North East Buses

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...CMEyzrP1-U


(with a hilarious photograph!)

(22 Oct 2021, 2:59 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...CMEyzrP1-U


(with a hilarious photograph!)

Oh great, gonna be a nightmare getting to work, but I'm all for them getting better wages!

(22 Oct 2021, 3:05 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]Oh great, gonna be a nightmare getting to work, but I'm all for them getting better wages!

Just aswell i can get the 309 and 12 to college otherwise i'd be screwed

(22 Oct 2021, 3:32 pm)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]Just aswell i can get the 309 and 12 to college otherwise i'd be screwed

If its every bus (likely to have some still running), using the 20 or 35 wouldn't even get to work for 7am - 20 will arrive just before 7 (then its a 10 min walk)

Across 3 Newcastle home games too.

I’m not adverse to other depots earning less if it’s based on finance. Retail pay differs depending on the grade and banding of shop you operate in. So if Newcastle brings in more cash than Stockton then I’d support paying more to Newcastle.

If that’s not the case then dodgy grounds but again short sighted from the union, they have to build up passenger confidence and short notice cancellations and strikes will turn people to cars, Ubers and other methods. The only ones who will suffer are those at the bottom rung with no other options

(22 Oct 2021, 4:47 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Across 3 Newcastle home games too.

I’m not adverse to other depots earning less if it’s based on finance. Retail pay differs depending on the grade and banding of shop you operate in. So if Newcastle brings in more cash than Stockton then I’d support paying more to Newcastle.

If that’s not the case then dodgy grounds but again short sighted from the union, they have to build up passenger confidence and short notice cancellations and strikes will turn people to cars, Ubers and other methods. The only ones who will suffer are those at the bottom rung with no other options

Why blame the Union? Why not blame the company for paying their drivers a decent wage? If they did maybe there wouldn't be strike action.

(22 Oct 2021, 4:52 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]Why blame the Union? Why not blame the company for paying their drivers a decent wage? If they did maybe there wouldn't be strike action.

A qualified driver at 22k-25k is a decent wage for this region for a manual job. Even newly qualified at £19k relative to the North East isn’t a bad wage. Probably much higher than the majority of passengers you’re about to seriously piss off. 

the days of public opinion being behind unions are long long gone

(22 Oct 2021, 4:56 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]A qualified driver at 22k-25k is a decent wage for this region for a manual job. Even newly qualified at £19k relative to the North East isn’t a bad wage. Probably much higher than the majority of passengers you’re about to seriously piss off. 

the days of public opinion being behind unions are long long gone

I don't work for Stagecoach btw, but the fact is people are leaving the job for other areas at a similar pay rate for less hassle. making the driver shortage worse, lowering the morale of everyone else there. If they're not willing to keep the driver's happy this is going to happen, I really don't understand this sort of attitude towards unions.

(22 Oct 2021, 4:47 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Across 3 Newcastle home games too.

I’m not adverse to other depots earning less if it’s based on finance. Retail pay differs depending on the grade and banding of shop you operate in. So if Newcastle brings in more cash than Stockton then I’d support paying more to Newcastle.

If that’s not the case then dodgy grounds but again short sighted from the union, they have to build up passenger confidence and short notice cancellations and strikes will turn people to cars, Ubers and other methods. The only ones who will suffer are those at the bottom rung with no other options

Just the one for Sunderland, when we face Ipswich on the 20th November.

Unions are good tbh, they really help, if you need support with work.

(22 Oct 2021, 4:47 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Across 3 Newcastle home games too.

I’m not adverse to other depots earning less if it’s based on finance. Retail pay differs depending on the grade and banding of shop you operate in. So if Newcastle brings in more cash than Stockton then I’d support paying more to Newcastle.

If that’s not the case then dodgy grounds but again short sighted from the union, they have to build up passenger confidence and short notice cancellations and strikes will turn people to cars, Ubers and other methods. The only ones who will suffer are those at the bottom rung with no other options

Why would a bus driver give a toss about passenger confidence and whether someone can get somewhere.

It's disgusting one depot is being paid more/less than another depot, borderline illegal. The person does the same job as the other person it's not their fault that one depot makes more money than the other. Absolutely ridiculous view and there's some nonsense posted on here.

Then people wonder on here why bus drivers stick there fingers up when when your taking photos at the side of the road...

(22 Oct 2021, 6:51 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Why would a bus driver give a toss about passenger confidence and whether someone can get somewhere.

It's disgusting one depot is being paid more/less than another depot, borderline illegal. The person does the same job as the other person it's not their fault that one depot makes more money than the other. Absolutely ridiculous view and there's some nonsense posted on here.

Then people wonder on here why bus drivers stick there fingers up when when your taking photos at the side of the road...

Bus drivers should care, because the customers that board their buses are the ones paying their wages…

If they don’t care about passenger confidence and customers being able to make journeys, then they might as well pack up and go home now.

If you’re suggesting otherwise then I’m afraid I think this post is more nonsensical than the one you’re replying to?!


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(22 Oct 2021, 6:59 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Bus drivers should care, because the customers that board their buses are the ones paying their wages…

If they don’t care about passenger confidence and customers being able to make journeys, then they might as well pack up and go home now.

If you’re suggesting otherwise then I’m afraid I think this post is more nonsensical than the one you’re replying to?!


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Can't dispute that but should and do are two totally different things. Let's be honest outside of working hours they won't care, some probably don't even care while working but hopefully there's few of them. They'll definitely care about their wages though.

When your find out someone doing the same job is being paid more because he works at Newcastle and your at South Shields and there's an offer of strike action to sort it out I'd be very surprised if any bus driver's first thought is; Well I shouldn't strike because Betty on the 12 can't get to the shops and it might damage the companies reputation. They'll be more bothered about the polar opposite and want to cause the reputation problems, what's the point in striking otherwise.

Not saying it's right but it's reality really.

(22 Oct 2021, 4:56 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]A qualified driver at 22k-25k is a decent wage for this region for a manual job. Even newly qualified at £19k relative to the North East isn’t a bad wage. Probably much higher than the majority of passengers you’re about to seriously piss off. 

the days of public opinion being behind unions are long long gone

 
You're never going to gain public support for strikes because of the very nature of strike action. Let's not forget that it's an absolute last resort though, and that it takes two to tango. 

Having ran disputes myself, people are generally quick to blame the Unions, yet unwilling to give up anything that the unions have won them over the years. You'll find that even the drivers opposed to strike action won't think twice about rejecting any pay award that comes as a result of it...

(22 Oct 2021, 3:45 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]If its every bus (likely to have some still running), using the 20 or 35 wouldn't even get to work for 7am - 20 will arrive just before 7 (then its a 10 min walk)

Damn,i feel sorry for you mate

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(22 Oct 2021, 5:02 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]I don't work for Stagecoach btw, but the fact is people are leaving the job for other areas at a similar pay rate for less hassle. making the driver shortage worse, lowering the morale of everyone else there. If they're not willing to keep the driver's happy this is going to happen, I really don't understand this sort of attitude towards unions.

Classic domino effect

(22 Oct 2021, 8:05 pm)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]Damn,i feel sorry for you mate

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Classic domino effect

I hope that was sarcasm haha

But my work is quite good at working around our shifts so hopefully this won't be a problem.

(22 Oct 2021, 4:56 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]A qualified driver at 22k-25k is a decent wage for this region for a manual job. Even newly qualified at £19k relative to the North East isn’t a bad wage. Probably much higher than the majority of passengers you’re about to seriously piss off. 

the days of public opinion being behind unions are long long gone

I like unions. They got us ALL sick pay, paid annual leave, bank holidays. The list goes on!  It amazes me those who criticise unions but like to share the spoils they win there members, unless of course you take zero annual leave where you work and a bank holiday is just like any other day... and when your on sick you just go without?

Information should be on the site in the next few days about the strike.

(22 Oct 2021, 2:59 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...CMEyzrP1-U


(with a hilarious photograph!)

Some of the comments on there, dear me!  Not sure which ones are worse, these ones are the ones accompanying the Northern Echo story on GNE.

Found this on the Stagecoach site:

Despite the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Stagecoach has already agreed a pay deal with drivers in Sunderland under the GMB Union, which is in line with the deal offered and rejected elsewhere in the North East. Stagecoach has also agreed pay deals with Unite at the majority of its depots across the UK.

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and...ial-action

(30 Oct 2021, 11:15 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Found this on the Stagecoach site:

Despite the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Stagecoach has already agreed a pay deal with drivers in Sunderland under the GMB Union, which is in line with the deal offered and rejected elsewhere in the North East. Stagecoach has also agreed pay deals with Unite at the majority of its depots across the UK.

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and...ial-action

"Drivers offered a deal that would see pay being increased by 4% since the start of the pandemic"
So I wonder is that 4% over a two-year deal backdated? Or 4% for this year, when I assume nothing was offered last?

Bit cheap to point at GMB accepting the deal. It's as much their prerogative to accept one as Unite's not to accept one.