Confusion.

[yrieithydd]

I'm confused. Central trains have a driver shortage this Sunday which is messing with their timetable. This means that it is unlikely that I will travel to Coventry tomorrow (Saturday) as planned because it will be hard to get back in time on Sunday. This is irritating; OTOH, I like Central Trains policy of not forcing people to work on a Sunday. However, it is this policy which is causing the driver shortage and making me unable to travel. If a shop did not open one Sunday because of a similar policy I think I would be fine about it, but I see trains as services and thus in a slightly different category (and therefore reasonable to work on Sundays for). This reminds me that I haven't yet written about last week's adventures with the National Routeing [sic] Guide. I'll do that sometime.

Comments

[curig.livejournal.com]

This seems to be an annual occurence... I agree that not forcing people to work on Sundays is a good thing. However, for a service industry - unless one seriously advocates that no trains on Sunday is a Good Thing™ - you have to have a system which means that the service keeps going. There are various ways to achieve that but ISTM that it needs to be achieved.

[yrieithydd.livejournal.com]

Indeed. It's the service element which is annoying. Shops are different.

[emperor]

That's a shame!

[yrieithydd.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I hope the party is going well. If it weren't for the Carol Service tomorrow evening, I might have risked it, but having to be back for a defined time makes it much more stressful. It would have been good to see you both and see the new place. Maybe I could visit you one Saturday for lunch and so do it in a day which is fairly plausible. It's not much longer than London by train and I've done that.

[emperor]

Mm, yes, you will clearly have to come and see the new house in the new year :)

[yrieithydd.livejournal.com]

That could be good. I have engagements for 14th (Young Vocations Study Day) and 21st (Les Mis for a friend's 30th!) but other than that I'm free. Well apart from my birthday (if something happens) MethSoc still haven't said when Reunion is, but I doubt it'll be the 10th which is my current thinking. Is the 10th (Feb) better for you than the 17th?

[senji.livejournal.com]

I feel that there's a distinction to be made here between forcing people to work on Sundays and contracting (some) people to do Sunday work. The CT system where all Sundays are optional overtime for all staff is just implausible, but I'm sure that at least some staff would be willing to contract to work some or all Sundays in the year.