Balanced Question Time panel tonight - of course not! Vol 3

[AstonZagato]

pingu393 said:

How much of the country is behind Mick Lynch? My echo chamber says not many.

People on £60k striking to prevent people on £20k from going to work.

I get a sense that elements the "Grr Boris" brigade are happy to support it on the the basis that it might get rid of the buffoon. I rather think it will cement his position.

[johnboy1975]

pingu393 said:

How much of the country is behind Mick Lynch? My echo chamber says not many.

People on £60k striking to prevent people on £20k from going to work.

The train drivers on 60k aren't striking. It's the ticket office staff on 25k-30k. (Admittedly that sort of salary range sounds ok compared to the NMW of c£20k)

Mick will put you right tonight

I think asking for 7% off the back of no rise last year isn't completely unreasonable, and if that's their ask they would probably accept less.

Also T&C changes and enforced redundancies on the table. Again, not unreasonable to discus these issues and see if they can be worked out. As far as I can tell, the government/ train companies aren't willing to discuss.

Anyway, we're a few hours ahead of the program

[NuckyThompson]

AstonZagato said:

I get a sense that elements the "Grr Boris" brigade are happy to support it on the the basis that it might get rid of the buffoon. I rather think it will cement his position.

talk of teachers, barristers, airline staff and NHS staff balloting soon enough.

Could well be half the country are behind him they just don't realise it yet.

[Cupramax]

[Bonefish Blues]

I don't know this businessman but that's very eloquent.

[Bonefish Blues]

Mick mincing Nanny now.

[Scrimpton]

Bonefish Blues said:

Mick mincing Nanny now.

He made her look a proper clown.

[Legacywr]

Scrimpton said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Mick mincing Nanny now.

He made her look a proper clown.

He didn’t!


She did it herself…

[bomb]

Rachel Maclean, wins tonight's prize for pulling the most ridiculous faces in response to the other panel members discussions.

[Scrimpton]

Legacywr said:

Scrimpton said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Mick mincing Nanny now.

He made her look a proper clown.

He didn’t!


She did it herself…

Fair point!

[andyA700]

johnboy1975 said:

pingu393 said:

How much of the country is behind Mick Lynch? My echo chamber says not many.

People on £60k striking to prevent people on £20k from going to work.

The train drivers on 60k aren't striking. It's the ticket office staff on 25k-30k. (Admittedly that sort of salary range sounds ok compared to the NMW of c£20k)

Mick will put you right tonight

I think asking for 7% off the back of no rise last year isn't completely unreasonable, and if that's their ask they would probably accept less.

Also T&C changes and enforced redundancies on the table. Again, not unreasonable to discus these issues and see if they can be worked out. As far as I can tell, the government/ train companies aren't willing to discuss.

Anyway, we're a few hours ahead of the program

As someone who generally supports the unions and what they do for poorer workers, let's put this into perspective. If your salary rates for ticket office staf are correct, what qualifications do they need? My wife is a scientist with a MSc in biology, she has twenty years experience, developing cutting edge medical devices. She is on £28K a year. There are scientists in her company on £19K a year.

[Welshbeef]

andyA700 said:

As someone who generally supports the unions and what they do for poorer workers, let's put this into perspective. If your salary rates for ticket office staf are correct, what qualifications do they need? My wife is a scientist with a MSc in biology, she has twenty years experience, developing cutting edge medical devices. She is on £28K a year. There are scientists in her company on £19K a year.

National minimum wage is £19.7k.

Are these scientists part time or utterly unaware they are being paid the same rate as unskilled toilet cleaners, or dog poo bin emptiers?

[cirian75]

andyA700 said:

johnboy1975 said:

pingu393 said:

How much of the country is behind Mick Lynch? My echo chamber says not many.

People on £60k striking to prevent people on £20k from going to work.

The train drivers on 60k aren't striking. It's the ticket office staff on 25k-30k. (Admittedly that sort of salary range sounds ok compared to the NMW of c£20k)

Mick will put you right tonight

I think asking for 7% off the back of no rise last year isn't completely unreasonable, and if that's their ask they would probably accept less.

Also T&C changes and enforced redundancies on the table. Again, not unreasonable to discus these issues and see if they can be worked out. As far as I can tell, the government/ train companies aren't willing to discuss.

Anyway, we're a few hours ahead of the program

As someone who generally supports the unions and what they do for poorer workers, let's put this into perspective. If your salary rates for ticket office staf are correct, what qualifications do they need? My wife is a scientist with a MSc in biology, she has twenty years experience, developing cutting edge medical devices. She is on £28K a year. There are scientists in her company on £19K a year.

Its also the rail workers who are qualified after a 4 year apprenticeship.

Which dangerous high skill work

The new deal rips the heart out of their unsocial hours rates, increases night and weekend work by 50%, looks like it can force them to become self employed and have to buy and run their own vans and won't get fuel costs.

[anonymoususer]

cirian75 said:

increases night and weekend work by 50%, looks like it can force them to become self employed and have to buy and run their own vans and won't get fuel costs.

It sounds a bit like joining Hermes

[colin79666]

andyA700 said:

As someone who generally supports the unions and what they do for poorer workers, let's put this into perspective. If your salary rates for ticket office staf are correct, what qualifications do they need? My wife is a scientist with a MSc in biology, she has twenty years experience, developing cutting edge medical devices. She is on £28K a year. There are scientists in her company on £19K a year.

Here’s an idea. Form/join a union and bargain for a better deal if you don’t like it.

[superlightr]

colin79666 said:

andyA700 said:

As someone who generally supports the unions and what they do for poorer workers, let's put this into perspective. If your salary rates for ticket office staf are correct, what qualifications do they need? My wife is a scientist with a MSc in biology, she has twenty years experience, developing cutting edge medical devices. She is on £28K a year. There are scientists in her company on £19K a year.

Here’s an idea. Form/join a union and bargain for a better deal if you don’t like it.

or move to a different job with the pay/conditions you do like.


Fek me as a business owner we have been struggling to get staff this year Maintenance administrator within a letting agency £30kpa and pension + 9-5pm no weekends its easy work, good conditions, no targets. Filled now but hollyste it was hard work.


I detest the "self entitled" and " we deserve better or we will strike" mentality of public sector workers. Look at the pension - its protected not fully funded. Out in the real world of normal workers the pension is not protected at all it can go up or plummet as we have recently seen. Not for public sector workers the amount is always protected no matter what the economy does.

Being self employed there is zilch support. Being a job creator the risk is all on us as a business yet the givt and public sector keep calling to tax the rich. If more money is need lets tax the rich more.

Edited by superlightr on Friday 24th June 10:22

Edited by superlightr on Friday 24th June 10:25

Edited by superlightr on Friday 24th June 10:26

[Countdown]

Bonefish Blues said:

Mick mincing Nanny now.

Mick: Railtrack won't guarantee in writing "No compulsory redundancies"

Rachel : "Yes they will! I have it here in front of me, IN WRITING!" (produces letter with a Gotcha flourish)

Mick : "Ok, read out to me where it says No Compulsory Redundancies"

Rachel : "We'd like to have a situation where there are No Compulsory Redundancies....."

[Bonefish Blues]

Countdown said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Mick mincing Nanny now.

Mick: Railtrack won't guarantee in writing "No compulsory redundancies"

Rachel : "Yes they will! I have it here in front of me, IN WRITING!" (produces letter with a Gotcha flourish)

Mick : "Ok, read out to me where it says No Compulsory Redundancies"

Rachel : "We'd like to have a situation where there are No Compulsory Redundancies....."

I was listening to R4 yesterday and they were making the point that Mick knows his brief forwards, backward, sideways, and as such was eviscerating random Ministers who didn't.

As if by magic. It's a Blood Sport.

[GreatGranny]

andyA700 said:

As someone who generally supports the unions and what they do for poorer workers, let's put this into perspective. If your salary rates for ticket office staf are correct, what qualifications do they need? My wife is a scientist with a MSc in biology, she has twenty years experience, developing cutting edge medical devices. She is on £28K a year. There are scientists in her company on £19K a year.

I suggest your wife is grossly under paid rather than ticket office staff being grossly overpaid.

[Brave Fart]

Countdown said:

Mick: Railtrack won't guarantee in writing "No compulsory redundancies"

Rachel : "Yes they will! I have it here in front of me, IN WRITING!" (produces letter with a Gotcha flourish)

Mick : "Ok, read out to me where it says No Compulsory Redundancies"

Rachel : "We'd like to have a situation where there are No Compulsory Redundancies....."

Yes, I watched that, and it was rather embarrassing for Rachel Maclean. I know QT isn't the important show that it once was, but the Tories keep fielding rather weak, poorly informed and vague panellists who come across as rather hopeless. Perhaps the smarter ones (assuming they exist) avoid the programme at the moment.