Greedy Tube drivers
18 May 2011Once again, London underground train drivers are using a national event to grab the country by the balls. This time they want £500 plus 10%, and it is not as if they all want to see the games themselves. To put this into perspective, consider their current pay package:
- 100% pensionable pay
- Translation: ka-ching. I don't know if the 1/60 of pensionable salary multiplied by years of service is career average or final salary, but I do know that both are extinct in the private sector.
- 35 hour week
- The private sector has a special term for a 35-hour week. It is called "part-time". I quite often chalk up 43-45 hours, and I have had one week where a site visit required me to do something close to 80 hours over 7 days.
- Retirement at 60
- That is for full pension - early retirement is available from 50 onwards. A generous provision even before the default retirement age rises to 67 from 65.
- 43 days leave
- Most people have to work 252 days (5 days times 52 weeks, subtracting 8 bank holidays) and get to take 20 of them off. Tube drivers only have to work 234 (9/2 days times 52 weeks), and get to take 43 off. Only having to work 191 days a year rather than 232 is more than adequate compensation for having to be on-call weekends and bank holidays.