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.

At least the GatEx journey is short...

This, surprisingly, from the late Antonin Dvorak...

I see that Gatwick Express has launched something called Express Tracks.

According to the PR blurb:

Express Tracks is free bespoke music available exclusively to online customers, providing the perfect soundtrack to their journey.


Gatwick Express commissioned three recording artists: Philip Sheppard [acclaimed 'cellist and film composer], Benga [pioneer of dubstep, producer and Radio1 DJ]and The Milk [exciting break-through UK band] to record their interpretation of the 30 minute journey through the different landscapes from the city to the airport.

How unimaginably ghastly!

What's wrong with Pacific 231 by my friend Arthur Honegger, Coronation Scott by Vivian Ellis and Ben Britten's music for Night Mail?

UPDATE: This from the Express & Star via the Huffington Post...
 


Much better, sort of, ish...