LETTER: Drivers can do what guards do

I gladly stopped commuting by bus/train over 40 years ago. They used to strike in those days, so we can safely dismiss socialist utopian claptrap of hunky-dory nationalised railways: indeed, today’s rail-track/railways/time-tables/TfL are in effect ‘nationalised’ through franchise.

I chose a motorcycle, a soggy bottom in inclement weather... and dreamt of retirement. Our paid vocation, where we work and how we commute are personal compromises - we like it, lump it or move.

Yet a tax-payer subsidised £4,500 season ticket for a work-day 120 mile peak London return (paid from higher London salaries) equates to a bargain 15p per mile compared to non-subsidised, local wage car journeys at 25p-50p (AA), or buses up to £1 per mile.

Yes, today’s CCTV and optically imperfect plastic exterior mirrors can be useless beyond words, but it is not beyond a union train-driver’s wit, in the interests of safety, to stick his head of the window and look. Guards do! So why strike?

Yes, guards should always be aboard trains, buses, taxis... and police officers on the beat... yet my understanding is ticket-selling guards will remain.

So why strike, especially as these unions happily operate driver only operated door trains elsewhere?

If unions/employees have genuine, unresolved grievances then they should ‘work to rule’ (as per their contract... that’ll cause enough mayhem) and abide by ACAS.

Or the unions can buy-out the Southern franchise and run it themselves... which will prove interesting. However, the unions have now made public this is no longer a ‘local dispute’ but a ‘thin end of the wedge’ (their words) politically driven anti-Tory, pro-nationalisation campaign so Southern passengers must thus suffer their political cause.

As under our civilised Common Law, all workers/persons/businesses have the right to go about their lawful business without hindrance then if unions can lawfully withdraw their labour, they should be held liable for reasonable damages.

Should those who work in essential services be barred from striking? Absolutely! Let’s hold a referendum!

Barry M Jones

Bixley Lane

Beckley

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RyeandBattleObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @BattleObs

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Rye and Battle Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.