Bee network bus strike

mexico1970 said:
Fuck knows mate, I'd ask a bus driver but they are busy at the minute preparing for a few days holibobbs :)

On a side note I travel from the same train station most days and behind the ticket counter is the most unwelcoming fucker you're ever likely to meet, been there a long time carpet slippers and pipe attitude, yet the idiots who run the company think he is there to promote it.

People with cars will be affected the least it's the poor fuckers without cars that have my sympathy.
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That's me, no car and about a thirty minutes walk minimum to reach the nearest train/tram station.

Ha ha you often find a lot of those in front facing customer service positions appear to hate the public. Of course that could be people fatigue as the general public can drain the life out of you, or they could actually just be a miserable bastard.
 
Blue Mist said:
Having worked for a bus company you are totally wrong that they won't strike on a whim. (IMO)
I talked to drivers at a bus depot who couldn't understand why they were on strike, they said they were on good money, other bus companies were paying less and they were fed up of losing money because of the strike.
They also admitted they didn't dare stand up to the union reps.
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Your post doesn't make a lot of sense. So the person you spoke to was fine with his terms and conditions but he'd heard other drivers at different companies weren't? So that seems to reiterate what I posted earlier, that although the buses come under the bee network umbrella it is still individual companies paying the drives, as in Arriva, Stagecoach etcetera. These companies would all pay differently.

You do know that before a strike is called the members are balloted? That as far as I know that ballot paper is sent to their home address and they vote on it. Nobody knows who voted which way as the vote papers have no name on them. So the days of Union reps bullying people are over.
If they are all in one union then if the majority vote to strike then yes even the individuals who don't actually want to strike have to strike. That's how democracy and being in a union works. The members actually pay to have union representation and the majority are happy to do so as without it companies could just shaft them hard, which they royally used to, which is why unions were formed originally.
So far they haven't lost any money as the strike hasn't happened yet, there is a possibility it could be called off if lines of communication are still open.

So to finish, as I said, nobody strikes on a whim. Members weren't happy with their terms and conditions and so their elected union reps approached their employers to argue the case on their behalf. The result of that meeting was then explained to the members. Whatever the company proposed was rejected so a legally held vote was called for strike action. The vote to strike outweighed the votes not to strike. It would have usually taken a number of meetings and weeks probably to get to this point. So certainly not on a whim. Indeed I think wildcat strike action is illegal nowadays and no Union worth their salt would go down this route as they would lose all their assets in a court of law.
 
paulchapo said:
That's me, no car and about a thirty minutes walk minimum to reach the nearest train/tram station.

Ha ha you often find a lot of those in front facing customer service positions appear to hate the public. Of course that could be people fatigue as the general public can drain the life out of you, or they could actually just be a miserable bastard.
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I'm sure Mexico s cheery demeanour and positivity will win them over in the end....
 
mexico1970 said:
Fuck knows mate, I'd ask a bus driver but they are busy at the minute preparing for a few days holibobbs :)

On a side note I travel from the same train station most days and behind the ticket counter is the most unwelcoming fucker you're ever likely to meet, been there a long time carpet slippers and pipe attitude, yet the idiots who run the company think he is there to promote it.

People with cars will be affected the least it's the poor fuckers without cars that have my sympathy.
Click to expand...
Yet again pig ignorance admitted but doesn’t stop him posting his opinionated bile.
 
paulchapo said:
Your post doesn't make a lot of sense. So the person you spoke to was fine with his terms and conditions but he'd heard other drivers at different companies weren't? So that seems to reiterate what I posted earlier, that although the buses come under the bee network umbrella it is still individual companies paying the drives, as in Arriva, Stagecoach etcetera. These companies would all pay differently.

You do know that before a strike is called the members are balloted? That as far as I know that ballot paper is sent to their home address and they vote on it. Nobody knows who voted which way as the vote papers have no name on them. So the days of Union reps bullying people are over.
If they are all in one union then if the majority vote to strike then yes even the individuals who don't actually want to strike have to strike. That's how democracy and being in a union works. The members actually pay to have union representation and the majority are happy to do so as without it companies could just shaft them hard, which they royally used to, which is why unions were formed originally.
So far they haven't lost any money as the strike hasn't happened yet, there is a possibility it could be called off if lines of communication are still open.

So to finish, as I said, nobody strikes on a whim. Members weren't happy with their terms and conditions and so their elected union reps approached their employers to argue the case on their behalf. The result of that meeting was then explained to the members. Whatever the company proposed was rejected so a legally held vote was called for strike action. The vote to strike outweighed the votes not to strike. It would have usually taken a number of meetings and weeks probably to get to this point. So certainly not on a whim. Indeed I think wildcat strike action is illegal nowadays and no Union worth their salt would go down this route as they would lose all their assets in a court of law.
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If I didn't explain it very well I'll try again.
I spoke to many of the strikers at the bus depot on 2 separate strikes. Very few agreed with the strikes. They knew that they were better paid than drivers who worked for other bus companies and their conditions of work were better, yet they were on strike, therefore losing money. They were QUOTE happy with their lot but against many of the members wishes they were on strike
I know what the rules about ballots state, I can only post what was told. Further, I've deleted this bit twice but sod it .... no, there is something I want to say but won't, let's just say they were told how to vote and they did as they were told.

You said they don't strike on a whim. One strike was because the bus company looked to level everyone's pay.
When the councils ran the buses each area had different pay structures. Halifax/Huddersfield were on less money than Bradford so the private company now running all 3 depots increased their wages to match Bradford

Bradford called a strike.
 
Blue Mist said:
If I didn't explain it very well I'll try again.
I spoke to many of the strikers at the bus depot on 2 separate strikes. Very few agreed with the strikes. They knew that they were better paid than drivers who worked for other bus companies and their conditions of work were better, yet they were on strike, therefore losing money. They were QUOTE happy with their lot but against many of the members wishes they were on strike
I know what the rules about ballots state, I can only post what was told. Further, I've deleted this bit twice but sod it .... no, there is something I want to say but won't, let's just say they were told how to vote and they did as they were told.

You said they don't strike on a whim. One strike was because the bus company looked to level everyone's pay.
When the councils ran the buses each area had different pay structures. Halifax/Huddersfield were on less money than Bradford so the private company now running all 3 depots increased their wages to match Bradford

Bradford called a strike.
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Two separate strikes? They're not actually on strike yet they've just voted for one.
Also union members are not told to vote a certain way. What happens is their union enters negotiations with management. An offer is usually made. The union then takes that offer back to it's members and then either recommends that in their opinion they either accept or reject it. That's the union giving advice which is what they're paid for. The final decision is always the members who then vote.
You are correct in saying that in mergers or takeovers then certain parties involved in such will probably be on different terms and conditions. One will always be more favourable than another. The one on less favourable terms will obviously want the same as the ones on better terms than they are on, now they are one company. The one on the better terms, Bradford, do sound churlish to call a strike over this, but I don't have the full details of why they did.
Finally what has all this got to do with the forthcoming Manchester bus strikes as what you mention appears to be something that happened in Yorkshire. It also sounds the opposite to what is happening here. There a private company took over the buses from the council and levelled up the areas. It sounds like Bradford thought they deserved more. No idea why, maybe longer routes, shifts, who knows?
Every strike is different and complex.
 
stonerblue said:
The dispute is over a pay offer lower than the cost of living.
And, I like a little pop at the coffin dodgers moaning about strikes.
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Still nothing to do with a government agreed triple lock to keep.the meagre state pension in line with inflation.

As for coffin dodgers....you do realise from the day we're born we are all coffin dodging.
 
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