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Spam bot attack in the News and Rumours section, but the dakka mods must be on strike or something
and on a more serious note, the shambles that is Southern Rail strikes again, literally!
Privatization of the railways has been a shambles from day 1.
Having suffered at the hands of Branson's biscuit tins a few years back, I can sympathize with these poor commuters...
The right wing rags will probably bash the unions as always, but the fault lies with Southern Rail.
They should be chased out of Britain, not rewarded with more bonuses
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
For anyone who’s snagged a ride with Uber, Ward Spangenberg has a warning: Your personal information is not safe.
Internal Uber employees helped ex-boyfriends stalk their ex-girlfriends and searched for the trip information of celebrities such as Beyoncé, the company’s former forensic investigator said.
“Uber’s lack of security regarding its customer data was resulting in Uber employees being able to track high profile politicians, celebrities, and even personal acquaintances of Uber employees, including ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, and ex-spouses,” Spangenberg wrote in a court declaration, signed in October under penalty of perjury.
After news broke two years ago that executives were using the company’s “God View” feature to track customers in real time without their permission, Uber insisted it had strict policies that prohibited employees from accessing users’ trip information with limited exceptions.
But five former Uber security professionals told Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting that the company continued to allow broad access even after those assurances.
Thousands of employees throughout the company, they said, could get details of where and when each customer travels. Those revelations could be especially relevant now that Uber has begun collecting location information even after a trip ends.
Spangenberg is suing the San Francisco-based ride-hailing behemoth for age discrimination (he’s 45) and whistleblower retaliation. He has worked information security jobs for a variety of tech companies. Uber tasked him with helping develop security procedures and responding to problems from around the world.
In addition to the security vulnerabilities, Spangenberg said Uber deleted files it was legally obligated to keep. And during government raids of foreign Uber offices, he said the company remotely encrypted its computers to prevent authorities from gathering information.
After beginning in March 2015, Spangenberg said he frequently objected to what he believed were reckless and illegal practices, and Uber fired him 11 months later.
“I also reported that Uber’s lack of security, and allowing all employees to access this information (as opposed to a small security team) was resulting in a violation of governmental regulations regarding data protection and consumer privacy rights,” he stated in the declaration, referring to requirements that companies notify consumers of any breach of personal information.
Michael Sierchio, a tech industry veteran who was a senior security engineer at Uber from early 2015 until June of this year, agreed that Uber had particularly weak protections for private information.
“When I was at the company, you could stalk an ex or look up anyone’s ride with the flimsiest of justifications,” he said. “It didn’t require anyone’s approval.”
In a statement, Uber said it maintains strict policies to protect customer data and comply with legal proceedings. It acknowledged that it had fired employees for improper access, putting the number at “fewer than 10.”
“We have hundreds of security and privacy experts working around the clock to protect our data,” Uber said in a statement.
“This includes enforcing strict policies and technical controls to limit access to user data to authorized employees solely for purposes of their job responsibilities, and all potential violations are quickly and thoroughly investigated,” the company said.
Uber would not give more details on its technical controls. In practice, the security sources said, Uber’s policy basically relies on the honor system. Employees must agree not to abuse their access. But the company doesn’t actually prevent employees from getting and misusing the private information in the first place, the security sources said.
Uber has a history of data problems
As Uber has rapidly grown to more than 40 million users worldwide, the gig-economy giant has also been dogged by leaks, hacks and privacy scandals.
In 2014, BuzzFeed reported that an Uber official had tracked its reporter’s movements without her permission, around the same time another executive suggested digging up dirt on critical journalists. The controversy – and an entrepreneur’s claim that he was tracked as well – drew attention to the company’s internal God View tool, which provided a real-time aerial view of Uber cars in a city and details of who was inside of them.
It later came out that a data breach that year exposed the personal information of more than 100,000 drivers.
After the embarrassments of 2014, Uber hired chief security officer Joe Sullivan, a prominent tech figure who previously held that post at Facebook and used to be a federal prosecutor. His team drew heavily from Facebook, including chief information security officer John “Four” Flynn.
The Federal Trade Commission, the consumer protection agency, is investigating Uber’s information security practices and recently deposed Sullivan, according to security sources.
Spangenberg and Sierchio – as well as three other former Uber security professionals granted anonymity to confirm their accounts – describe a startup culture that pushed back against security protections in favor of unbridled growth.
“Early on, ‘growth at all costs’ was the mantra, so you can imagine that security was an afterthought,” said Sierchio, whose tech career includes designing video games for Atari in the early 1980s.
Even after Uber assembled a security team, the pushback continued when employees raised concerns, he said.
“One of the things I was told is, ‘It’s not a security company,’” Sierchio said. Spangenberg said he was told the same thing.
As disclosures about God View sizzled on the internet in 2014, the company posted a statement saying that, “Uber has a strict policy prohibiting all employees at every level from accessing a rider or driver’s data. The only exception to this policy is for a limited set of legitimate business purposes.”
Lawmakers, including Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, demanded details about those “legitimate business purposes.” Franken later wrote he was “concerned about the surprising lack of detail in their response.”
Sierchio, who said he was pushed out in June, said the company’s policy limiting access was “never enforced.”
After an investigation by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Uber settled in January and promised to “limit access” to real-time trip data “to designated employees with a legitimate business purpose.”
Even after the attorney general settlement, Spangenberg and Sierchio said thousands of employees could still search Uber’s database to get real-time ride information. The company said it complies with the settlement.
Uber did adopt some reforms. There was a pop-up message warning employees that their activity was being monitored, but few took it seriously, Spangenberg said. Another change flagged searches for customers considered “MVPs.” But that didn’t protect anyone not labeled an MVP, Spangenberg said.
It also changed the name of God View to Heaven View, Spangenberg said.
An internal audit team searched for abnormalities in all the database activity to nab employees tracking customer data illicitly, said Spangenberg, who assisted the investigations. Those they caught were referred to HR to be fired, he said.
“If you knew what you were doing, you could get away with it forever,” Spangenberg said. “The access is always there, so it was a matter of whether you got caught in the noise.”
Many employees, Uber said, need access for reasons such as providing customer refunds and investigating traffic accidents. The company added that it blocks some teams of employees from getting the data without approval, though it did not specify which teams or how the approval process works.
Drivers’ personal details, including Social Security numbers, were also available to all Uber employees, Spangenberg said in his declaration.
Spangenberg said he argued for shutting off access to sensitive data for those who didn’t need it.
“I would say, ‘We can’t keep this information, you can’t allow this information to be stored like this, you can’t leave it all connected like this,’” he said.
Uber, in its statement, said, “We have made significant investment in tightening our access controls during the past several years. Allegations that simply acknowledging our policy in a pop-up window would provide access to customer data for unauthorized employees are not correct in our current environment.”
According to his lawsuit, Uber told Spangenberg he was fired for violating a code of conduct and reformatting his computer, which erases everything on it. He said he deleted and began rebuilding his laptop because it had crashed, and that it was common practice.
He also got in trouble for accessing emails that dealt with his own job performance review. Spangenberg said he was only testing out a program to search company emails. The whole thing was a pretext, he said, to get rid of him.
In court filings, Uber responded that it “generally denies each and every allegation” made by Spangenberg.
Lawsuit says Uber destroyed documents
Spangenberg accuses Uber of destroying information he believed it was obligated to preserve. “Uber routinely deleted files which were subject to litigation holds, which was another practice I objected to,” his declaration says.
A company can face legal penalties or be held in contempt of court for scrubbing evidence it was supposed to keep.
Among his duties, Spangenberg said he was also a point person when foreign government agencies raided company offices abroad.
“Uber would lock down the office and immediately cut all connectivity so that law enforcement could not access Uber’s information,” his declaration states.
In May 2015, for example, the tax agency Revenu Quebec raided Uber’s Montreal office to gather evidence of tax evasion. Spangenberg said he worked from San Francisco to encrypt the office’s computers.
“My job was to just make sure that any time a laptop was seized, the protocol locked the laptops up,” he said.
Indeed, Quebec investigators – armed with a warrant to copy information from Uber computers – went back to a judge to say the computers had been remotely restarted and apparently encrypted, according to court records. They got permission to take the computers with them, but the machines are of little value if the information on them stays encrypted.
Efforts to encrypt data once a government search is in process “raises red flags and serious concerns,” said Judith Germano, a cybersecurity expert and former federal prosecutor.
A company could argue it was protecting sensitive information, she said. But if a judge determined it was a deliberate effort to hide evidence, the judge could impose legal sanctions or fines, and order the company to decrypt the data.
In its statement, Uber said, “We’ve had robust litigation hold procedures in place from our very first lawsuit to prevent deletion of emails relevant to ongoing litigation.” Uber said it has an obligation to protect personal information and that “we cooperate with authorities when they come to us with appropriate legal process.”
Uber challenged the Quebec search warrants in court, but in May, a Canadian judge wrote in French that Uber’s actions had “all the characteristics of an attempt to obstruct justice,” suggesting that “Uber wanted to shield evidence of its illegal conduct.” Uber is still appealing.
Looking back, Spangenberg describes a tangle of questionable practices and gaping vulnerabilities.
“The only information, truthfully, that I ever felt was safe inside of Uber is your credit card information,” he said. “Because it’s not stored by Uber.”
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
I'm following the debate about Syria in Parliament.
Some of our MPs are still talking about 'moderate rebel groups.'
the naivety or sheer ignorance of some our elected representatives is something to behold...
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
In London; collection at point, notionally cheaper than "Black Cabs" plus the obligatory App with an odious user score function judging by the younger/hipper members of my team.
Me I always flag Black Cabs. Being 6' 4" I find the ride so much more comfortable and enjoyable to get traditional Cabs. Often good conversation too.
How do you promote your Hobby? - Legoburner "I run some crappy wargaming website "
I got a black cab in Stockton once, and received an earful from the driver ranting about some threat to cabbies' jobs (might have been Uber, I don't recall). Ironically the guy was from India or Pakistan or somewhere similar.
Some of our MPs are still talking about 'moderate rebel groups.'
the naivety or sheer ignorance of some our elected representatives is something to behold...
The best thing we can do for Syria (besides humanitarian aid of course) is to butt out and let Syrians sort it out. I don't see how contributing Western bombs is going to help Syrians being killed by bombs etc.If we get directly involved again with military forces deployed on the ground, we risk creating a second Iraq occupation and anti-Western insurgency. Nobody wants to see that.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/12/13 16:30:21
In London; collection at point, notionally cheaper than "Black Cabs" plus the obligatory App with an odious user score function judging by the younger/hipper members of my team.
Me I always flag Black Cabs. Being 6' 4" I find the ride so much more comfortable and enjoyable to get traditional Cabs. Often good conversation too.
Naturally, I disagree with you
For some strange reason, London black cab drivers don't like Scottish banknotes
It's discrimination I tells ya!
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Shadow Captain Edithae wrote: I got a black cab in Stockton once, and received an earful from the driver ranting about some threat to cabbies' jobs (might have been Uber, I don't recall). Ironically the guy was from India or Pakistan or somewhere similar.
Some of our MPs are still talking about 'moderate rebel groups.'
the naivety or sheer ignorance of some our elected representatives is something to behold...
The best thing we can do for Syria (besides humanitarian aid of course) is to butt out and let Syrians sort it out. I don't see how contributing Western bombs is going to help Syrians being killed by bombs etc.If we get directly involved again with military forces deployed on the ground, we risk creating a second Iraq occupation and anti-Western insurgency. Nobody wants to see that.
Good points, sensible points, but alas, Parliament is full of armchair generals trying to imitate Churchill.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/12/13 16:53:43
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
and on a more serious note, the shambles that is Southern Rail strikes again, literally! Privatization of the railways has been a shambles from day 1.
Having suffered at the hands of Branson's biscuit tins a few years back, I can sympathize with these poor commuters...
If you sympathise with the commuters you should be against industrial action.
The purpose of getting rid of British Rail was to make it difficult for one set of unions to feth over the whole system at once, as sympathy strikes are illegal. Even now certain rail companies are effected, not every train on the same lines.
The right wing rags will probably bash the unions as always, but the fault lies with Southern Rail.
They should be chased out of Britain, not rewarded with more bonuses
You dont understand trades unions. They have two purposes
1. Gouge the nation or nor money, regardless of the cost to others.
2. Punish the populace if they dare vote in a Tory government.
Blair avoided industrial action by promoting way above any level of competence 2Jags Prescott, who was given unlimited gravy on his train and that of fellow bosses so long as that train didnt get derailed. Hence Blair could do more to stuff workers rights than any Prime Minister including Thatcher.
It didnt work all the time, hence point 1. but only certain unions had the power to do an effective walkout. London transport unions being one of the remaining key players. This isnt all becqause of evil company this and evil company that it is is because the Labour party has returned full force to the old left. Corbyn is in charge (up to a point). The next piece of info is key to understanding this truth:
Royal Mail union has decided to have a five day strike ending Christmas Eve, not only is this the longest planned strike in Royal Mail history, but it is right out of the blue and scheduled for maximum disruption at Christmas. This isn't anything to do with Royal Mail mangement or mismanagement, its a bolt from the blue of resurgent union power saying 'we are back and if we dont get our way when we want it, we will feth over the entire economy and infrastructure'.
n'oublie jamais - It appears I now have to highlight this again.
It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion.
and on a more serious note, the shambles that is Southern Rail strikes again, literally! Privatization of the railways has been a shambles from day 1.
Having suffered at the hands of Branson's biscuit tins a few years back, I can sympathize with these poor commuters...
If you sympathise with the commuters you should be against industrial action.
The purpose of getting rid of British Rail was to make it difficult for one set of unions to feth over the whole system at once, as sympathy strikes are illegal. Even now certain rail companies are effected, not every train on the same lines.
The right wing rags will probably bash the unions as always, but the fault lies with Southern Rail.
They should be chased out of Britain, not rewarded with more bonuses
You dont understand trades unions. They have two purposes
1. Gouge the nation or nor money, regardless of the cost to others.
2. Punish the populace if they dare vote in a Tory government.
Blair avoided industrial action by promoting way above any level of competence 2Jags Prescott, who was given unlimited gravy on his train and that of fellow bosses so long as that train didnt get derailed. Hence Blair could do more to stuff workers rights than any Prime Minister including Thatcher.
It didnt work all the time, hence point 1. but only certain unions had the power to do an effective walkout. London transport unions being one of the remaining key players. This isnt all becqause of evil company this and evil company that it is is because the Labour party has returned full force to the old left. Corbyn is in charge (up to a point). The next piece of info is key to understanding this truth:
Royal Mail union has decided to have a five day strike ending Christmas Eve, not only is this the longest planned strike in Royal Mail history, but it is right out of the blue and scheduled for maximum disruption at Christmas. This isn't anything to do with Royal Mail mangement or mismanagement, its a bolt from the blue of resurgent union power saying 'we are back and if we dont get our way when we want it, we will feth over the entire economy and infrastructure'.
Newsflash for you, privitization has potentially set the scene for even more wastage of money, which would be ironic.
There was a recent article in Private Eye about train drivers, and because of their training and terms of contract, brought about by privatization, it's easy for them to move between different franchises, because it takes time to train and recruit new drivers.
To cut a long story short, train drivers have companies over a barrel because if they don't pay up, they just move to another franchise, train drivers being in demand, with the net result that the companies pay more than they would compared to recruiting a driver in Europe.
Market forces. I love it!!!
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
You dont understand trades unions. They have two purposes
1. Gouge the nation or nor money, regardless of the cost to others.
2. Punish the populace if they dare vote in a Tory government.
One day you will post something sensible. One day.
Because it contrasts with the "foreigners taking English jobs" trope.
Even if I did believe such nonsense it's not really applicable here. Anybody can become a cab driver if you pass the tests/requirements. IIRC it is more like a self employed job where you have to get a licence. Hence there are no jobs to be taken.
You dont understand trades unions. They have two purposes
1. Gouge the nation or nor money, regardless of the cost to others.
2. Punish the populace if they dare vote in a Tory government.
So I presume your solution is to scrap them all and let companies ram any old rubbish through at the expense of their staff and their own profits.
The unions do more than you think. Yes some are too left for their own good, but they are there to protect employees from excessive company requirements. It is the only resort if such companies want to put something through at the detriment of the staff. Otherwise they can just issue a new contract and say "sign else you are out of a job".
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/12/13 19:18:52
"Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. " - V
I've just supported the Permanent European Union Citizenship initiative. Please do the same and spread the word!
"It's not a problem if you don't look up." - Dakka's approach to politics
You dont understand trades unions. They have two purposes
1. Gouge the nation or nor money, regardless of the cost to others.
2. Punish the populace if they dare vote in a Tory government.
One day you will post something sensible. One day.
The Miners Union managed to hold a full strike DURING WORLD WAR 2 and forced Churchill to cave in. The Unions were way too powerful until the 80's.
and because of their training and terms of contract, brought about by privatization, it's easy for them to move between different franchises, because it takes time to train and recruit new drivers.
To cut a long story short, train drivers have companies over a barrel because if they don't pay up, they just move to another franchise, train drivers being in demand, with the net result that the companies pay more than they would compared to recruiting a driver in Europe.
Market forces. I love it!!!
London Transport was never privatised and the London transport union holds the capital to ransom regularly in demand for pay and conditions. Tube drivers make 50K a year, or else, starting.
So I presume your solution is to scrap them all and let companies ram any old rubbish through at the expense of their staff and their own profits.".
Some left wing morons might put words into my mouth to that effect. However that isn't the truth. Proper legislation and workers ombudsmen can defend workers rights, neither of which have been properly implemented in most industries. I think statutory protection for both workers and consumers doesn't go anywhere near enough in this country.
The unions do more than you think. Yes some are too left for their own good, but they are there to protect employees from excessive company requirements. It is the only resort if such companies want to put something through at the detriment of the staff.
Trades unions had a solid core concept but that has been thoroughly corrupted beyond hope of reason.
'Detriment of the staff' might mean something along the lines of pay that doesn't sufficiently exceed inflation.
Otherwise they can just issue a new contract and say "sign else you are out of a job".
This is already here. However in recent years trades unions have been increasingly dogmatised and some will protect workers rights but only of they have protected status for other reasons. Yes what you say can and does happen, a lot, constructive dismissal is rife, but mostly targeted at white, straight, males; who have little de facto recourse.
The dogmatised trades union system should be replaced by something that actually practices equality.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/12/13 19:52:02
n'oublie jamais - It appears I now have to highlight this again.
It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion.
Some left wing morons might put words into my mouth to that effect. However that isn't the truth. Proper legislation and workers ombudsmen can defend workers rights, neither of which have been properly implemented in most industries. I think statutory protection for both workers and consumers doesn't go anywhere near enough in this country.
So OK why isn't there already. There is nothing to stop the government already putting this into practice. You are hardly going to get the unions to complain of strengthening workers rights are you. The idea that you can scrap unions and everything will be rosy, especially with Conservatives in power (which is funded generally by the very rich) is laughable.. The unions are there to protect what you have signed up for. A company can legally employ you on certain terms and conditions and a pension scheme and then a month later propose to change the pension conditions which you as an individual have no ability to alter. If you walked into your bosses office and told them you were changing the pension contract as you see fit you'd be laughed out the office. Yet the business can do the same thing to you. The only recourse then is to refer it to the union.
Trades unions had a solid core concept but that has been thoroughly corrupted beyond hope of reason.
'Detriment of the staff' might mean something along the lines of pay that doesn't sufficiently exceed inflation.
That depends on the circumstances if the company is increasing it's profit levels by £millions a year whilst staff are being held with negligible pay level rises (apart form the CEOs) then yes I can see that they would consider it detriment of the staff. The unions aren't idiots - if a company is struggling financially they aren't going to make unreasonable demands. It's when they start shifting things round just to increase profit levels that they get a bit agitated (but then they still need the workforce to vote on any action)
This is already here. However in recent years trades unions have been increasingly dogmatised and some will protect workers rights but only of they have protected status for other reasons. Yes what you say can and does happen, a lot, constructive dismissal is rife, but mostly targeted at white, straight, males; who have little de facto recourse.
Expressing racism, homophobia and sexism all in one sentence, that is impressive and in a bad way! With such views I can hardly take the sentence seriously!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/12/13 20:29:51
"Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. " - V
I've just supported the Permanent European Union Citizenship initiative. Please do the same and spread the word!
"It's not a problem if you don't look up." - Dakka's approach to politics
You dont understand trades unions. They have two purposes
1. Gouge the nation or nor money, regardless of the cost to others.
2. Punish the populace if they dare vote in a Tory government.
You are so very, very, very lucky that so very many men in so very many Unions have fought for the rights you take so for granted, that you can be sufficiently blissfully ignorant of them to make the above statement. Unless you're descended from nobility/money of course, in which case the above view is understandable, if completely reprehensible.
More generally, the whole train thing has shone a very poor light on the current establishment. Considering that:-
-Southern Rail actually is paid a flat fee by the government for operating the franchise, and so are not financially harmed in the slightest by the strike,
-The Government agreed to a request by Southern to alter the terms of their agreement about five months ago, which made it so that the franchise not functioning properly would not be a breach of the contract any longer (it was previously). This is so that the government can claim there is nothing they can do because the terms are not being violated, be technically correct, and avoid any clamour to strip Southern of the franchise.
-The rumour that Southern has already invested in their new conductor-less rolling stock, and do not want to see their investment wasted.
-Grayling's statements over the last few days attempt to portray himself as some sort of 70's Union-breaker, fighting for the good of the country against the nefarious forces of Unionism.
Given the above, it is clear that the Government has decided to back Southern's continued holding of the franchise to the hilt.
This is very, very stupid. Most commuters, from the many interviews I have seen, take the attitude that they couldn't give a monkey's about conductors generally, but would rather have the trains functioning and a conductor than all this hassle and don't understand why Southern/the government are digging in over something so small. But given Southern is still holding out with literally no trains running, it is evident that they must have been assured of the safety of their position by the government. Otherwise, the risk of losing the franchise would have forced them to concede by now.
I personally, am thoroughly opposed to conductorless trains. Why? Because in a country where trains run through many stations with no staff/reduced hours, the conductor is necessary to grant disabled people easy access to the train network. The result of these new conductorless services will force them to have to prebook literally days in advance to ensure sufficient help getting on and off the train. Combine that with the ability to talk a staff member at need without ripping the emergency cord, and it is clearly in the customers interest to maintain the conductor.
I support the strikers thoroughly against this latest development of overly-rapacious capitalism and pursuit of profit (which is all it is), and am disappointed in my government for perpetuating it. The conductor is far from the 'obsolete' role that Southern and the opposition keep pretending it is, and their attempts to squeeze more money out of the public by reducing their wages bill is vile and should be opposed. I shall be donating a few quid to the Unions involved.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/12/13 22:55:35
The example Grayling used, that sticks out for me, is they already have single driver/guard trains on that area of rail anyway, but he neglects to point out, that these trains are the low commuter ones, not the rush hour into London ones, where having one guard/conductor is manageable.
I can't remember the Union boss that was on radio 2 at lunchtime, but he also pointed out, the last time they did this to the busy lines, they then moved to getting rid of staff, which I guess is a moot point considering they've promised no job reductions, but that's only for this change.
There's also the point that the driver/conductor is legally responsible, so if he/she sets off with someone half way through the door because they haven't seen them, the liability lies with the driver/conductor.
You dont understand trades unions. They have two purposes
1. Gouge the nation or nor money, regardless of the cost to others.
2. Punish the populace if they dare vote in a Tory government.
You are so very, very, very lucky that so very many men in so very many Unions have fought for the rights you take so for granted, that you can be sufficiently blissfully ignorant of them to make the above statement. Unless you're descended from nobility/money of course, in which case the above view is understandable, if completely reprehensible.
Assuming that I was descended from money or nobility, which I am not, at least in recent centuries, why would that be reprehensible? Stop sticking your fist in the air like its a class war.
Unions are motivated by gain as much as businesses, union reps are hardly poor and drive wages, for some up very highly, but due to the closed shop access is far from universal.
You also forget, as many lefties do that unions call strike for gain, and don give a rats rectum about anyone else. This is why its a god idea to hold postal strikes and rail strikes at Christmas. Its a feth you to the nation in an attempt to wield political power.
You are so very, very, very lucky that so very many men in so very many Unions have fought for the rights you take so for granted,
That statement is delusional. Union chiefs are no different from a cotierie of capitalists both will take what they can and wont show any interest about the consequences. Its the same left wing twaddle that tells us we are so lucky the unions fought for our rights, while ignoring the consequences of strike action, while it has been a while since pensioners froze to death in the 70's because the electricians union went on a lengthy stoppage and the heating cut off. But its relevant to add this as it was in the supposed rosy days of unions fighting for peoples rights. You do know that Scargill bankrupted the country with the miners strikes in '72 and '74. The whole nation shut down because there was no coal delivered to power stations, Shops were lit by candles, and pretty much everything shut down. Was this because of some champions of rights? No it was because the miners demanded a extortionate pay deal, which they got because the nation shut down.
Scargill didn't give a feth about anyone else who want a miner who lost their jobs because he shut down the economy, he wasn't working on a moral crusade, he was after a %, plus wanted to bring down the Heath government, because the people dared elect a parliament that he didn't like.
I support the strikers thoroughly against this latest development of overly-rapacious capitalism and pursuit of profit (which is all it is)
Is it? or is that what you automatically assume must be the case because industrial action is called.
n'oublie jamais - It appears I now have to highlight this again.
It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion.
Assuming that I was descended from money or nobility, which I am not, at least in recent centuries, why would that be reprehensible?
Because the upper classes have generally always viewed the oppression of those underneath them as something just and fair, all the way back to Divine Right. Which I find morally repugnant.
Unions are motivated by gain as much as businesses, union reps are hardly poor and drive wages, for some up very highly, but due to the closed shop access is far from universal.
You also forget, as many lefties do that unions call strike for gain, and don give a rats rectum about anyone else. This is why its a god idea to hold postal strikes and rail strikes at Christmas. Its a feth you to the nation in an attempt to wield political power....
That statement is delusional. Union chiefs are no different from a cotierie of capitalists both will take what they can and wont show any interest about the consequences.
I repeat my earlier statement about your blissful ignorance, and have little more I can say to you on the matter. Every statement you keep making demonstrates your knowledge of anything to do with Unions essentially comes from one aspect of Unions in the 1970's, which is a bit like judging the entire British Empire based upon our Government's actions towards civilians in the Boer War. In other words, restricted to one limited aspect of a subject at one limited point in time. Go back and focus your attention on the desperate nature of strikes and struggle for unionisation of the Durham miners in the early nineteenth century, and you will find a very, very different, very desperate set of tales.
If you go back in this very thread alone (or whichever politics one came before this), you'll find me advocating the limitation of Union rights in national politics. Whilst I am not left wing, nor am I right wing particularly. Yet I recognise the necessity for the Unions, and core need to retain the right for the withholding of labour as one of the very few tools the working man possesses. The days when strikers were deported, sentenced to death, and subjected to extensive police brutality for daring to challenge those who considered themselves their masters must never be permitted to return.
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2016/12/14 08:26:17
Mr. Burning wrote: @malamis Then Sunday trading and bank holiday opening times need to be legislated on. Again.
It isn't as if these days aren't known in advance. The business that is open Boxing Day has asked in advance who is available to work. We are not all held to ransom to work off our Turkey and mincepies.
Unless you're a casual/part time/zero-hour contract worker, in which case you're basically working Boxing Day if opened, or you're unemployed.
Mr. Burning wrote: @malamis Then Sunday trading and bank holiday opening times need to be legislated on. Again.
It isn't as if these days aren't known in advance. The business that is open Boxing Day has asked in advance who is available to work. We are not all held to ransom to work off our Turkey and mincepies.
Unless you're a casual/part time/zero-hour contract worker, in which case you're basically working Boxing Day if opened, or you're unemployed.
.....which maybe they would like to as it will garner better rates of pay for what would be another day sitting at home.
I used to love working boxing days when I got double pay for what was usually an easier shift, customers full of Christmas cheer, the occasional extra tip etc.
I'm a bit older now and not being dogmatically restrained so to speak like to be able to enjoy the extra Bank Holiday we get from Boxing Day to do fun gak on what would be otherwise a day sitting at home.
Basically choice is good.
How do you promote your Hobby? - Legoburner "I run some crappy wargaming website "
UK unemployment fell by 16,000 to 1.62 million in the three months to October, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The unemployment rate held steady at 4.8% in the same period.
Average weekly earnings excluding bonuses rose by 2.6% in the year to October - slightly higher than the previous month.
The UK has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union.
"The labour market appears to have flattened off in recent months," said ONS senior statistician David Freeman.
The number of people in work remains high, but is "slightly down on the record set recently", he said.
He added that the small fall in unemployment was more than offset by a rise in economic inactivity, which measures people without a job who are not seeking or available to work.
There were 8.91 million people of working age who were economically inactive - 76,000 higher than in the previous period.
Nearly 40 per cent of US businesses with a base in the UK say they are considering moving elsewhere in the EU because of Brexit, according to a report, warning that the vote to leave could also hit trade relations between Britain and America.
The survey by international law firm Gowling WLG also found that two-thirds of the 533 US firms polled said the UK’s vote to the leave the EU is already impacting investments choices in the country.
Food and beverage, life sciences and financial services firms were most likely to consider relocating whilst aerospace firms were the least likely, the survey has found.
Half of the surveyed firms said that they might bypass the UK to do business directly with the EU.
Bernardine Adkins, the company’s head of EU, Trade and Competition, said: "The strong UK-US trade relationship that has been carefully nurtured over the past fifty years is in serious jeopardy,"
"Concerns that Brexit will have an effect on current investment decisions mean this needs addressing now, not later."
The survey results comes as Theresa May’s government is under pressure to publish a plan setting out her objectives and promising MPs a vote on the final “divorce deal”.
Labour agreed to back the Prime Minister’s timetable to start Brexit talks in March 2017 but insisted Mrs May should first publish a detailed negotiating strategy.
Leading international UK-based banks fear that a hard Brexit will result in the UK leaving Europe’s single market and therefore signal the loss of crucial passporting rights, which allow them to sell their services freely across the rest of the EU and give firms based in Europe unfettered access to Britain.
The loss of these rights could be devastating to the City of London as nearly 5,500 firms registered in the UK use passporting rights to operate in other countries.
Paris is among a number of European cities seeking to woo firms considering a move away from London to maintain their access to EU markets, and faces competition from Dublin, Frankfurt and Luxembourg, among others.
The cabinet is in a state of dysfunction and disarray according to insiders who say its not getting anything done.
A report in The Times today lays out the sorry state of affairs, with one senior govermnment figure saying:
If you could see it, you would be depressed by the quality of contributions in cabinet.
The figure goes on to say:
Philip Hammond is the only one that makes sense. All the rest spent a good deal of time praising the secretary of state for DexEU [Mr Davis, whose department takes the lead in most cabinet committee papers] for his frankly poor quality papers or the Brexiteers saying its going to be a success.
Apparently cabinet members also keep saying the German car-industry and Britain’s trade-deficit with the rest of the EU will ensure we get a good deal.
But, as Political Scrapbook has already pointed out, this is a fantasy.
Most German imports into the UK are price-insensitive car parts. Britain’s car industry will have to import those parts to survive anyway. In fact the German car industry itself has argued for a tough stance against the UK in EU talks.
The Times report goes on to disaparage Boris Johnson, pointing out that he rarely attends meetings
He appears to be adopting an ‘I’m only going when it matters’ approach.
When Boris recently recommended discussing a paper, he was told by Hammond they had already discussed it a month ago.
One journalist called the revelations “alarming“.
And then there’s Andrea Leadsom, of course.
She is said to get annoyed every time three people in a row say Brexit is not going to be easy, and apparently “puts them right”.
Meanwhile, a survey has found that 40% of U.S. firms with British offices are considering relocation to the EU if we get ‘hard Brexit’.
I think we're generally agreed that Bojo's continued employment is proof that miracles can happen.
I don't like Hammond for a lot of his policies and past statements, but credit where credits due, least he seems capable of acting like an actual Govt. Minister and understands what this entails.
And with regards to budgets etc etc ... well.... play the hand or wicket you're dealt TBF.
I guess if we could isolate, reproduce and sell whatever pheromone Bojo has we could become the worlds leading dealer in ...
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
Nearly 40 per cent of US businesses with a base in the UK say they are considering moving elsewhere in the EU because of Brexit, according to a report, warning that the vote to leave could also hit trade relations between Britain and America.
The survey by international law firm Gowling WLG also found that two-thirds of the 533 US firms polled said the UK’s vote to the leave the EU is already impacting investments choices in the country.
Food and beverage, life sciences and financial services firms were most likely to consider relocating whilst aerospace firms were the least likely, the survey has found.
Half of the surveyed firms said that they might bypass the UK to do business directly with the EU.
Bernardine Adkins, the company’s head of EU, Trade and Competition, said: "The strong UK-US trade relationship that has been carefully nurtured over the past fifty years is in serious jeopardy,"
"Concerns that Brexit will have an effect on current investment decisions mean this needs addressing now, not later."
The survey results comes as Theresa May’s government is under pressure to publish a plan setting out her objectives and promising MPs a vote on the final “divorce deal”.
Labour agreed to back the Prime Minister’s timetable to start Brexit talks in March 2017 but insisted Mrs May should first publish a detailed negotiating strategy.
Leading international UK-based banks fear that a hard Brexit will result in the UK leaving Europe’s single market and therefore signal the loss of crucial passporting rights, which allow them to sell their services freely across the rest of the EU and give firms based in Europe unfettered access to Britain.
The loss of these rights could be devastating to the City of London as nearly 5,500 firms registered in the UK use passporting rights to operate in other countries.
Paris is among a number of European cities seeking to woo firms considering a move away from London to maintain their access to EU markets, and faces competition from Dublin, Frankfurt and Luxembourg, among others.
I thought Trump already owned most of his "Homeland". #allyourfaultjocks
Seriously though I would question how likely it is that many US firms are going to set up on France. The dichotomy between the US idea of working and the standard French 7 heur day including breaks for coffee and ciggies cant be over estimated. Add to the that the far more important regulation vs. deregulation that you would get there or worse in Germany and I'm just not seeing it. Looks more like a gripe/excuse for current performance when the UK economy is generally on the up.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/12/14 11:33:53
How do you promote your Hobby? - Legoburner "I run some crappy wargaming website "
Industrial Tooling is starting to come back from the far east as price increases there mean it is more viable to look closer to home. This was the case pre June.
Industrial Tooling is starting to come back from the far east as price increases there mean it is more viable to look closer to home. This was the case pre June.
That's excellent news! I hope it's a trend that continues.
Sky News is reporting that British made cruise missiles and banned/illegal cluster bombs are being used by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Yemen is accusing Britain of war crimes. I'm inclined to agree.
