Thursday, 21 June 2012

Olympic bonuses row will renew focus on costs

Good to see that the transport wheels are already falling off the Olympics.

This from the RMT...

RAIL UNION RMT announced today that it is making urgent preparations for a ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike of all members on the First Great Western franchise following the tabling of hopelessly inadequate Olympics recognition and reward proposals.

This is of course the third such dispute announced within the space of a week, similar ballots having been announced for South West Trains and Greater Anglia.

With the RMT playing hard ball over Olympic bonuses ministers are discovering a new enthusiasm for getting TOCs to address labour costs as part of longer franchises.

Subject of course to the Treasury agreeing to forgo franchise premia during the ensuing protracted disputes.