Good for them
The service has been an utter shambles south of the Tyne since Chester closed. Early mornings and later evenings are particularly bad and it's all down to underinvestment and mismanagement during Covid coming back to bite them
(17 Aug 2023, 11:53 am)Chris 1 wrote [ -> ]It continues:
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...d-27537092
I'm sure someone pointed out the patterns of strike action and poor industrial relations wherever NF had been.
I'm not surprised to read this myself.
Interesting to note the comments about back-office staff. Maybe the company will be able to rely on them to get vehicles moving. Again.
(17 Aug 2023, 12:05 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Good for them
The service has been an utter shambles south of the Tyne since Chester closed. Early mornings and later evenings are particularly bad and it's all down to underinvestment and mismanagement during Covid coming back to bite them
I'm not sure it was ever perfect prior to it closing.
However, moving ops elsewhere was hardly likely to improve the situation. Particularly in the short-term with the network basically the same as it was.
Another missed opportunity to look at the network perhaps?
(18 Aug 2023, 4:33 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]That’s the most embarrassing thing I’ve read in a while. Ben seems to like the limelight…he’s terrible at being in it sadly
Ironically - considering he works for Go Ahead 'Group' - you reckon he would know the correct internet URL for it wouldn't you? However, the web address published in the press release
www.goahead.com redirects to an american site
www.goaheadtours.com
(13 Sep 2023, 11:51 am)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Ballot result: https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-event...-poor-pay/
98% in favour of industrial action on a near 85% turnout... how to misjudge the mood of your workforce!
Thats a damning indictment of GNE Management Relations to their staff, they misjudged it quite spectacularly its astonishing.
Crikey - I missed this thread until today. All singing & dancing press releases for a pay deal that moves drivers closer to minimum wage than ever is truly toxic.
(13 Sep 2023, 1:27 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Tbf, on some routes - will passengers even notice the difference anymore? 
309s it'll be normal service the way its been running this week
(14 Sep 2023, 11:57 am)Chris 1 wrote [ -> ]I thought they would have come back with another offer but maybe not, straight to ACAS?
https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/go-north-e...ACAS-talks
Wow. Did Ben miss his calling as an Editor for the Daily Mail?!
It doesn't matter what RPI and CPI are
now. Back in July 2023, which I assume from the backdating is the pay review date, then RPI was at 10.9% and CPI at 6.8%. Making the offer below inflation, as Unite state... this is all publicly available information.
It's about as 'inflation-busting' as the 'congestion-busting' buses. I'm sure he's not as naive to think that you can drag your heels on a pay review, waiting for conditions to improve, and then make a backdated offer based on that?
It's also worth noting that the supposed offer includes "some standardisation of working practices across its six depots". So again, depending what these changes are, the offer could be a below-inflation uplift plus cuts to terms and working conditions.
The proposal of ACAS talks sounds like smoke and mirrors to me at this stage. Having been involved in them in the past, they can be largely unproductive if you're at polar opposites to each other. This is often the case when terms changes are attempted to be tied into a pay offer.
(14 Sep 2023, 12:22 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Wow. Did Ben miss his calling as an Editor for the Daily Mail?!
It doesn't matter what RPI and CPI are now. Back in July 2023, which I assume from the backdating is the pay review date, then RPI was at 10.9% and CPI at 6.8%. Making the offer below inflation, as Unite state... this is all publicly available information.
It's about as 'inflation-busting' as the 'congestion-busting' buses. I'm sure he's not as naive to think that you can drag your heels on a pay review, waiting for conditions to improve, and then make a backdated offer based on that?
It's also worth noting that the supposed offer includes "some standardisation of working practices across its six depots". So again, depending what these changes are, the offer could be a below-inflation uplift plus cuts to terms and working conditions.
The proposal of ACAS talks sounds like smoke and mirrors to me at this stage. Having been involved in them in the past, they can be largely unproductive if you're at polar opposites to each other. This is often the case when terms changes are attempted to be tied into a pay offer.
Two of them are reduced paid breaks and longer shifts -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-66807466
Mentioned there which I could see why could be both unpopular.
(14 Sep 2023, 12:22 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Wow. Did Ben miss his calling as an Editor for the Daily Mail?!
It doesn't matter what RPI and CPI are now. Back in July 2023, which I assume from the backdating is the pay review date, then RPI was at 10.9% and CPI at 6.8%. Making the offer below inflation, as Unite state... this is all publicly available information.
It's about as 'inflation-busting' as the 'congestion-busting' buses. I'm sure he's not as naive to think that you can drag your heels on a pay review, waiting for conditions to improve, and then make a backdated offer based on that?
It's also worth noting that the supposed offer includes "some standardisation of working practices across its six depots". So again, depending what these changes are, the offer could be a below-inflation uplift plus cuts to terms and working conditions.
The proposal of ACAS talks sounds like smoke and mirrors to me at this stage. Having been involved in them in the past, they can be largely unproductive if you're at polar opposites to each other. This is often the case when terms changes are attempted to be tied into a pay offer.
The PR is so weird. The 'regions largest bus operator' - why is it in there?! It's irrelevant. The statements make me utterly cringe and I'm not sure who they're aimed at. The public have zero trust in the organisation and you're not going to a bus operators site to read a PR statement on strike action. They're more than happy to front up on this but not on the actual horrendous service levels they currently offer
The attack on terms and conditions is often a deal breaker vs actual cash (which is what we're seeing in the railway strike)
(14 Sep 2023, 12:22 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Wow. Did Ben miss his calling as an Editor for the Daily Mail?!
The wording of the statement ("Bosses at the firm") reads much more like something you'd find in a tabloid than an official communication from a company.
In terms of the breaks, am I right in thinking that currently GNE is half an hour unpaid; ANE is 45 mins unpaid and SCNE is all unpaid?