General Chat

It has just been announced that Bob Crow the rail union leader has died

General Secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport union Bob Crow has died aged 52

In a statement on its website, the union said: "It is with the deepest regret that RMT has to confirm that our General Secretary Bob Crow sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning.

"The union's offices will be closed for the rest of the day and the union will make further announcements in due course."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26527325

R.I.P. Bob Crow <3

I disliked his politics and the way he went about it so much. Not a man I would have ever wanted to meet and I struggle to like him even now.

But it was a great shock to hear this news. Only a few weeks ago he was sunning himself in Brazil and he seemed a young and fairly fit man of only 52.

Heart attack is what is supected. Though I wonder if he was ill when he went to Brazil (a sort of "I've lived in relative poverty most of my life in a council house, and have started to do very well and am dying. Let's have a last treat."). We shall see.

Meanwhile, our sympathy must be with his partner and his family. He was larger than life in many ways, and very many will miss him terribly this morning.

the rail unions are rife with corruption

There won't be many tube passengers crying over his demise.

F

Bob Crow was the best thing that happened to the railways over the last 20 years.

Without his input it is highly unlikely that London Underground would be as feisty as it is today - instead it would have slowly died under the weight of half baked privatisation. You only have to dig a little into Major's train leasing contracts for Network Rail operators to see what could have happened. He was a major force in getting Crossrail built too - something that neither of the major parties really wanted to do.

Oh he looked after his members ? How well does your union or professional body look after YOU ?

Lost before his time but never forgotten
<3

for commuters all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-935cbXTt_g

He was a big man in more ways than one and he was a formidable opponent, despite the inconvenience his union may have caused to members of the traveling public, if it was not for him taking on the political bully boys, the tube & railways would be in a far worse state and a lot more unsafe than they than they are today.

Although I did not always agree with his tactics, I do give him some credit for the way he fought relentlessly on behalf on the members of his union, in doing that he did not care who he upset or whose feathers he ruffled, he was a tough negotiator and stood up to politicians of all persuasions as it did not matter to him whether their political leanings were on the left or the right of the political divide, he would fight his corner.

Perhaps if there had been more union leaders with his guts, stamina, and determination, the scenario of low wages and zero hour contracts would not have exploded as they have over recent years.