Contrary to your assertion, in my experience there is no shortage of tourists, as well as overseas students and foreign workers, entering the tube system at Morden, South Wimbledon, Tooting Bec, Clapham North and Balham stations. Bob Crow is a Londoner who knows how the city works from the grassroots up, while London Underground MD, Mike Brown (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/1434.aspx), a nice man who used to be a neighbour of mine in Balham before moving to Wimbledon, is a professional top-down manager from Northern Ireland who has no real understanding of the day-to-day needs of the travelling public; to him, it's just a process management job where the point of the exercise is the highest revenue and the lowest cost, with issues of passenger comfort and security secondary.

What will happen is similar to overground lines whereby they will leave the barriers open if the ticket office is shut or the tap and go points on busses. The 'forces that be' have obviously done some analysis that the cost in unpaid for tickets is less than keeping the ticket offices open so as long as they can rely on the majority of people buying weekly/ monthly/ yearly travel cards then the amount they potentially lose on lost ticket revenue becomes negligible especially if they keep the adverts up threatening that ticket inspectors look like anyone.

Oyster, schmoyster.

London is crammed with tourists the year round, many of whom struggle with ticket machines (which, like any device, will go wrong from time to time), never mind Oyster cards. London's tourists need human help, as do many indigenous Londoners. Why else do supermarkets maintain manned tills rather than go over entirely to automated check-outs?

To get rid of manned ticket offices is a stupid, false economy that will create chaos — and the pampered, self-entitled nitwits who despise the workers of the world who actually get their hands dirty and are currently calling for Bob Crow's head on a platter will be the first to moan.

Rant over — for now.

We've got the weather pressure of the Atlantic to hold most of the South of England to ransom instead. :shock:

Honestly, I would love someone - maybe a Bob Crow type to actually shake up industry and Government over how it allows companies to treat families who chose to have babies. I say families as although the women is generally the one being forced to leave her job it still impacts her partner and children. And if it required a massive strike/ work to rule type scenario to make people sit up then so be it.

And I'm self employed so none of this actually impacts me directly :lol:

According to the BBC the strike is 'on hold while talks resume'.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-26130165

I find it interesting that you don't think you can compare the threads. The lady in question I assume now has to stump up her own money (despite having to leave her job and having a new family to support) and fight for her rights in the courts to get redress. Then the next mother this happens to has to do exactly the same thing and the next and the next. And this could be any women working in corporate finance or as a nanny.

There doesn't appear to be any support for these women in their chosen profession from their peers to take a stand and say what has happened is grossly unfair and their bosses/ CEO's etc should be challenged on it.

If she is 'lucky' and is proven in her favour she may get a pay out, but she may be blackballed from her profession and find it difficult to get back into another job. In the meantime if she is in a stable relationship, her partner will now have to take the major responsibility of bringing in finances adding strain to a new family as well as possibly funding a long drawn out court process.

However, as long as she doesn't negatively impact on the public at large's daily life then it's ok to sympathise with her?

I'm not even going to go there with how many votes Boris Johnson actually got (or any other MP in the last elections for that matter).

Today's start of the 48hour strike is over!

I wonder how people feel about another topic that was raised recently

http://www.nappyvalleynet.com/mums/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=45738

and whether there is anymore empathy with what families are being subjected to here over people who work in ticket offices?
Or is it a case that if you are in a job, whatever you do, you should be grateful and if your boss chooses to remove you or change the conditions of your job then so be it - suck it up, move somewhere else, do something else. there is always someone cheaper and better to do your job for you?

In return for designating tube drivers an essential service and banning them from striking, what would you offer in exchange? The police, for example, get full pension rights after a handful of years' service and virtual immunity from criminal investigation, never mind prosecution.

Get driverless trains and keep people upstairs works in v efficient Singapore metro

Get a grip of yourself

How very dare you

I lived in a flat in Stubbs road se16 pre buying in nvn ... It was unpleasant

I once got a soap dogger arrested on hitlers birthday in the area and got hit by multiple cops during the Birmingham play off riot because I'd been on the lash in St. Paul's and wanted a kebab

It turns out my ship came in. Nvn is my London crash pad now but lets get one thing straight I'd never buy in tooting or tower hamlets - location location location

Now jog on as they say at the new den

I'm on Team Mrs Contractor Mum

I was travelling from East London to Soho...

Keep up Clapset - the northern line was running fine yesterday. Could've saved yourself drinking money and drinking time.

I think comparing Bob Crow to a toad is really unfair on toads.

Having lived nearly the Millwall football ground for 5 years before becoming a NVN'er I can honestly say he portraits all of the attributes of a Millwall fan ... scum.

I had to sit in a taxi for 2 hours last night to get to the pub in Soho, what a disgrace! 1.5 hours of drinking time lost just because some ticket halls might get closed down and someone in a high vis jacket might lose their job. Surely there are people in this country that would gladly take their jobs ... or are they all living in Bob Crows council house!

Ban unions, ban councils, ban Millwall, ban toads, ban Boris! Open more pubs! Vote me! Bored now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26064537

And now the BBC wades in....

I didn't realise I was moaning? (apart from about my phone but it really is difficult sometimes to type with big fingers on a small keyboard)

I was merely commenting on people's perception on whether they had job security or a right to strike. Oh, and whether people are allowed to spend their money (however they choose to earn it) on going on holiday.

I have made no judgement on whether I thought the strike was 'right or not' nor whether I think Bob Crow is an odious toad or deserving of a knighthood.

I actually don't have an opinion of him as a person as I've never met him and I'm sure he doesn't have an opinion of me as a person. I may have an opinion on the policies and politics he represents but I was bought up never to discuss politics or religion with strangers.