3rd April 2008
Rail strike to hit runaway mine trains
A runaway mine train in operation |
Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association [TSSA] plan to strike from 1830 BST on Sunday, Peter "Stinky Pete" Magpie, the RMT's vice-comrade chairman, announced.
Runaway train
"Runaway mine trains are notorious for their lax safety standards. By holding a strike, our [unions'] members are only putting the safety of customers and staff, rather than profits of the purest gold, at heart, and it's high time that management listened," Stinky Pete told the press conference in a Yukon ghost town.
"For years the RMT and TSSA have been campaigning for improved standards. All we want are better safety and comfort for everyone who uses runaway mine trains and not just for shareholders."
Never going back
According to the unions, staffing levels are so low that most run away mine trains don't even have a driver, customers have to sit in mine carts that "at best" have ore and gold as seating, and staff are expected to work in conditions described as "spooky" and "haunted".
Owners of the mine, the Konnugget & Puxtawny Railroad Co, released a statement saying that their runaway mine trains complied with all European safety standards for such devices.
Wrong way on a one-way track
"Konnugget & Puxtawny takes safety very seriously, as well as passenger comfort and are saddened by these actions," the company said in a statement.
"We are addressing staffing concerns by bringing in several more grizzled prospectors as soon as they are qualified and we recently improved customer comfort by adding Wi-Fi on all our routes."
Seems like I should be getting somewhere
Runaway mine trains have increased in popularity with commuters as despite the hair-raising rides, sharp corners and occasional plunges into bottomless canyons, they are still favoured by many as a "less stressful" experience than taking the London Underground or regular trains.
Talks are scheduled for Friday but most commentators have stated that they are unlikely to succeed and staff will walk out Sunday night, with normal service not said to be available until Thursday.
Runaway train
"Runaway mine trains are notorious for their lax safety standards. By holding a strike, our [unions'] members are only putting the safety of customers and staff, rather than profits of the purest gold, at heart, and it's high time that management listened," Stinky Pete told the press conference in a Yukon ghost town.
"For years the RMT and TSSA have been campaigning for improved standards. All we want are better safety and comfort for everyone who uses runaway mine trains and not just for shareholders."
Never going back
According to the unions, staffing levels are so low that most run away mine trains don't even have a driver, customers have to sit in mine carts that "at best" have ore and gold as seating, and staff are expected to work in conditions described as "spooky" and "haunted".
Owners of the mine, the Konnugget & Puxtawny Railroad Co, released a statement saying that their runaway mine trains complied with all European safety standards for such devices.
Wrong way on a one-way track
"Konnugget & Puxtawny takes safety very seriously, as well as passenger comfort and are saddened by these actions," the company said in a statement.
"We are addressing staffing concerns by bringing in several more grizzled prospectors as soon as they are qualified and we recently improved customer comfort by adding Wi-Fi on all our routes."
Seems like I should be getting somewhere
Runaway mine trains have increased in popularity with commuters as despite the hair-raising rides, sharp corners and occasional plunges into bottomless canyons, they are still favoured by many as a "less stressful" experience than taking the London Underground or regular trains.
Talks are scheduled for Friday but most commentators have stated that they are unlikely to succeed and staff will walk out Sunday night, with normal service not said to be available until Thursday.
