‘£72k is a ridiculously good salary’: Reader debate erupts over London Tube driver wages
Independent Readers are divided by this week’s tube strikes and drivers’ starting salary of £ 72,000.
Some people see the package as generous and question the industrial action, while others were not enough to live in London, repeating Rail, Maritime and Transportation (RMT) Association Secretary General Eddie Dempsey.
Many readers questioned whether the plus pensions and advantages of such a salary were fair for a job containing doors and driving trains, especially compared to nurses, teachers and young doctors.
Some went further and proposed to introduce the driverless trains by shaking his head to the success of DLR.
In the meantime, the supporters of strikes have pointed out the high -living costs and the London housing market, claiming that workers keep up with inflation and emphasize the role of unions in securing fair conditions.
In general, readers were divided and balanced the criticism of the perceived union with support for workers looking for fair wages in an expensive city.
Here is what you have to say:
Ridiculously high
If you look at the median salary in London, put aside England, 72 thousand £ 72 thousand is a ridiculous salary for someone who effectively pushes/pulls a handle and opens the doors.
Riding a bus in London, pedestrians, cyclists and so on. It is much more inclusive than it requires much more focal and concentration to address with it. What is paid to them?
I heard people say, “Oh, but the trauma of people who jump in front of the trains” or “they breathe that terrible air.” This is like saying “an firefighter has to deal with fire.” They knew what they were doing when they got the job.
When you talk about which – you have firefighters running to the buildings that literally, saving lives – how much money is paid? While trying to save their lives, you sometimes have health workers in traffic that has to deal with aggressive/dangerous patients. How much is they paid to them? Teachers?
I’m sorry, but it brings to mind why it is having fun. I have to ask – DLR (Docklands light railway) already if the computer is controlled, why still have tube drivers? Of course, can this be done in the same way? Are they afraid that trade unions will start a fuss? Phase It In – Skill Drivers in Other Rores. Give reprenchment packages and finish this nonsense.
Fastax
What are you thinking? Should the payment of tube drivers reflect London’s high life costs or £ 72,000 already more? Share your thoughts below.
Union should accept results
The Union is completely entitled to fight for what he believes to be right for his members. So if they want a week of £ 72 thousand and four days, go for it.
But they also have to accept the results. Passengers may be reluctant to ride the driverless trains, but not too much, and these strikes will only accelerate this change.
In addition, if the drivers want shorter working weeks due to stress, the management should hire more drivers (well-defined contracts), should overtime, change existing operating practices and cut all advantages.
As for the customer service personnel, their positions with unmanned stations and increasing automation are even more precarious.
There is a balance that should always be established between the competitor interests of customers, employers and employees. So the union needs to be careful not to exaggerate the hand, which seems to be doing it, otherwise it will open the doors that will not close.
Moez
Mass degradation
The comments of RMT’s trade union leader are faced and serves. For ordinary people, there are very few working classes that can create enough problems that railway unions can do.
For most workers in the private sector, trade unions are an anachronism and hit an expensive and unsuccessful luxury. Railway strikes have cost billions of people throughout the country, and these tube strikes cost capital. In addition to everything else, the loss of hospitality means losses for vital taxes that pay money for these people to strike.
Steven1954
Basic arithmetic
The average home price around the London region varies between £ 562,000 – £ 715,800, and in order to get a mortgage for £ 600,000, you need to earn an annual income of £ 120,000-135,000 of almost 72 thousand £.
Of course, this is the basic arithmetic and does not even explain the enormous deposit they will have to place.
Amy
Low paid workers
The majority of striking members are members with low wages that are much worse than that of drivers. A new doctor is criticized as consultants are at a ton of load; They can work for the same company, but they’re not the same people.
Karlostheheckle
Bus drivers have worse
Perhaps the unions should focus on low fees for London bus drivers working for much less wages. The tube drivers are well refunded compared to the average London wage, and their work must consider the inequality of payment with drivers, which are probably more difficult than theirs, where they do not need to return to the left or right, and there is no other traffic.
London
Driverless trains
In addition to the fact that there is no opposite thumb, a trained mouse can do the job of a driver. Now all they do is to run the doors. 18 -month training and 72,000 £. Take a break from us. Bring driverless trains.
ugly
No need to live in the center of London
The in vitro fertilization is mainly parked to the suburbs one night with more places and cheaper housing – and there is free transportation for drivers living in another place.
There is no need to buy a house in the center of London or in a high -cost area. Unlike other worse paid personnel, such as teachers and nurses who do not receive transportation assistance…
Dangerous gezer
Taking us to visit
After the last salary pension is taken into account, the packages are worth 100 thousand £. With 30 years of service, a tube driver today will retire in a pension of a retirement salary (most people earn full -time jobs).
This should not be supported for people and trade unions. They take us both literally and for a metaphorical journey.
Ian Robinson
Greediness caused this
Good for them. Not only that, but for London, the average ‘home’ price also takes into account the apartments, so the real price of a suitable house that will support a family, not an apartment, will be even higher for a couple. The greed of rent and Capital is what causes it.
supersonic
Tube drivers etc. Doctors
So does RMT believe that train drivers are more valuable than residing (young) doctors?
72,000 £ is a good fee.
I’m sure many will be willing to do less.
Richardthelionheart
Free Travel
Don’t they get free train/tube travel to get them to buy more outside the city and to go and go free of charge? When I went to a job with London in the 1980s, this was one of the advantages presented.
Fur-Q
Disgusting
It is obviously disgusting to pay more than teachers and doctors to tube drivers. It has the right to hit unfair payment/working conditions, but a starting salary of 72 thousand pounds is not “unfair fee” in any way – we need to pay more to our nurses, our doctors and our teachers and to have less tube drivers!
I am in the late 30s, and my first full -time job paid me 4.85 per hour, and in the early 20s, my first salaried work in the public sector was 21 thousand £ £ 21 thousand, after five years, it rose to £ 28 thousand, including completely qualified and two promotions. Even now, as a senior global administrator, 10 thousand £ less than a tube driver!?
Somrarris
Fee must match inflation
70 thousand £ 2010 £ 30K – nothing. Everyone needs to fight for better wages to keep up with England’s unsuccessful economy. The price of your food, fuels and invoices does not increase… The Pound is becoming increasingly less and more valuable. Yes, teachers are low -paid, accepted by everyone with many other sectors.
However, can you blame London underground workers for demanding wage increases compatible with the retail price index? Everyone should do this or we are all faced with poverty. Remember, we still live in a world where banks who still benefit from large interest rates pay millions of bonuses to their personnel. Just tell me.
From blackfen
Excessive payable and modified
It is clear that the in vitro fertilization drivers are excessively paid compared to the previous qualifications and other countries needed. And the only reason for all of us to be paid too much is that they continue the strike and cause serious economic damage.
It’s time to start replacing them with driverless trains. The first line of this should be the Victoria line. When it was designed in the early 1960s and opened a few years later, it was already able to do a driverless operation. This is still like this, and the only thing the driver needs to do is probably to open and close the doors in the 100 thousand £ PA package.
Sign
Unions arrogant and selfish
I’m tired of the arrogance and selfishness of the unions in the current dispute. We have accepted its unsustainable and unfair demands for many years. The truth is that you have been paid too much and for a long time. You will get too many advantages, generous retirement contributions and much more.
Full -time employment is 40 or 37.5 hours a week. Less work pays Pro Rata. If your drivers want to work for less hours, they will be paid less. Simple and clear.
As a taxpayer, I refuse to support people who command high salaries without special qualifications and run only a part of my working hours. You should be ashamed! Don’t like your business, let it go and see how a real life is.
Beatrice
Some comments are arranged for shortness and clarity for this article.
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