Bus strike;(not Hartlepool)

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 36396

Noticed on the news last night bus drivers up on Tyneside have been out on strike.
What baffles me is they were offered I believe an 11% rise but want 13%, but surely after a couple of weeks on strike, even if they get 13% they’’ll only end up at the end of the day with the equivalent of even 11% or less over the year if they’ve lost two weeks or more pay

Jamie1952 · **Joined:** Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:56 pm **Posts:** 7072

Snowy wrote:

Noticed on the news last night bus drivers up on Tyneside have been out on strike.
What baffles me is they were offered I believe an 11% rise but want 13%, but surely after a couple of weeks on strike, even if they get 13% they’’ll only end up at the end of the day with the equivalent of even 11% or less over the year if they’ve lost two weeks or more pay

Yes Snowy but that increase is there forever not just a year.

Snailwood2 · **Joined:** Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:18 pm **Posts:** 240

Unite union is paying them £350 a week to do nothing. If they accept they would be paid more than any other bus company in the North East.

Problem is they want to be paid the same as bus drivers in Manchester who earn £14.79 an hour in the week but if you are unlucky to drive in Wigan it's only £14.00 an hour weekdays. A problem with the distribution of wealth throughout the country or value of the land to live in Manchester compared to Wigan, Still at least we have a levelling up Minister to sort these inequalities out!!

I think also it is to do with the work roster. GNE want to implement some split shifts which are obviously a nightmare for the worker if they have a 3 or 4 hour gap in the middle of the day, that might be accepted in Manchester, as the GNE defence is they have a different roster.

Another fallout from Brexit, telling those Polish bus drivers they are not really welcome to be here.

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 36396

Jamie1952 wrote:

Snowy wrote:

Noticed on the news last night bus drivers up on Tyneside have been out on strike.
What baffles me is they were offered I believe an 11% rise but want 13%, but surely after a couple of weeks on strike, even if they get 13% they’’ll only end up at the end of the day with the equivalent of even 11% or less over the year if they’ve lost two weeks or more pay

Yes Snowy but that increase is there forever not just a year.

Except it’ll probably take up to two years to straighten your losses and the world has moved on, your saying the rise is forever is correct, but sadly there’s no such thing now as a long term job and they do like to tweak things to get their money back.
Personally I’d have taken the 11% and avoided the hassle…however I’m surprised they’re getting paid by the union so who cares, never happened to me banghead

accrington fan · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:22 pm **Posts:** 18928

Snailwood2 wrote:

Unite union is paying them £350 a week to do nothing. If they accept they would be paid more than any other bus company in the North East.

Problem is they want to be paid the same as bus drivers in Manchester who earn £14.79 an hour in the week but if you are unlucky to drive in Wigan it's only £14.00 an hour weekdays. A problem with the distribution of wealth throughout the country or value of the land to live in Manchester compared to Wigan, Still at least we have a levelling up Minister to sort these inequalities out!!

I think also it is to do with the work roster. GNE want to implement some split shifts which are obviously a nightmare for the worker if they have a 3 or 4 hour gap in the middle of the day, that might be accepted in Manchester, as the GNE defence is they have a different roster.

Another fallout from Brexit, telling those Polish bus drivers they are not really welcome to be here.

driving a bus is driving a bus no matter where you drive it. even on rural country routes you have your problems that those who do city work have but different. even worse is the difference in pay for mechanics fixing them. when my lad worked for stagecoach in rugby he was on nearly 5 pound a hour more than the equivelent in hartlepool. the only real difference between the two towns are house prices if you are buying one.

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 36396

accrington fan wrote:

Snailwood2 wrote:

Unite union is paying them £350 a week to do nothing. If they accept they would be paid more than any other bus company in the North East.

Problem is they want to be paid the same as bus drivers in Manchester who earn £14.79 an hour in the week but if you are unlucky to drive in Wigan it's only £14.00 an hour weekdays. A problem with the distribution of wealth throughout the country or value of the land to live in Manchester compared to Wigan, Still at least we have a levelling up Minister to sort these inequalities out!!

I think also it is to do with the work roster. GNE want to implement some split shifts which are obviously a nightmare for the worker if they have a 3 or 4 hour gap in the middle of the day, that might be accepted in Manchester, as the GNE defence is they have a different roster.
Another fallout from Brexit, telling those Polish bus drivers they are not really welcome to be here.

driving a bus is driving a bus no matter where you drive it. even on rural country routes you have your problems that those who do city work have but different. even worse is the difference in pay for mechanics fixing them. when my lad worked for stagecoach in rugby he was on nearly 5 pound a hour more than the equivelent in hartlepool. the only real difference between the two towns are house prices if you are buying one.

It should be the same rate nationwide, I notice Stagecoach splits it’s business into regional companies.

Bus strike;(not Hartlepool)

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