Wages, Prices, Strikes and Disputes: Bridgwater MP Calls Rail Staff "Lazy and Incompetent" But Bridgwater Unions Say "Save Ticket Offices!"

 

Ian Liddell-Grainger Tory MP for
Bridgwater and West Somerset
(Photo: UK Parliament)

 

Somerset Independents puts residents first. We were formed to stand up for residents. And we hold councillors and MPs to account.

As we have reported, a whole host of workers are going on strike, in a wage-price spiral of inflation where inflation feeds on itself. Union leaders from the RMT (Mick Lynch) and Unite unions (Sharon Graham) have denied that their actions to gain above inflation pay increases, will lead to higher prices. They blame rail bosses and the Tory Government. Ms Graham said:

"I will not apologise for demanding and winning fair pay rises for my members".

The Tory Government, which seems unable to deal with inflation and the rising cost of living, is in dispute with rail unions.

Bridgwater Tory MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has attacked staff at Taunton Railway Station, in a speech in the House of Commons. He said:

"Another issue of confidence, on which we need an urgent debate, has come to my attention: Taunton station. 

The staff there are utterly lazy and incompetent. 

Those who are young, vulnerable, disabled or need help cannot get from one side of the station to the other, because passengers have to walk around a main road and up a ramp, taking all their suitcases with them; it makes Gatwick and Heathrow look positively balmy. It is beyond belief! 

Great Western Railway says it is inclusive and stands up for its customers—well, Taunton does not. Can we please have a debate on the issue before somebody gets injured or, worse, killed?"

At the same time, trade unions in the Bridgwater area are launching a campaign to "Save Somerset's Rail Station Ticket Offices".

Dave Chapple, Secretary of the Bridgwater and District Trades Union Council, told us:

"Rail union, RMT has launched a campaign to resist closure of 1000 rail station ticket offices across Britain, with the loss of thousands of jobs. Rail bosses will carry out a “consultation” in August, but it is clear that the plans are to start closures in October. It is clear that, without opposition from workers and the public, ALL rail stations in Somerset, and indeed the west country, will lose their ticket offices!

All passengers, especially disabled and elderly, and those with little experience of train travel, need on-station support and information. Without that support, many will be excluded from rail travel entirely.

This is all part of the wider, ongoing attack on jobs, pay and conditions in the privatised rail industry, which the RMT is fighting so bravely and with so much support. Train drivers’ union ASLEF is also taking widespread national strike action on 30th July. We support the rail unions on all fronts, and encourage everyone to get involved:

•    join a picket line near you on 30th July (ASLEF) and 18th and 20th August (RMT)

•    you can sign the petition to save ticket offices

•    write to your MP telling him to oppose the closures"

Meanwhile, a Labour MP has been fired for doing exactly what the unions are asking above - joining a picket line. The Labour Party removed Sam Tarry from his junior Shadow Minister post, saying that he must have "collective responsibility" and stick to the collective responsibility and agreed media lines. Unions have criticised the Labour Party. Ms Graham called Tarry's sacking an "insult to the trade union movement".

Somerset Independents has contacted Somerset Labour, Somerset Lib Dems and Somerset Tory MPs for comment on the rail strike. None of them have responded.

Have you written to your MP?

Did you get a response? We ask because residents regularly complain to us that the Somerset Tory MPs do not respond.

What do you think of the unions?

Tell us what you think.

 

Who Are Somerset Independents?

Join Somerset's own campaign group and political party to celebrate Somerset's past, protect Somerset's present and prepare Somerset for the future.

We can be contacted at the link here and via Twitter @SomerInds, via Facebook at the Somerset Independents page and via email at somerinds [at] gmail.com.

Another Day, Another Strike: This Time It's the Railways (Again)

 

The RMT's Campaign Badge

One of our Official emblems

While the Conservatives continue their in-fighting, giving their members only a Hobson's choice between proven failure and potential disaster (Sunak and Truss), our country has another crisis on its hands - ANOTHER rail strike.

Somerset Independents puts residents first. We stand up for workers. And we try to give fair treatment to campaigners and those they are fighting.

Before the first strike, we contacted the local RMT branch with some questions. We asked the same questions of others but Somerset Labour, Somerset Lib Dems and Somerset Tories did not answer.

But the RMT's Barry West did answer and we published. He also gave us a statement. We did not publish it at the time.

Now we are publishing it. Mr West told us that this was:

"A dispute the RMT did not want and has done all it can to avert, and avoid.

The RMT are seeking reassurances around no compulsory redundancies, they are seeking to protect our members from scathing cuts in incomes for some, and for others it means job losses and changes  on a massive scale, this we believe in some cases would pose a serious safety risk to those that travel by rail.

The wholesale loss of ticket offices, huge changes to terms and conditions, changes to the pension scheme resulting in future hardship are amongst some of the issues.

The last dispute I can remember here in the South West was 1998.

So it is clear to many that rail workers are not militant, for many they have had a pay freeze for around 3 years, the rises in inflation affects rail workers also and I have heard many stories about how it is affecting them as it does many others at this time.

MPs I understand were to get a £2,212 pay rise on 1 April, seeing an MP's basic salary go up to £84,144 a year.

At a time when millions of workers had their wages hit by a National Insurance increase. 

 

And now huge rises in the cost of living and inflation at record high levels.

There has been overwhelming response and support from members and the General public."

 

 

Who Are Somerset Independents?

Join Somerset's own campaign group and political party to celebrate Somerset's past, protect Somerset's present and prepare Somerset for the future.

We can be contacted at the link here and via Twitter @SomerInds, via Facebook at the Somerset Independents page and via email at somerinds [at] gmail.com.

UPDATE (26/7/22): The NHS Responds. Why Is It that GPs ("Doctors") Are On Huge NHS Pay But Patients Can't Get Appointments?

 

One of our Official emblems

UPDATE (26/7/22)

We asked the NHS to respond to the patient's letter to the Weston Mercury, asking them:

"We are writing to you because we believe that you are responsible for managing the supply and demand of GP care in North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire."

A spokesperson for NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB, said:

“GP practices are working hard, and are seeing more people than ever to make sure everyone can access the right support when they need it; whether that’s online or face-to-face. Surgery teams are growing, and patients may be offered an appointment with a specialist, such as an advanced nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, or clinical pharmacist rather than a GP.

“More than 5.5m appointments were carried out in GP practices across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire during 2021; with 442,207 appointments carried out in June 2022 alone.

"All appointments within primary care are triaged, with appointments offered based on the clinical needs of the individual. The majority of the time, people are seen on the same day as their appointment request; and in many cases, conditions can be managed remotely. However, if a person’s condition means they need a face-to-face appointment, or if they would prefer this, this will be offered."

Does this answer the patient?

Do you think they should be doing better?

What do you think of GP pay?

Tell us what you think. 

You can message us on Facebook at Somerset Independents, or Twitter @SomerInds or email us at somerinds (at) gmail.com. Or you can phone us on 07591691543.

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Doctors are on double, treble or even quadruple the average weekly earnings. So why can't patients get an appointment?

Somerset Independents puts residents first. Residents regularly complain that they struggle to get appointments at their local General Practitioner (GP) - their doctor. The Weston Mercury published a letter from a patient, which we quote here:

"I recently needed an appointment with the doctor, so I telephoned at 8am and eventually, somebody answered.

I was told that I was number 18 in the queue! So, I waited and at 9am I spoke to a lady who told me that the only doctor’s appointment I could have was in 23 days’ time. 

I asked why Congresbury Surgery was not open and I was told that Congresbury has no longer got a surgery, it is now an admin centre. 

So, a purpose-built doctor’s surgery with examination rooms, a good size waiting room and a reception area is now being used for two or three people to write letters! 

People like me, who face having to wait over three weeks, are going to put more pressure on the A&E and ambulance service because whereas now a 10-minute doctor’s appointment would have got things sorted out; by waiting longer thing are going to get worse! 

How can a village the size of Congresbury be stripped of a doctor’s surgery like this? 

In fact, there’s a small office to rent only 50 yards away, why couldn’t this be used as an admin centre and the surgery opened?"

So we have investigated the pay of GPs (doctors).

According to NHS figures, the estimated figures for GPs in England were in 2019/20 (later figures are not yet available):

"The estimated average income before tax of GPs in either a General Medical Services or a Primary Medical Services practice was:

£100,700 for combined (contractor and salaried) GPs

£121,800 for contractor GPs

£63,600 for salaried GPs"

The NHS negotiates with the trade union for GPs, the British Medical Association (BMA). GP pay is determined by these negotiations. The pay for each GP varies above or below the average stated above, depending on the contract that they have.

 

But if we convert the above figures to weekly figures and compare with average weekly earnings, you can see that GPs in England on average get two, three of four times the average pay in England.

 

(1) £100,700 converts to £1936.53 per week

(2) £121,800 converts to £2342.30 per week

(3) £63,600 converts to £1223.07 per week

 

According to the Office for National Statistics, the Average Weekly Earnings in May 2022 was £601 per week.

 

This converts to £31252 per year.

 

So a GP on (1) gets over THREE TIMES the average pay.

A GP on (2) gets almost FOUR TIMES the average pay.

And a GP on (3) gets over TWO TIMES the average pay.

 

And bearing in mind the above NHS figures are from 2019/20, not 2022.

 

GP pay will have increased since then!

Who Are Somerset Independents?

Join Somerset's own campaign group and political party to celebrate Somerset's past, protect Somerset's present and prepare Somerset for the future.

We can be contacted at the link here and via Twitter @SomerInds, via Facebook at the Somerset Independents page and via email at somerinds [at] gmail.com.