drives the train and it's not sexism because they are not looking to recruit female drivers only, unlike the situation in the third level colleges where there is a plan to recruit more female only professors.

"Irish Rail spokeswoman Jane Cregan said there are only four female train drivers out of a current total of 500 in Iarnród Éireann"

I'm going to hazard a guess that they aren't happy with only 1% of their drivers being female and would like to increase that number considering that they are planning to hire 100 drivers.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/irish-rail-recruiting-100-drivers-over-next-four-years-1.3745885?mode=amp

vicwatson

The article I read is it was open to all, not specifically women

super_furry

Ohh this is a going to be a good one. A twofer! Not only do we get the standard After Hours rants about de wimins, but there's also a chance to whinge about public servants too!

prinzeugen

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

.

The real scandal is they pay though....€57k a year ? WTF ???

If you knew what was involved in driving a train you would want €57,000 a year also.

Its not just about pushing buttons and pulling a lever.

McDermotX

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Jane Cregan said they have tried "very hard" to internally recruit women to driving and craft working positions.

Ms Cregan said they have recently recruited female craft worker apprentices.

"Its something that we very much want to grow within our business, but unfortunately not very many women apply to take on these roles," she said.

Can bring a horse to water......

PuppyMcPupFace

prinzeugen wrote: »

If you knew what was involved in driving a train you would want €57,000 a year also.

Its not just about pushing buttons and pulling a lever.

No that's the LUAS who "earn" a similar salary.

MarkHenderson

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Of course they are keen to hire them. They need to disguise decades of sexism as much as and as quickly as they can, to avoid criticism of being sexist dinosaurs.

The real scandal is they pay though....€57k a year ? WTF ???

Just over 1k a week isnt great for what they do tbh.

whisky_galore

Who cares what gender they are provided they're suitable for the role. Fcuksakes if women aren't going to apply en masse in the first place that's their problem. You don't see too many male kindergarten staff or female bin collectors but don't see complaints or making a meal about those.

Ultimate Seduction

MarkHenderson wrote: »

Just over 1k a week isnt great for what they do tbh.

What do they do. Driving a motor veichle is much harder, longer hours an less than half the pay.

super_furry

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

What do they do. Driving a motor veichle is much harder, longer hours an less than half the pay.

Picking potatoes is much harder too.

If it's such a cushy number, you should send your CV in.

Mefistofelino

A woman's right to choo-choos?

Gimme A Pound

super_furry wrote: »

Picking potatoes is much harder too.

If it's such a cushy number, you should send your CV in.

Picking potatoes would be just about minimum wage.

Not saying it only deserves minimal pay but 57k does seem extremely high. What is it about the role that deserves more? (I'm not sure how driving a motor vehicle could be harder in fairness).

I disagree with gender quotas too but this is not an example of same when it's open to all suitable for the job. Just saying "we wish to hire more women" does not mean "we are implementing a sexist hiring policy".

prinzeugen

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

What do they do. Driving a motor veichle is much harder, longer hours an less than half the pay.

Here is an example of the knowledge a train driver must know.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1cMYYfsEJ5E

Every signal number, what it relates to, its exact location, local landmarks, gradients, local hazzards, speed restrictions etc and they must sit an exam on it and be able to do the same in complete darkness.

You dont have to sign a bit paper to say you know every square inch of a road before you can drive on it. You do with trains. Some drivers might have route knowledge for hundreds of miles of track.

And then you need to know the workings of the trains.

nim1bdeh38l2cw

Rene Icy Radius wrote: »

Not saying it only deserves minimal pay but 57k does seem extremely high.

Your name makes perfect sense!

Shefwedfan

I wonder if I stuck on a dress and walked into interview and said I was a transgender would I get the job quicker....I wouldn’t mind driving around in a train for a few months

Shefwedfan

prinzeugen wrote: »

If you knew what was involved in driving a train you would want €57,000 a year also.

Its not just about pushing buttons and pulling a lever.

No, you have to try and sip your tea, not drop the biscuit and push the button and pull the lever

Very difficult

sk8erboii

PuppyMcPupFace wrote: »

As a regular commuter I just care about the train getting there on time. What's between the legs of the driver is irrelevant.

This is just PC garbage.

‘It doesn’t matter whose driving train.. as long as he’s
Male’
?

gandalf

It wouldn't be a great long term career choice though. These jobs will be on the frontline for the chop when automated self driving trains become mainstream in the near future.

Shefwedfan

gandalf wrote: »

It wouldn't be a great long term career choice though. These jobs will be on the frontline for the chop when automated self driving trains become mainstream in the near future.

Near future? With Irish Rail, we still run diesel trains in the middle of our main city....50 years and I would still be safe in my dress drinking me tae

Capt'n Midnight

gandalf wrote: »

It wouldn't be a great long term career choice though. These jobs will be on the frontline for the chop when automated self driving trains become mainstream in the near future.

You'd be set for life with the redundancy they'd get.

Earleybird

A lot of negativity but I think it's great for them, makes parallel parking a whole lot easier

Gimme A Pound

sk8erboii wrote: »

‘It doesn’t matter whose driving train.. as long as he’s
Male’
?

How did you draw that conclusion?

Samsgirl

prinzeugen wrote: »

Here is an example of the knowledge a train driver must know.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1cMYYfsEJ5E

Every signal number, what it relates to, its exact location, local landmarks, gradients, local hazzards, speed restrictions etc and they must sit an exam on it and be able to do the same in complete darkness.

You dont have to sign a bit paper to say you know every square inch of a road before you can drive on it. You do with trains. Some drivers might have route knowledge for hundreds of miles of track.

And then you need to know the workings of the trains.

And so having to deal with the trauma of having some one die by suicide in front of your train. Happened to a friend of mine and he hasn't been okay since.

padd b1975

McDermotX wrote: »

Heard something about this on the radio early this morning......something like only 4 out of 400 or so are female.

No mention of what the split has been with regard to internal applications up to this point. Suspect that might be the bigger issue.

The bigger issue that some don't want to hear.

Still very much a closed shop I fear, but they have to appear to be open and transparent about filling vacancies that never made it into the public domain until now.

noodler

Incredibly unionised.

Explains the pay.

Tho in fairness, starting pay, as mentioned, is not actually 57k.

sk8erboii

Rene Icy Radius wrote: »

How did you draw that conclusion?

Its ‘PC’ to have female drivers apparently

PuppyMcPupFace

sk8erboii wrote: »

‘It doesn’t matter whose driving train.. as long as he’s
Male’
?

How in God's name did u get that from what I said eh ????

PuppyMcPupFace

sk8erboii wrote: »

Its ‘PC’ to have female drivers apparently

Ffs! Either you are really dense or playing the fool for effect .

It's PC bull**** to stress they want women drivers. They should want the best drivers full stop

prinzeugen

gandalf wrote: »

It wouldn't be a great long term career choice though. These jobs will be on the frontline for the chop when automated self driving trains become mainstream in the near future.

Not in the next 100 years. The tech is Victorian compared to what is required for daily use.

mikemac2

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

The real scandal is they pay though....€57k a year ? WTF ???

On a 10 year payscale though, nobody starts on 57k

Start on 45k and zero shift allowance or weekend allowance. You work the shifts you are given

I don't think that's obscene when you have 800 - 1200 people in your train and a mistake could be a catastrophe. Off peak might be under 300 but you still need to be perfect

Will I Am Not

A guy that lives near me drives a train. The day he came back from time off for PTSD from watching someone jump out in front of him, the very same thing happened again. Not sure I could do that for 57k a year.

spurious

I was under the impression (possibly erroneously) that most railway jobs were in family - father to son mostly.
Is 'outside' advertising usual?

prinzeugen

spurious wrote: »

I was under the impression (possibly erroneously) that most railway jobs were in family - father to son mostly.
Is 'outside' advertising usual?

100% to satisfy laws. Irish Rail is a closed shop. Advertising is just a box ticking exercise. I doubt any outside applicants will even get an interview.

sk8erboii

PuppyMcPupFace wrote: »

Ffs! Either you are really dense or playing the fool for effect .

It's PC bull**** to stress they want women drivers. They should want the best drivers full stop

Regardless of race and gender then?
(;

GM228

prinzeugen wrote: »

100% to satisfy laws. Irish Rail is a closed shop. Advertising is just a box ticking exercise. I doubt any outside applicants will even get an interview.

There is no law requiring external advertisement.

It has gone external because there is nobody internally left that are suitable for various reasons.

prinzeugen

prinzeugen wrote: »

Here is an example of the knowledge a train driver must know.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1cMYYfsEJ5E

Every signal number, what it relates to, its exact location, local landmarks, gradients, local hazzards, speed restrictions etc and they must sit an exam on it and be able to do the same in complete darkness.

Thanks for that. I'm now more convinced than ever that train driver is one job that is ripe for automation. 100% low hanging fruit without a doubt

Even taking those 500 as being on the lowest end of the scale, it would equate to a 22.5 mil a year saving. Imagine the improvements that could be made to the network with those kinds of savings and no unions to worry about

PuppyMcPupFace

sk8erboii wrote: »

Regardless of race and gender then?
(;

Well that answers the question I posed.

Wtf difference does the race or nationality of a train driver make ????

If they can safely drive the train on time they could be a dalek for all I care.

You have a bug up your arse about perceived racism for some unfathomable reason.

sk8erboii

PuppyMcPupFace wrote: »

Well that answers the question I posed.

Wtf difference does the race or nationality of a train driver make ????

If they can safely drive the train on time they could be a dalek for all I care.

You have a bug up your arse about perceived racism for some unfathomable reason.

Ah so it really doesnt matter who drives the train as long as theyre qualified?

Theres no ‘PC nonsense’ here then ? (;

PuppyMcPupFace

sk8erboii wrote: »

Ah so it really doesnt matter who drives the train as long as theyre qualified?

Theres no ‘PC nonsense’ here then ? (;

I take it back, you're deliberately playing dense.

sk8erboii

PuppyMcPupFace wrote: »

I take it back, you're deliberately playing dense.

Uhm. Im just pointing out the fallacy in saying ‘It doesnt matter whose driving’ then saying its ‘PC nonsense’ to hire women.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks for that. I'm now more convinced than ever that train driver is one job that is ripe for automation. 100% low hanging fruit without a doubt

Even taking those 500 as being on the lowest end of the scale, it would equate to a 22.5 mil a year saving. Imagine the improvements that could be made to the network with those kinds of savings and no unions to worry about

excellent

let us know how your implementation of this decision goes will you

prinzeugen

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks for that. I'm now more convinced than ever that train driver is one job that is ripe for automation. 100% low hanging fruit without a doubt

Even taking those 500 as being on the lowest end of the scale, it would equate to a 22.5 mil a year saving. Imagine the improvements that could be made to the network with those kinds of savings and no unions to worry about

Thats 15 mins.. For the slow line only. There is another for the fast and another for the sidings. And the same in reverse. Thats 6 bits of track you need to know.

Try learning all that for several hundred miles. Daily changes due to local conditions.

AI? Absolute ignorance!

Mebuntu

McDermotX wrote: »

something like only 4 out of 400 or so are female.

Of course, it's only natural. Little boys dream of being train drivers. Little girls don't.

PuppyMcPupFace

sk8erboii wrote: »

Uhm. Im just pointing out the fallacy in saying ‘It doesnt matter whose driving’ then saying its ‘PC nonsense’ to hire women.

Try reading dude, it's such a helpful skill.

My point, clearly made, was that the focus is on hiring women. Not necessarily the best drivers, but the ones that tick their boxes.

I suspect you get it but are preferring to pretend not to to make some half assed point.

dense

Might stamp out the nepotism in IE.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

excellent

let us know how your implementation of this decision goes will you

Not mine, but many, many others