Thursday 14 May 2009

Brotherly love lost

The RMT is running an exciting new ad campaign in Railnews.

See how the glorious banners fly: Deepest red, martyred dead, stiff and cold, every fold...

But what's this?

"We are not a general union trying to dupe rail workers into joining us."

At whom could this be directed?

Surely not the union whose own recruitment ad is printed two whole pages before the RMTs?

Perhaps time for Bob to change his media buyer.

Stationers to Lord Daft Vader offered a role

More common sense from Tom Harris MP:

"Will the new Stations Champion be responsible for defending the legitimate rights of trainspotters? There is a serious civil rights issue here, with station staff obstructing rail enthusiasts in their activities which, at worst, are harmless and which, at best, provide extra security at some stations."

When the Old Bill have finished with all the hoons we can but hope that there will be a vacancy in your old department...

Natural selection in action - Southern style

Herring Gulls have taken up residence in the 4 foot near Dover.

View the Kent on-line video here...

Needless to day the muesli munchers are already whinging that the shiite hawks are protected.

Not from 750v they're not.

UPDATE: Oh dear. The Fact Compiler is in trouble with Driver Potter...

Our southern man is much upset that this post has been tagged "God's wonderful railway".

Duly corrected.

Stop digging Hammond

NCE claiming Crossrail at risk if Tories win the general election:

“We believe that Crossrail is a good project. It fits very well with our agenda of improving rail infrastructure,” said Hammond.

“But do the government have no conception of the scale of the hole that they have dug? Every single programme and project will have to be reassessed and re-evaluated."

If only they had dug a hole then the bloody thing might be operating by now!

Leadership by example

Iain Coucher has announced he will give up his annual bonus.

"I am mindful of current sentiment, so I have taken a personal decision to forego any annual bonus this year. The success of our company and its hard-working people must have the opportunity to be seen and heard.

“Our people have secured this success and every one – from signal box to boardroom – will deserve any bonus which may be awarded to recognise this. Incentivising our people makes sure that the company is focused on what it needs to do. Our people have delivered what has been asked of them and more. I believe we must honour the deal to reward their collective success."


Nice touch.

UPDATE: But is it enough?

Nigel Harris over at Rail has already issued a challenge to Coucher's board room colleagues...

Iain has set the route, will others follow?

UPDATE:
The FT predicts growing pressure on other directors to do the same.

UPDATE: Industry rent-a-quote Gerry Doherty says in The Gruaniad:

"There is never any justification in paying bonuses for running a state monopoly".

That should please NR frontline staff (and TSSA members) who are still in line for their annual bonuses.

UPDATE: Captain Deltic muses.

In the armed forces, Leadership is defined as 'follow me'.

Is Iain going over the top on his own?


UPDATE: Railnews names those who have some hard thinking to do:

"Other members of Network Rail’s executive committee are still being considered for payments, which could total hundreds of thousands of pounds.


"Group infrastructure director Peter Henderson, operations director Robin Gisby, infrastructure investment director Simon Kirby, and planning director Paul Plummer."

UPDATE: This just in from The Raver:

One must ask whether Coucher thinks that earning a bonus gives him any incentive to work harder - and if so why?

Isn't £12,000 per week enough to get him to set his alarm early?

His interview with John Humphries on the Today programme this morning clearly shows he does not get it.


Surely trying to do the best and squeezing out efficiencies in a company that has no risks apart from a regulatory one is part of the day job!