Bee network bus strike

[stonerblue]

Fucking won't if he carries on through life with that attitude. You'd think he doesn't have parents or grandparents himself, they must be really proud of raising a snivelling disrespectful piece of shit.

Fucking won't if he carries on through life with that attitude. You'd think he doesn't have parents or grandparents himself, they must be really proud of raising a snivelling disrespectful piece of shit.

I'm probably older than you and still managed to retain a sense of humour even though both parents and grandparents are well dead.

 

[heslops barnet]

Got an 8 and 12 Yr old.

It’ll come soon enough, believe me ;-)

 

[paulchapo]

I'm probably older than you and still managed to retain a sense of humour even though both parents and grandparents are well dead.

I don't class the majority of what you post as humour. If you're of pension age yourself you seem to have a strange bee in your bonnet about people drawing it and any annual rises given to it. So much so that you even managed to mention it in a post about bus strikes. Weird.

 

[stonerblue]

It’ll come soon enough, believe me ;-)

Grandkids. My daughter is 34

 

[stonerblue]

I don't class the majority of what you post as humour. If you're of pension age yourself you seem to have a strange bee in your bonnet about people drawing it and any annual rises given to it. So much so that you even managed to mention it in a post about bus strikes. Weird.

That's why I'm a self employed cobbler and not a comedian.
The correlation is simple, if the pension goes up automatically then so should wages.

 

[paulchapo]

That's why I'm a self employed cobbler and not a comedian.
The correlation is simple, if the pension goes up automatically then so should wages.

Both are totally separate issues. One is paid by the government and the other is paid by thousands of different companies and negotiated individually with the employees of that company, usually through a union. In an ideal world yes wages would rise at least in line with inflation, but as we know it's not an ideal world.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Both are totally separate issues. One is paid by the government and the other is paid by thousands of different companies and negotiated individually with the employees of that company, usually through a union. In an ideal world yes wages would rise at least in line with inflation, but as we know it's not an ideal world.

It is certainly not ideal.
Since 1990, UK billionaires have gone from 15 to over 150 in 2025.
Their net wealth has risen by over 1000% in that time.
The richest 50 families now own more wealth than over 50% of the population (38 million) combined and the biggest increase in this wealth has come from property and inheritance, which doesn't suggest they're 'earning it' and are, in fact, getting wealthier on the back of the housing crisis.

Still, I am sure it will be portrayed as the bus drivers bringing down the economy...

 

[paulchapo]

It is certainly not ideal.
Since 1990, UK billionaires have gone from 15 to over 150 in 2025.
Their net wealth has risen by over 1000% in that time.
The richest 50 families now own more wealth than over 50% of the population (38 million) combined and the biggest increase in this wealth has come from property and inheritance, which doesn't suggest they're 'earning it' and are, in fact, getting wealthier on the back of the housing crisis.

Still, I am sure it will be portrayed as the bus drivers bringing down the economy...

Mate you're preaching to the converted. I was on the seaman's strike in Dover for sixteen months in 1988, as Thatcher systematically destroyed the unions.

Of course the workers will always be classed as greedy and workshy by the MSM who are owned by billionaires and paid off by big business and governments to keep that narrative going.

 

[Blue Mist]

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.

You stated that workers don't go on strike on a whim. I disagree and explained to you why I thought that.
I explained I was involved with a bus company and as a result was around when a number of strikes were called.
I detailed to you about 2 strikes in Yorkshire that were called on a whim. The Bradford strike was perhaps less of a whim and more petulance. The company were looking to become more structured and professional. The Bradford drivers were on more pay simply because Bradford council had paid them more than Huddersfield Council had paid theres.
Thanks to the union the drivers and the company lost money. No one benefitted.

The time I spent as a consultant at the bus company opened my eyes to 1970-80's union practices. The fact that it was around 2012 didn't bother them.

Your vision of how a strike should be conducted is straight out of a university manual. It certainly does not correspond with anything I ever saw or heard in the bus industry.
As a total aside. During one particular strike I was approached by a union official. He told me that he could get all the drivers of a small, local, bus company to leave on mass. This would ruin the bus company and put them out of business. 'We' could then take over these routes.
All he wanted in exchange was for 'us' to take on these drivers and settle in full his pay demands. He thought this was perfect business.
I passed on his offer to the management who assured me he could get those drivers to walk out. They didn't take him up on his kind offer.

I have had no dealings with bus companies since 2019 but I doubt the unions have changed that much.

 

[paulchapo]

You stated that workers don't go on strike on a whim. I disagree and explained to you why I thought that.
I explained I was involved with a bus company and as a result was around when a number of strikes were called.
I detailed to you about 2 strikes in Yorkshire that were called on a whim. The Bradford strike was perhaps less of a whim and more petulance. The company were looking to become more structured and professional. The Bradford drivers were on more pay simply because Bradford council had paid them more than Huddersfield Council had paid theres.
Thanks to the union the drivers and the company lost money. No one benefitted.

The time I spent as a consultant at the bus company opened my eyes to 1970-80's union practices. The fact that it was around 2012 didn't bother them.

Your vision of how a strike should be conducted is straight out of a university manual. It certainly does not correspond with anything I ever saw or heard in the bus industry.
As a total aside. During one particular strike I was approached by a union official. He told me that he could get all the drivers of a small, local, bus company to leave on mass. This would ruin the bus company and put them out of business. 'We' could then take over these routes.
All he wanted in exchange was for 'us' to take on these drivers and settle in full his pay demands. He thought this was perfect business.
I passed on his offer to the management who assured me he could get those drivers to walk out. They didn't take him up on his kind offer.

I have had no dealings with bus companies since 2019 but I doubt the unions have changed that much.

You did and I disagreed. Maybe at the height of Union power in the early seventies this would have been the case, unlikely today as legislation and workers mindsets have changed a lot.
You did say you worked for a bus company once but didn't go into great detail in what capacity. When you said you'd talked to bus drivers I thought you meant very recently not when you actually worked there.

Ahh the old words 'More structured and professional' any worker worth his salt knows what that means and that's when strikes normally happen. For the worker it generally means cutting the workforce so placing extra work and stress on the ones left, often for the same pay. I'm not sure how you'd restructure bus drivers as there is only one of them. I remember in Manchester the biggest upheaval was when they did away with bus conductors and went driver only.

Actually my vision of how a strike should be conducted is from personal experience. I spent 16 months on strike during the seaman's P&O dispute in Dover in 1988. It was at a time of Thatchers war on the unions. The miners in 1984, the print workers in 1986 and the seamen in 1988.

On the union officials off the table offer that doesn't surprise me. Rumours were always rife that union officials were doing dodgy deals with shipping companies to line their own pockets. I'd say there was some truth in a fair few of them.

After 1988 I spent another 28 years at sea. I was never involved in another strike as thankfully common sense prevailed. The anti trade union legislation drawn up by the conservative party as good as made strikes totally ineffective. After the very publicised strikes I mentioned earlier the workers had grown weary of strikes. The recent dramatic rise in the cost of living and successive governments punitive freezing of the £12,570 lower tax threshold is driving workers to once more take drastic action as their outgoings are starting to outstrip their earnings. I for one am sad to see this. Nothing ever really changes for the working class but at the moment times are as hard as I remember.

 

[crystal_mais]

Got an email from my sons college, they are moving all lessons to online for the 2 days to help them. That's a great help for us as he has to get 2 buses. They did say their ourpass would work on trams for the 2 days anyway but I assume its going to chaotic all over.

 

[paulchapo]

More strike dates announced. Unite, the union representing workers in passenger transport, said its members have voted to take additional strike action from September 30 to October 2. It comes on top of industrial action due to start this week.
Annoucing the additional strike days today, Unite said Stagecoach, Metroline and First 'failed to come back to negotiations with an improved pay offer deemed acceptable to Unite members'.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: "These companies are very profitable but are putting greed over their hardworking members of staff.
Unite is not afraid to escalate to more strikes, which will only intensify going forward. It is time for the employers to make an offer that is acceptable to our members to resolve this disruption."

TfGM said several measures were being put in place to help people get around, including allowing customers to use their bus tickets and passes on alternative routes. Passengers with seven-day, 28-day, term-time or annual bus passes, as well as those with concessionary passes – including Our Pass – will be able to use their tickets and passes on all Metrolink trams on strike days.

TfGM Chief Network Officer Danny Vaughan said: "Bus operators across the country are responsible for the pay and conditions of their staff. We are encouraging operators and their unions to continue talks, reach agreement and avoid disruption for passengers. Around two-thirds of buses will not run if bus operator staff take industrial action. We know this will impact people’s ability to get around and we’re very sorry for any disruption or inconvenience.

"Trams and trains will run as normal, as well as some buses in parts of Greater Manchester. People should check to see if their bus service is affected and, if so, plan an alternative journey ahead of time. It will be busier than normal and we’re urging people to leave plenty of time when travelling around the city-region.







"We are doing all we can to let people know about this and minimise the disruption and keep Greater Manchester moving. Our teams will be out helping passengers, bus tickets and passes will be accepted on trams, and all other public transport services will run as normal."

 

[stonerblue]

Fucking won't if he carries on through life with that attitude. You'd think he doesn't have parents or grandparents himself, they must be really proud of raising a snivelling disrespectful piece of shit.

What 'attitude' is that then?
And as for respect, calling me names when you know fuck all about me is not the way to gain it.

 

[paulchapo]

What 'attitude' is that then?
And as for respect, calling me names when you know fuck all about me is not the way to gain it.

You know exactly what attitude. Mocking people, calling them grandad etcetera. Here's a little reminder of what you said.

"And, I like a little pop at the coffin dodgers moaning about strikes."

When I told you everybody is coffin dodging from the day they are born, you replied, "Okay grandad."

Now from your replies myself and a couple of others assumed you were a young person, but you later added you were a grandfather yourself with children in their thirties. So at a guess you could be 55+ if you had your oldest child by the age of 20. You also said you were still working so that should make you under state pension age, though as you're self employed that may not be the case.

I think you'll find it's not retired people ( Or coffin dodgers to use your words ).moaning about bus strikes as such events have less impact on retired people. It will be workers and people with kids at school who rely on public transport. They will suffer the most.

I don't want to gain your respect. From your comments on this post I know enough about you to know I would never want to be in your company. It just goes to show that sadly it's not just Liverpool and United fans that have the monopoly on not so nice people ( Me being kind in my choice of words) following them.

 

[bluetonium]

More strike dates announced. Unite, the union representing workers in passenger transport, said its members have voted to take additional strike action from September 30 to October 2. It comes on top of industrial action due to start this week.
Annoucing the additional strike days today, Unite said Stagecoach, Metroline and First 'failed to come back to negotiations with an improved pay offer deemed acceptable to Unite members'.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: "These companies are very profitable but are putting greed over their hardworking members of staff.
Unite is not afraid to escalate to more strikes, which will only intensify going forward. It is time for the employers to make an offer that is acceptable to our members to resolve this disruption."

TfGM said several measures were being put in place to help people get around, including allowing customers to use their bus tickets and passes on alternative routes. Passengers with seven-day, 28-day, term-time or annual bus passes, as well as those with concessionary passes – including Our Pass – will be able to use their tickets and passes on all Metrolink trams on strike days.

TfGM Chief Network Officer Danny Vaughan said: "Bus operators across the country are responsible for the pay and conditions of their staff. We are encouraging operators and their unions to continue talks, reach agreement and avoid disruption for passengers. Around two-thirds of buses will not run if bus operator staff take industrial action. We know this will impact people’s ability to get around and we’re very sorry for any disruption or inconvenience.

"Trams and trains will run as normal, as well as some buses in parts of Greater Manchester. People should check to see if their bus service is affected and, if so, plan an alternative journey ahead of time. It will be busier than normal and we’re urging people to leave plenty of time when travelling around the city-region.







"We are doing all we can to let people know about this and minimise the disruption and keep Greater Manchester moving. Our teams will be out helping passengers, bus tickets and passes will be accepted on trams, and all other public transport services will run as normal."

Thanks for sharing the info, the school haven't confirmed this yet but am sure they will soon enough. For the first strikes they were initially told it would be ok as school busses were not affected, then they were contacted again I think on Friday or Monday and told they are affected and no services can be provided. The school think there's around 800 students affected who travel in by bus.

An additional strike would be very tough for us, I have an interview to get to, to apply for my own role, during those second dates, so the impact would be even harder to accommodate. For info, my company didn't give us the cost for living pay rise at all this year, last year, or the year before, think the last time was 2021 or 22, we're told we're lucky we have a job, so such a sizeable pay rise is probably just Dreamland for most folk. Hoping the secondary school move lessons online now, or there's a compromise to avoid action, am sure my eldest would be delighted with some home days.

 

[paulchapo]

Thanks for sharing the info, the school haven't confirmed this yet but am sure they will soon enough. For the first strikes they were initially told it would be ok as school busses were not affected, then they were contacted again I think on Friday or Monday and told they are affected and no services can be provided. The school think there's around 800 students affected who travel in by bus.

An additional strike would be very tough for us, I have an interview to get to, to apply for my own role, during those second dates, so the impact would be even harder to accommodate. For info, my company didn't give us the cost for living pay rise at all this year, last year, or the year before, think the last time was 2021 or 22, we're told we're lucky we have a job, so such a sizeable pay rise is probably just Dreamland for most folk. Hoping the secondary school move lessons online now, or there's a compromise to avoid action, am sure my eldest would be delighted with some home days.

No problem. If you go onto the tfgm website and search bus strikes it gives a very detailed breakdown of every single service affected ( 99%) and also includes school buses.

Ahhh the old lucky to have a job mantra. I've heard that trotted out a fair few times in my working life.

Hopefully an agreement between all parties will be swiftly reached.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

In an age where employees are getting less and less, being stretched further and further, whilst businesses and their owners are given preferential treatment in a world where greed is now actually good.. I will respect anyman's right to strike for better conditions. I have worked where there was no union and it was basically blackmail.

Careful what you wish for when you denigrate union action and union members (Like I used to tbh), they are actually the last line of defence in a lot of ways.

 

[paulchapo]

In an age where employees are getting less and less, being stretched further and further, whilst businesses and their owners are given preferential treatment in a world where greed is now actually good.. I will respect anyman's right to strike for better conditions. I have worked where there was no union and it was basically blackmail.

Careful what you wish for when you denigrate union action and union members (Like I used to tbh), they are actually the last line of defence in a lot of ways.

The government could actually ease the poorest in society's burden by unfreezing the £12,570 tax threshold that has bitten hard into lower paid people's pockets. They could afford this by slightly increasing it for people earning huge wages who would hardly notice the increase. If they wanted to keep some control they could unfreeze it for anybody earning £28,000 a year and less. For those people raise the threshold to at least £15,000. This is probably where it would have been without the freeze. More money in people's pockets which would mean they didn't have to resort to strike action to manage.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

The government could actually ease the poorest in society's burden by unfreezing the £12,570 tax threshold that has bitten hard into lower paid people's pockets. They could afford this by slightly increasing it for people earning huge wages who would hardly notice the increase. If they wanted to keep some control they could unfreeze it for anybody earning £28,000 a year and less. For those people raise the threshold to at least £15,000. This is probably where it would have been without the freeze. More money in people's pockets which would mean they didn't have to resort to strike action to manage.

The rich own the media, the power, the money... more than ever.
Their media tell us we need to work harder and that unions are bad.
The govn powers blocks us from having rights to protest and rights to strike.
The people who own the money dont want to lose it.

Classic story, but its getting worse. People are accepting that the shite they are being told is the only thing available, and they are being told that by the rich. Lemmings.

I am glad I am out of it all and that I lived during a time when workers had rights and the business world had to interact with us. That was healthy. Obvs not all the strikes and power-mongering of the union leaders, but I would still rather have that than the landscape that the rich and powerful have painted for workers nowadays.

 

[stonerblue]

You know exactly what attitude. Mocking people, calling them grandad etcetera. Here's a little reminder of what you said.

"And, I like a little pop at the coffin dodgers moaning about strikes."

When I told you everybody is coffin dodging from the day they are born, you replied, "Okay grandad."

Now from your replies myself and a couple of others assumed you were a young person, but you later added you were a grandfather yourself with children in their thirties. So at a guess you could be 55+ if you had your oldest child by the age of 20. You also said you were still working so that should make you under state pension age, though as you're self employed that may not be the case.

I think you'll find it's not retired people ( Or coffin dodgers to use your words ).moaning about bus strikes as such events have less impact on retired people. It will be workers and people with kids at school who rely on public transport. They will suffer the most.

I don't want to gain your respect. From your comments on this post I know enough about you to know I would never want to be in your company. It just goes to show that sadly it's not just Liverpool and United fans that have the monopoly on not so nice people ( Me being kind in my choice of words) following them.

Fucking hell, i'd have thought a seaman of several years would have had a bit of a thicker skin than to be offended by a light-hearted Grandad or a coffin dodger comment.
Then you go on to wrongly assume a lot about me which was way off the mark and pen your little hate filled rant.
Every poster in this thread moaning about the strike upto that point was also very vocal about WFA and pensions and, are all old.
I was at work when posting yesterday. Inbetween popping on here i gave an old dear who was struggling to walk a brand new fancy walking stick for nowt, delivered a meal from the cafe to another who can't get out at the moment, fixed a watch for another, phoned another to tell her to stay home and i'll deliver her shoes today. I'll also be spending a good portion of today talking to Virgin to get a new package for 2 friends in their 70's who are clueless about technology. Their bill will be reduced by about £70 a month, 'cos that's the kind of 'snivelling disrespectful piece of shit' i am.