Tube drivers paid extra £1800 not to strike during Olympics

[turbobloke]

That's not the point, but it certainly has became a side issue. Comparisons between market operation with choice and competetion, and regulated monopolies, that was the point or rather the lack of one

[Du1point8]

I wonder how many of these companies who have the food stalls have had to pay through the nose in the way of sponsorship to help pay for the games.

Therefore the cost of sandwich at £3 for normal price does not cover their costs, to make money they have to charge £5 to make money.

Just a thought.

[crankedup]

Du1point8 said:

crankedup said:

turbobloke said:

XCP said:

I don't see the difference with saying.
'If you want a sandwich whilst in the Olympic Park it will cost you £5. Anywhere else it would be £2.50, but what are you going to do about it?'

Buy one before I get there or take my own sandwich.

Can I also take my car and park outside?

Yup, if your off to watch the 100m sprint you could have an early lunch (9.00am) and then go without for the remainder of the day. Nobody will be permitted to enter the stadiums with any pre-packed lunches or drinks. Security risks apparently, so cough up top money if you want to eat or drink during the day. Charging inflated prices by the food bars is just plain profiteering and just as wrong as the transport drivers demanding bonus payments. The event is an opportunity to rake in some extra cash for businesses and public service employees alike.

so you agree its fine to use blackmail to get a bit extra cash like they have done then?

What I'm saying, as you seem to have missed my point, what is the difference in profiteering between the 'sandwich bar' and a transport driver in terms of exploitation of the general public?

[crankedup]

iphonedyou said:

crankedup said:

If you are not going to hold a card doe's this mean you refuse benefits negotiated by the Union?

I didn't say I wasn't going to hold a card.

Hypothetical question asked, that is all. But as a matter of interest what would be your POV?

[crankedup]

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

turbobloke said:

XCP said:

I don't see the difference with saying.
'If you want a sandwich whilst in the Olympic Park it will cost you £5. Anywhere else it would be £2.50, but what are you going to do about it?'

Buy one before I get there or take my own sandwich.

Can I also take my car and park outside?

Yup, if your off to watch the 100m sprint you could have an early lunch (9.00am) and then go without for the remainder of the day. Nobody will be permitted to enter the stadiums with any pre-packed lunches or drinks. Security risks apparently, so cough up top money if you want to eat or drink during the day. Charging inflated prices by the food bars is just plain profiteering and just as wrong as the transport drivers demanding bonus payments. The event is an opportunity to rake in some extra cash for businesses and public service employees alike.

Charging inflated prices for the event is nothing like the tube drivers demanding more money.

The London Olympic Committee have gone to great time and expenses organising an event in which they’ve invested billions of pounds. As the organisers of the events, they have the right to put in rules for attending the event. If people don’t like them, they don’t have to show up. That’s the risk that they’re taking, but they’re obviously confident people will still turn up and pay those prices (which aren’t that outrageous for London!). If no-one pays up, they're both out of pocket and look very stupid, both of which I'm sure they're keen not to happen.

What the tube drivers are doing is blackmail. They’ve not invested anything into the Olympics and will be doing their normal day job, but they know that if they strike they’ll have a negative impact on the Olympics and hence GB’s worldwide reputation to stage major events. So instead they’ve tried to find the cash value of Great Britain's reputation and lined their pockets with it.

Blimey! you defend the so called Olympic Committee as though they were spending their own cash, which they are not, its ours. You also seem to overlook the fact that the 'Games' are open to all with a ticket, to arrive from a long journey and then be ripped off by sandwich bars with a monopoly over the area is a disgrace to open and fair competition. The so called rules you mention should have included reasonable pricing of products. Mates giving jobs to mates is obvious to most people. Profiteering on a grand scale, simple as, no different to public service drivers cashing in on the event.

[iphonedyou]

crankedup said:

Hypothetical question asked, that is all. But as a matter of interest what would be your POV?

Genuinely? I haven't given it an iota of thought.

Primary concern is managing the move from here in Northern Ireland to London, and all the upheaval that entails! Together with running back and forth to London for medicals and such. Unions are but an irrelevance at this point

I'll be in an area of the business far removed from drivers and their worries, though.

Edited by iphonedyou on Tuesday 12th June 13:38

[crankedup]

London424 said:

turbobloke said:

crankedup said:

turbobloke said:

XCP said:

I don't see the difference with saying.
'If you want a sandwich whilst in the Olympic Park it will cost you £5. Anywhere else it would be £2.50, but what are you going to do about it?'

Buy one before I get there or take my own sandwich.

Can I also take my car and park outside?

Yup, if your off to watch the 100m sprint you could have an early lunch (9.00am) and then go without for the remainder of the day. Nobody will be permitted to enter the stadiums with any pre-packed lunches or drinks. Security risks apparently, so cough up top money if you want to eat or drink during the day. Charging inflated prices by the food bars is just plain profiteering and just as wrong as the transport drivers demanding bonus payments. The event is an opportunity to rake in some extra cash for businesses and public service employees alike.

Some of Mrs TB's sandwiches are hot stuff, though not explosive...but good point. After eating prior to arrival you'd have to settle for a 100ml container with your vichyssoise liquid lunch. Rather than pay through the nose for expensive carp offered as Hobson's choice, I'd do it.

Driving and parking outside or nearby is a also a no-no (unless you're in one of the limos sailing along Zil lanes) enhancing the ransom opportunism that has nothing to do with markets. Limited regulation with open competition and a degree of choice is one thing, tightly regulated services with monopoly conditions in a control freak arena is another.

Demands for a bonus to be paid by the public simply for somebody turning up and doing a job are inexcusable but unsurprising in terms of London and public transport.

I haven't read all of this so apologies if this has been asked and answered but why is anyone surprised that its costs more at the event than outside? It's like that if you go to any major event. The main difference I can see is the restrictions on bringing stuff in.

If memory serves almost all of the events are a couple of hours tops. You haven't bought a day ticket like at the cricket, so how long are you actually planning on being in this events for?

Most major events are financed by private or corporate money, or both under sponsors banners. Olympics is paid for by peoples money from lottery funds, taxes, an entirely different scenario. The Olympics are not being run for profit. The cost of the event ticket is for the day, like a concert you also see all the support acts before the main band play.

[crankedup]

Du1point8 said:

I wonder how many of these companies who have the food stalls have had to pay through the nose in the way of sponsorship to help pay for the games.

Therefore the cost of sandwich at £3 for normal price does not cover their costs, to make money they have to charge £5 to make money.

Just a thought.

Its a good point, usually 'pitches' for one off events would be put out to tender to a selected group. Would have thought that the contract includes a maximum price structure for products on sale. Five quid for a fancy sarny is well OTT.

[Laughingman21]

crankedup said:

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

turbobloke said:

XCP said:

I don't see the difference with saying.
'If you want a sandwich whilst in the Olympic Park it will cost you £5. Anywhere else it would be £2.50, but what are you going to do about it?'

Buy one before I get there or take my own sandwich.

Can I also take my car and park outside?

Yup, if your off to watch the 100m sprint you could have an early lunch (9.00am) and then go without for the remainder of the day. Nobody will be permitted to enter the stadiums with any pre-packed lunches or drinks. Security risks apparently, so cough up top money if you want to eat or drink during the day. Charging inflated prices by the food bars is just plain profiteering and just as wrong as the transport drivers demanding bonus payments. The event is an opportunity to rake in some extra cash for businesses and public service employees alike.

Charging inflated prices for the event is nothing like the tube drivers demanding more money.

The London Olympic Committee have gone to great time and expenses organising an event in which they’ve invested billions of pounds. As the organisers of the events, they have the right to put in rules for attending the event. If people don’t like them, they don’t have to show up. That’s the risk that they’re taking, but they’re obviously confident people will still turn up and pay those prices (which aren’t that outrageous for London!). If no-one pays up, they're both out of pocket and look very stupid, both of which I'm sure they're keen not to happen.

What the tube drivers are doing is blackmail. They’ve not invested anything into the Olympics and will be doing their normal day job, but they know that if they strike they’ll have a negative impact on the Olympics and hence GB’s worldwide reputation to stage major events. So instead they’ve tried to find the cash value of Great Britain's reputation and lined their pockets with it.

Blimey! you defend the so called Olympic Committee as though they were spending their own cash, which they are not, its ours. You also seem to overlook the fact that the 'Games' are open to all with a ticket, to arrive from a long journey and then be ripped off by sandwich bars with a monopoly over the area is a disgrace to open and fair competition. The so called rules you mention should have included reasonable pricing of products. Mates giving jobs to mates is obvious to most people. Profiteering on a grand scale, simple as, no different to public service drivers cashing in on the event.

I’ve not said it’s there own money, but the second the taxpayer handed it over to them it became the committee’s responsibility to get the best returns they could on that cash. One of the revenue streams open to them is the refreshments within the stadiums. Therefore, (as a taxpayer) I want them to try and recoup as much of the cost as possible. If people don’t want to pay the prices, they don’t have to. It’s simple market forces.

You also mention the sandwich bars have a monopoly. I’m sure they’ll be more than just one company offering refreshments (but feel free to prove me wrong), in which case there’s not a monopoly and the companies that have PAID to get these locations will have to keep their prices in check so they don’t lose customers to the competition on site. Consequently, they would make a massive loss once their initial fee is taken into account.

Have you got any evidence of the profiteering and giving jobs to mates? If you have, I’d be interested to hear it and I’m sure the OFT would love to hear from you too.

Finally, getting back on point, you didn’t exactly deny that the tube drivers were blackmailing Londoners. You just seem to think that as everyone else is making a few quid, therefore they’ve got the right to behave however they want as long as they get a cash hand out.

[rover 623gsi]

Blimey, has no one here ever been to the cinema, or the theatre, or a football match??? Ever try buying some chocolate, or a drink or a burger at any of those??? Cost a bloody fortune!

[turbobloke]

rover 623gsi said:

Blimey, has no one here ever been to the cinema, or the theatre, or a football match??? Ever try buying some chocolate, or a drink or a burger at any of those??? Cost a bloody fortune!

Again, that's exactly what people are saying. The last time I went to a football fixture by bus the service was a routine one and given the lack of strike threats in the local papers, and no other signs to the contrary, the driver was paid the same as usual. People are also saying that there's no reason that buses and tube trains running through the Olympics should be any different. Tube trains are often packed in the rush hour, though not always with London buses even then.

[crankedup]

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

turbobloke said:

XCP said:

I don't see the difference with saying.
'If you want a sandwich whilst in the Olympic Park it will cost you £5. Anywhere else it would be £2.50, but what are you going to do about it?'

Buy one before I get there or take my own sandwich.

Can I also take my car and park outside?

Yup, if your off to watch the 100m sprint you could have an early lunch (9.00am) and then go without for the remainder of the day. Nobody will be permitted to enter the stadiums with any pre-packed lunches or drinks. Security risks apparently, so cough up top money if you want to eat or drink during the day. Charging inflated prices by the food bars is just plain profiteering and just as wrong as the transport drivers demanding bonus payments. The event is an opportunity to rake in some extra cash for businesses and public service employees alike.

Charging inflated prices for the event is nothing like the tube drivers demanding more money.

The London Olympic Committee have gone to great time and expenses organising an event in which they’ve invested billions of pounds. As the organisers of the events, they have the right to put in rules for attending the event. If people don’t like them, they don’t have to show up. That’s the risk that they’re taking, but they’re obviously confident people will still turn up and pay those prices (which aren’t that outrageous for London!). If no-one pays up, they're both out of pocket and look very stupid, both of which I'm sure they're keen not to happen.

What the tube drivers are doing is blackmail. They’ve not invested anything into the Olympics and will be doing their normal day job, but they know that if they strike they’ll have a negative impact on the Olympics and hence GB’s worldwide reputation to stage major events. So instead they’ve tried to find the cash value of Great Britain's reputation and lined their pockets with it.

Blimey! you defend the so called Olympic Committee as though they were spending their own cash, which they are not, its ours. You also seem to overlook the fact that the 'Games' are open to all with a ticket, to arrive from a long journey and then be ripped off by sandwich bars with a monopoly over the area is a disgrace to open and fair competition. The so called rules you mention should have included reasonable pricing of products. Mates giving jobs to mates is obvious to most people. Profiteering on a grand scale, simple as, no different to public service drivers cashing in on the event.

I’ve not said it’s there own money, but the second the taxpayer handed it over to them it became the committee’s responsibility to get the best returns they could on that cash. One of the revenue streams open to them is the refreshments within the stadiums. Therefore, (as a taxpayer) I want them to try and recoup as much of the cost as possible. If people don’t want to pay the prices, they don’t have to. It’s simple market forces.

You also mention the sandwich bars have a monopoly. I’m sure they’ll be more than just one company offering refreshments (but feel free to prove me wrong), in which case there’s not a monopoly and the companies that have PAID to get these locations will have to keep their prices in check so they don’t lose customers to the competition on site. Consequently, they would make a massive loss once their initial fee is taken into account.

Have you got any evidence of the profiteering and giving jobs to mates? If you have, I’d be interested to hear it and I’m sure the OFT would love to hear from you too.

Finally, getting back on point, you didn’t exactly deny that the tube drivers were blackmailing Londoners. You just seem to think that as everyone else is making a few quid, therefore they’ve got the right to behave however they want as long as they get a cash hand out.

Can't agree at all, its not 'simple market forces' as you put it, nothing whatsoever to do with market forces. How can it be within a restricted competition arena. The prices have been announced and all are overinflated. Now if a vendor cannot earn money from the business situation within the Olympic Village then I would suggest they are in the wrong game, seriously a captive audience who's access to refreshments is limited to those vendors within only! If they can't make money from that they are in the wrong trade. The money earn't from the vendors will not be returned to the organisers, where did you get that idea it would be? You mention the prices are consistent with London, this is a non argument as the vendors are not having to concern themselves with the fixed overhead costs that vendors are faced with outside of the Olympic Village. That in itself registers a profiteering situation. I have not seen or heard of any bidding contracts regarding the sales pitch areas, not broadcast on any media so far as I can gather, this makes me think the pitches have been allocated on a closed shop principle. I would be happy to be proved wrong. The OFT would dismiss any claim out of hand such is the political nature of the event.
Whether I agree with the public service drivers enjoying a financial boost to their wages or not is irrelevant. What strikes me is the little difference between the two captive customer scenario's.

[crankedup]

rover 623gsi said:

Blimey, has no one here ever been to the cinema, or the theatre, or a football match??? Ever try buying some chocolate, or a drink or a burger at any of those??? Cost a bloody fortune!

But your not at those events all day, the Olympics is supposed to be non profit making International event, not an excuse for vendors to rip people off. Just my opinion.

[Du1point8]

crankedup said:

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

turbobloke said:

XCP said:

I don't see the difference with saying.
'If you want a sandwich whilst in the Olympic Park it will cost you £5. Anywhere else it would be £2.50, but what are you going to do about it?'

Buy one before I get there or take my own sandwich.

Can I also take my car and park outside?

Yup, if your off to watch the 100m sprint you could have an early lunch (9.00am) and then go without for the remainder of the day. Nobody will be permitted to enter the stadiums with any pre-packed lunches or drinks. Security risks apparently, so cough up top money if you want to eat or drink during the day. Charging inflated prices by the food bars is just plain profiteering and just as wrong as the transport drivers demanding bonus payments. The event is an opportunity to rake in some extra cash for businesses and public service employees alike.

Charging inflated prices for the event is nothing like the tube drivers demanding more money.

The London Olympic Committee have gone to great time and expenses organising an event in which they’ve invested billions of pounds. As the organisers of the events, they have the right to put in rules for attending the event. If people don’t like them, they don’t have to show up. That’s the risk that they’re taking, but they’re obviously confident people will still turn up and pay those prices (which aren’t that outrageous for London!). If no-one pays up, they're both out of pocket and look very stupid, both of which I'm sure they're keen not to happen.

What the tube drivers are doing is blackmail. They’ve not invested anything into the Olympics and will be doing their normal day job, but they know that if they strike they’ll have a negative impact on the Olympics and hence GB’s worldwide reputation to stage major events. So instead they’ve tried to find the cash value of Great Britain's reputation and lined their pockets with it.

Blimey! you defend the so called Olympic Committee as though they were spending their own cash, which they are not, its ours. You also seem to overlook the fact that the 'Games' are open to all with a ticket, to arrive from a long journey and then be ripped off by sandwich bars with a monopoly over the area is a disgrace to open and fair competition. The so called rules you mention should have included reasonable pricing of products. Mates giving jobs to mates is obvious to most people. Profiteering on a grand scale, simple as, no different to public service drivers cashing in on the event.

I’ve not said it’s there own money, but the second the taxpayer handed it over to them it became the committee’s responsibility to get the best returns they could on that cash. One of the revenue streams open to them is the refreshments within the stadiums. Therefore, (as a taxpayer) I want them to try and recoup as much of the cost as possible. If people don’t want to pay the prices, they don’t have to. It’s simple market forces.

You also mention the sandwich bars have a monopoly. I’m sure they’ll be more than just one company offering refreshments (but feel free to prove me wrong), in which case there’s not a monopoly and the companies that have PAID to get these locations will have to keep their prices in check so they don’t lose customers to the competition on site. Consequently, they would make a massive loss once their initial fee is taken into account.

Have you got any evidence of the profiteering and giving jobs to mates? If you have, I’d be interested to hear it and I’m sure the OFT would love to hear from you too.

Finally, getting back on point, you didn’t exactly deny that the tube drivers were blackmailing Londoners. You just seem to think that as everyone else is making a few quid, therefore they’ve got the right to behave however they want as long as they get a cash hand out.

Can't agree at all, its not 'simple market forces' as you put it, nothing whatsoever to do with market forces. How can it be within a restricted competition arena. The prices have been announced and all are overinflated. Now if a vendor cannot earn money from the business situation within the Olympic Village then I would suggest they are in the wrong game, seriously a captive audience who's access to refreshments is limited to those vendors within only! If they can't make money from that they are in the wrong trade. The money earn't from the vendors will not be returned to the organisers, where did you get that idea it would be? You mention the prices are consistent with London, this is a non argument as the vendors are not having to concern themselves with the fixed overhead costs that vendors are faced with outside of the Olympic Village. That in itself registers a profiteering situation. I have not seen or heard of any bidding contracts regarding the sales pitch areas, not broadcast on any media so far as I can gather, this makes me think the pitches have been allocated on a closed shop principle. I would be happy to be proved wrong. The OFT would dismiss any claim out of hand such is the political nature of the event.
Whether I agree with the public service drivers enjoying a financial boost to their wages or not is irrelevant. What strikes me is the little difference between the two captive customer scenario's.

Well i hate to say you live in a sheltered world but you do... Vendors bid in everything that is a closed event, like in festivals and such which are all day and in some cases several days.

How do I know this, its because a good friend of mine's brother does exactly that, bid for his stall to setup at festivals and then he incorporates the costs into his goods, which if you have been to a festival recently are around £5 for a sandwich, he makes enough but the profit is not mind blowing once the costs are taken into account.

Also I talked with one of the organisers at Speed Chills in Le Mans one year, even with their costs taken into account they made only a small amount of profit and yet the costs are still circa £4-5 a bacon sandwich, etc...

Just because you think they make huge profits doesn't mean its the case unless you know, yet you state you don't.

However to simply not offer an everyday service for doing something that is no different day to day like that the drivers offer, will not be any more difficult, then use blackmail to get a bonus for doing nothing different, is completely different.

I find it strange you back blackmailing people and that you slate CEO payments even though they are not using blackmail and agreed the salary before hand as they are not worthy of things like bonuses.

[London424]

crankedup said:

rover 623gsi said:

Blimey, has no one here ever been to the cinema, or the theatre, or a football match??? Ever try buying some chocolate, or a drink or a burger at any of those??? Cost a bloody fortune!

But your not at those events all day, the Olympics is supposed to be non profit making International event, not an excuse for vendors to rip people off. Just my opinion.

What event are you at all day though? Have you got any tickets? (I haven't so can't answer). When I looked at booking I vaguely remember that you booked an event and a time slot. For example you had a ticket to the boxing. Your ticket was for between 6pm - 8pm. There were other boxing sessions before and after that slot.

Again, I agree that not allowing food in is a joke, but I'm capable of not eating for a couple of hours.

[Laughingman21]

crankedup said:

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

Laughingman21 said:

crankedup said:

turbobloke said:

XCP said:

I don't see the difference with saying.
'If you want a sandwich whilst in the Olympic Park it will cost you £5. Anywhere else it would be £2.50, but what are you going to do about it?'

Buy one before I get there or take my own sandwich.

Can I also take my car and park outside?

Yup, if your off to watch the 100m sprint you could have an early lunch (9.00am) and then go without for the remainder of the day. Nobody will be permitted to enter the stadiums with any pre-packed lunches or drinks. Security risks apparently, so cough up top money if you want to eat or drink during the day. Charging inflated prices by the food bars is just plain profiteering and just as wrong as the transport drivers demanding bonus payments. The event is an opportunity to rake in some extra cash for businesses and public service employees alike.

Charging inflated prices for the event is nothing like the tube drivers demanding more money.

The London Olympic Committee have gone to great time and expenses organising an event in which they’ve invested billions of pounds. As the organisers of the events, they have the right to put in rules for attending the event. If people don’t like them, they don’t have to show up. That’s the risk that they’re taking, but they’re obviously confident people will still turn up and pay those prices (which aren’t that outrageous for London!). If no-one pays up, they're both out of pocket and look very stupid, both of which I'm sure they're keen not to happen.

What the tube drivers are doing is blackmail. They’ve not invested anything into the Olympics and will be doing their normal day job, but they know that if they strike they’ll have a negative impact on the Olympics and hence GB’s worldwide reputation to stage major events. So instead they’ve tried to find the cash value of Great Britain's reputation and lined their pockets with it.

Blimey! you defend the so called Olympic Committee as though they were spending their own cash, which they are not, its ours. You also seem to overlook the fact that the 'Games' are open to all with a ticket, to arrive from a long journey and then be ripped off by sandwich bars with a monopoly over the area is a disgrace to open and fair competition. The so called rules you mention should have included reasonable pricing of products. Mates giving jobs to mates is obvious to most people. Profiteering on a grand scale, simple as, no different to public service drivers cashing in on the event.

I’ve not said it’s there own money, but the second the taxpayer handed it over to them it became the committee’s responsibility to get the best returns they could on that cash. One of the revenue streams open to them is the refreshments within the stadiums. Therefore, (as a taxpayer) I want them to try and recoup as much of the cost as possible. If people don’t want to pay the prices, they don’t have to. It’s simple market forces.

You also mention the sandwich bars have a monopoly. I’m sure they’ll be more than just one company offering refreshments (but feel free to prove me wrong), in which case there’s not a monopoly and the companies that have PAID to get these locations will have to keep their prices in check so they don’t lose customers to the competition on site. Consequently, they would make a massive loss once their initial fee is taken into account.

Have you got any evidence of the profiteering and giving jobs to mates? If you have, I’d be interested to hear it and I’m sure the OFT would love to hear from you too.

Finally, getting back on point, you didn’t exactly deny that the tube drivers were blackmailing Londoners. You just seem to think that as everyone else is making a few quid, therefore they’ve got the right to behave however they want as long as they get a cash hand out.

Can't agree at all, its not 'simple market forces' as you put it, nothing whatsoever to do with market forces. How can it be within a restricted competition arena. The prices have been announced and all are overinflated. Now if a vendor cannot earn money from the business situation within the Olympic Village then I would suggest they are in the wrong game, seriously a captive audience who's access to refreshments is limited to those vendors within only! If they can't make money from that they are in the wrong trade. The money earn't from the vendors will not be returned to the organisers, where did you get that idea it would be? You mention the prices are consistent with London, this is a non argument as the vendors are not having to concern themselves with the fixed overhead costs that vendors are faced with outside of the Olympic Village. That in itself registers a profiteering situation. I have not seen or heard of any bidding contracts regarding the sales pitch areas, not broadcast on any media so far as I can gather, this makes me think the pitches have been allocated on a closed shop principle. I would be happy to be proved wrong. The OFT would dismiss any claim out of hand such is the political nature of the event.
Whether I agree with the public service drivers enjoying a financial boost to their wages or not is irrelevant. What strikes me is the little difference between the two captive customer scenario's.

I’ll try and go through your points in a more structured manner than you’ve made them:

1. Within the Olympic Park there will be more than just one food option available. Anything that the market deems as too over-priced will not get sold and hence the organisers will make a loss on. If it sells, then the price is correct as there is obviously the demand to supply at that price.

2. The vendors will have paid to get their pitch within the Olympic Park. This is the money that has come back to the organiser.

3. As the vendors will have paid a large amount for their pitch (i.e. sponsored the event) which gives them access to a captive audience, but they do run the risk of making a loss. If the forecast models they used when calculating how much they should pay for their pitch/sponsorship were incorrect (which is a very real considering the number of assumptions they need to make)and they do not generate their forecast revenues then they will make a loss.

4. Of course the prices elsewhere in London are releveant. You cannot complain that the prices are over-inflated if they’re inline with other London prices. They’re either over-inflated or not!

5. As stated before, the vendors within the Olympic village will have paid a large fee for their ability to be in the Olympic village (through sponsorship or exclusive rights) so they will have a fixed costs to cover. To state they don’t is frankly silly. There’s no way that the locations within the Olympic Village would have been given away for free.

6. I doubt you will have heard anything about the bidding for contracts for the Olympic Village, but then again, none of the (dozens of) contracts have made the news, yet you were still able to allege that they’ve been handed out as “Mates giving jobs to mates”. I was merely suggesting that if you know this has happened then you should prove it rather than making statements based on your own guess work.

And the most important point:

7. On a thread about the tube drivers demanding a bonus or striking, to say “Whether I agree with the public service drivers enjoying a financial boost to their wages or not is irrelevant” is spectacularly missing the point. It’s more relevant than the rest of the comments.

So I ask you again:

Do you think it’s OK for the tube drivers to try and blackmail the Londoners by demanding a bonus?

[iphonedyou]

Laughingman21 said:

So I ask you again:

Do you think it’s OK for the tube drivers to try and blackmail the Londoners by demanding a bonus?

Rather loading the question there, chum

[Laughingman21]

iphonedyou said:

Laughingman21 said:

So I ask you again:

Do you think it’s OK for the tube drivers to try and blackmail the Londoners by demanding a bonus?

Rather loading the question there, chum

Maybe, but he still didn't answer it.

[martin84]

Wow. Can't believe a thread about bus drivers wanting £500 has run to 8 pages.

[GavinPearson]

martin84 said:

Wow. Can't believe a thread about bus drivers wanting £500 has run to 8 pages.

I can - it is proportional to the level of contempt people feel for them and this is their way of expressing it.