North East Buses

Full Version: Go North East - 2023 Pay Deal and Industrial Action
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(03 Dec 2023, 11:34 am)big mac wrote [ -> ]No journey cancellation list any more?

Give it a few days. There's no way in hell journeys ain't getting cancelled. Find that hard to believe. Before the strikes there were cancelled services left right amd centre then all of a sudden the services are complete fine. I'm sure a certain wise man will come in here and bless is with his long paragraph on how the depot are now full staffed (like we haven't heard that sentence before)
(03 Dec 2023, 11:57 am)Aaron21 wrote [ -> ]Give it a few days. There's no way in hell journeys ain't getting cancelled. Find that hard to believe. Before the strikes there were cancelled services left right amd centre then all of a sudden the services are complete fine. I'm sure a certain wise man will come in here and bless is with his long paragraph on how the depot are now full staffed (like we haven't heard that sentence before)

Casper, Melchoir or Balthasar?
(03 Dec 2023, 12:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]Casper, Melchoir or Balthasar?
Or Heyman?

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(02 Dec 2023, 3:12 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]I used to use it when I needed to get down to Birtley as the Blyth and Tyne tickets were valid so it was free to use it and would happily let a 21 or 2 go by to use it - it was quicker aswell and you'd always pass the 21 that I'd let go since it stops everywhere.

Arriva should definitely consider reintroducing the half hourly frequency for the Durham to Newcastle section of the X12.  I think they could provide some good competition for GNE if they did that
(03 Dec 2023, 12:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]Casper, Melchoir or Balthasar?

Aren't they Santa's reindeer?

(03 Dec 2023, 11:57 am)Aaron21 wrote [ -> ]Give it a few days. There's no way in hell journeys ain't getting cancelled. Find that hard to believe. Before the strikes there were cancelled services left right amd centre then all of a sudden the services are complete fine. I'm sure a certain wise man will come in here and bless is with his long paragraph on how the depot are now full staffed (like we haven't heard that sentence before)

Seeing as a big chunk of the fleet are (or were last week) parked up at Volvo in Crowther, they're going to struggle - drivers or not.
(03 Dec 2023, 3:47 am)itsadam wrote [ -> ]I could argue that customer service is as important as a punctual bus service

On this note, are GNE now offering customer service on a weekends and longer hours? They seem to be replying to complaints/comments today and yesterday.
(03 Dec 2023, 7:14 pm)Thomas12 wrote [ -> ]On this note, are GNE now offering customer service on a weekends and longer hours? They seem to be replying to complaints/comments today and yesterday.
It's all about productivity, you see.

Their counterparts at Stagecoach are more productive (with shorter/unpaid breaks), so it's a drive to increase productivity by making customer service work weekends/evenings.

Or at least that's what supermarket worker at Aldi told me as they were stocking shelves whilst being on the till at the same time.

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(03 Dec 2023, 7:42 pm)MurdnunoC wrote [ -> ]It's all about productivity, you see.

Their counterparts at Stagecoach are more productive (with shorter/unpaid breaks), so it's a drive to increase productivity by making customer service work weekends/evenings.

Or at least that's what supermarket worker at Aldi told me as they were stocking shelves whilst being on the till at the same time.

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I'd heard the drivers are actually the ones on customer service duties to improve their productivity relative to the Stagecoach drivers. At all traffic lights they're expected to load up their assigned social media platform (single deck drivers are Facebook, double deck on Twitter) and respond to at least 5 queries per stop.
(03 Dec 2023, 8:09 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]I'd heard the drivers are actually the ones on customer service duties to improve their productivity relative to the Stagecoach drivers. At all traffic lights they're expected to load up their assigned social media platform (single deck drivers are Facebook, double deck on Twitter) and respond to at least 5 queries per stop.
Think the Traffic Commissioner would have raised eyebrows if that was happening haha!

Love the sarcasm though if intended! Smile
(03 Dec 2023, 8:26 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]Think the Traffic Commissioner would have raised eyebrows if that was happening haha!

Love the sarcasm though if intended! Smile

I don't know where you get the temerity to suggest anyone on this forum is being sarcastic.

Next you'll be saying that I'm extracting the urine out of you by suggesting that a zeppelin service is more viable than a bus between Newbiggin and Newcastle.
(03 Dec 2023, 8:09 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]I'd heard the drivers are actually the ones on customer service duties to improve their productivity relative to the Stagecoach drivers. At all traffic lights they're expected to load up their assigned social media platform (single deck drivers are Facebook, double deck on Twitter) and respond to at least 5 queries per stop.

Jokes on them though. We do 3 crosswords per stop using only our feet.
I got told that at least 28 drivers have been suspended over comments on social media, and 19 have quit already
(04 Dec 2023, 12:13 am)itsadam wrote [ -> ]I got told that at least 28 drivers have been suspended over comments on social media, and 19 have quit already
Like what.

That Ben's a bell**d, sometimes the truth just hurts that nigel is a C U Next Tuesday
(04 Dec 2023, 12:46 am)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Like what.

That Ben's a bell**d, sometimes the truth just hurts that nigel is a C U Next Tuesday

I don't think 'Ben' exists now that the strike is over. His name seems to be have omitted from various news stories over the past few days; replaced by someone called 'Nigel', who has seemingly resolved the strike, and gifted free travel to passengers all week. If the rumours are true, 'Nigel' is heading out to the middle-east next week to broker some sort of deal between Israel and Hamas, both of whom have requested his services due to his success in his role here. What a guy 'Nigel' is, shame 'Ben' couldn't be more like him.
(04 Dec 2023, 12:46 am)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Like what.

That Ben's a bell**d, sometimes the truth just hurts that nigel is a C U Next Tuesday
Publicly slating your employer on social media is usually seen as bringing the company into disrepute and disciplinary action usually follows.

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(04 Dec 2023, 7:02 am)MVK 500R wrote [ -> ]Publicly slating your employer on social media is usually seen as bringing the company into disrepute and disciplinary action usually follows.

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If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.
(04 Dec 2023, 12:29 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting  Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

He's avoided it by being super productive, some reports are that he's actually more productive than Stagecoach drivers if you would believe it? 

As an aside, I've heard that the following bloke would actually be fired at GNE as 98% just isn't productive enough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfiw3lwrkp0.
(04 Dec 2023, 12:29 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.
Absolutely it should be across the board.

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(04 Dec 2023, 12:29 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting  Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

As unwise as some of the staff comms were, I can't recall seeing defamatory comments in what has been made public or anything derogatory being shared from his or Feathams social media accounts.....
(04 Dec 2023, 12:29 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting  Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

As much as I hate the comms from GNE, the behaviour of some drivers on that GNE Facebook strike debate group has been incredibly ill advised. I get the emotional context and getting riled up by the average thicko who uses Facebook 

Would have hoped the Union might have given some advice out