(10 Oct 2023, 12:15 pm)Dan wrote There are strict policies in advertising, especially for TV (a platform where this advert was used).

I think we can be quite confident that the company clearly had evidence of this annual earnings figure being genuine.

It goes without saying that it relied upon overtime and would have included accident and attendance bonuses.

No porky pies being told here.


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(10 Oct 2023, 12:43 pm)Driver9*** wrote To get this "£650 a week after tax" you refer to, you'd need to be making £850 a week before any offtakes, which if earning the current GNE top rate of £12.83/hr would mean working a 66 hour week. Let's be generous and say 6 hrs of that is paid breaktime, 60 hours driving each week is totally unsustainable long term for anyone who wants any sort of a life.

(10 Oct 2023, 12:43 pm)Driver9*** wrote To get this "£650 a week after tax" you refer to, you'd need to be making £850 a week before any offtakes, which if earning the current GNE top rate of £12.83/hr would mean working a 66 hour week. Let's be generous and say 6 hrs of that is paid breaktime, 60 hours driving each week is totally unsustainable long term for anyone who wants any sort of a life.

(10 Oct 2023, 1:08 pm)pbjd wrote Alternatively all it is is someone on the 4 day rota doing 2 days overtime on a 4 day duty, still getting a day off a week, not an amazing work/life balance but better then working everyday every week with only a 24hr period off every 14 days.


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(10 Oct 2023, 1:11 pm)Dan wrote Precisely!

There are a lot of 4-day week drivers at GNE who are on this rota, not because they want to work four days, but to maximise the amount of overtime they can do.


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(10 Oct 2023, 1:28 pm)Driver9*** wrote Have you ever tried working six 10/11hr shifts in a row? It's absolutely brutal. I did four in a row at Arriva and that was bad enough.

(10 Oct 2023, 1:10 pm)Dan wrote b) drivers can do part of a shift (called ‘half shifts’) at GNE, where even an under an hour’s worth of driving is paid at 3hrs.

I understand ‘half shifts’ are quite a unique thing to GNE.

(10 Oct 2023, 1:28 pm)Driver9*** wrote Have you ever tried working six 10/11hr shifts in a row? It's absolutely brutal. I did four in a row at Arriva and that was bad enough.

(10 Oct 2023, 1:10 pm)Dan wrote You’re forgetting that:
a) overtime is paid at a higher rate - currently over £15/hr on weekends at some locations, so you can’t just use £12.83/hr
b) drivers can do part of a shift (called ‘half shifts’) at GNE, where even an under an hour’s worth of driving is paid at 3hrs.
c) some drivers work at alternative depots and receive a 1-1.5hr travel time payment, as it is not their home depot.
d) depending on coverage, some split shift drivers (paid at 7hrs 48 daily) with far less driving are sometimes paid through, in order to aid coverage.
e) shorter duties are paid out at a minimum of 7hrs. It is not unheard of for drivers to do a special event (with minimal driving time) before or after their main duty, to increase their earnings.

I understand ‘half shifts’ are quite a unique thing to GNE.


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(10 Oct 2023, 3:00 pm)sawyer.jshawn wrote So basically your trying to use every type of payment to justify the figure, how many drivers would get all these? None is the answer.

Again half shifts less than an hour, very very very rare. And yeah if its 2.5hrs ill get paid for the 3hrs, but then take into account that if its after my shift it generally isnt straight after, i might have to wait around 30 mins anyway to start that half shift, technically not working but im still there.

Oh and you regularly do 6 ten hour driving shifts? Im suprised you manage to get any work done in your actual job role then, being a bus enthusiast and general boot licker probably helps with that a bit though right?

(10 Oct 2023, 6:20 am)Ianthegoon wrote Ummm ..... isn't nineteen days without a day off just a bit ..... illegal?!

(10 Oct 2023, 6:05 pm)F114TML wrote Yes it is unless you're very crafty with your start/end times.

The rule is 24 hours' continuous break after 13 days, so you could, say, work 0600-1500 on day 13, then work 1600-2400 on day 14, and you'd be legal, which I suspect is what that driver's doing.

(10 Oct 2023, 2:32 pm)omnicity4659 wrote I work for Stagecoach, can go out and pick up half a journey and be paid the 3 hours for it.

Not uncommon for drivers to be offered it to extend their service to beyond a changeover point to keep going into the city centre when there isn't a relief.

Not unique to Go North East at all.

(10 Oct 2023, 6:11 pm)Adrian wrote Which may be in line with the rules on fortnightly rest, but I'd argue not within the spirit of them.

Whenever I look at the GB domestic rules, I can't help but think the whole thing requires a massive overhaul. I wonder if any Unions are campaigning on this? The whole thing is like something from the Victorian times, compared to say the Working Time Directive. 

An office worker is entitled to 1 day in 7 or 2 days in 14 off (and in reality it's closer to 39 or 63 hours), yet someone driving a bus carrying 60+ people can manage with not even a single proper day off to relax. At the same time, they could be (and apparently, encouraged to) working up to 60 hour weeks on the bounce.

Madness. Surprised they aren't asking you to bring your kids in and sending them up the chimney, whilst they're at it.

(10 Oct 2023, 6:41 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Slightly OT (move if required) but i think with the current situation, GNE wouldn't retaliate if someone else tried to compete with them.

(10 Oct 2023, 3:00 pm)sawyer.jshawn wrote So basically your trying to use every type of payment to justify the figure, how many drivers would get all these? None is the answer.

Again half shifts less than an hour, very very very rare. And yeah if its 2.5hrs ill get paid for the 3hrs, but then take into account that if its after my shift it generally isnt straight after, i might have to wait around 30 mins anyway to start that half shift, technically not working but im still there.

Oh and you regularly do 6 ten hour driving shifts? Im suprised you manage to get any work done in your actual job role then, being a bus enthusiast and general boot licker probably helps with that a bit though right?

(10 Oct 2023, 6:47 pm)Bazza wrote Is there any ‘retaliation’ or indeed competition in the industry at the moment?

(10 Oct 2023, 6:56 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote No, but if someone decided to register a more frequent dupe of something like the 21 or 27, i don't believe GNE would have the drivers, vehicles or money to match them, especially if the upstart goes big and bold.

(11 Oct 2023, 9:33 pm)itsadam wrote Can someone shed some light on whether they'll be striking again next week?

(11 Oct 2023, 9:33 pm)itsadam wrote Can someone shed some light on whether they'll be striking again next week?

(11 Oct 2023, 9:35 pm)Adrian wrote As things stand, yes, from Saturday.

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/update-industrial-action

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(11 Oct 2023, 9:51 pm)itsadam wrote It's actually a joke. As much as I support a pay rise the communication from the company is close to non-existent

(11 Oct 2023, 9:56 pm)Adrian wrote Yeah, certainly official communications anyway.

I've seen a couple of office staff with the unofficial propaganda lines towards the dispute on resident Facebook groups lately.

Unsure if that is part of their industrial relations strategy or people working freelance, but I reckon most customers would prefer to hear it straight from the company.

(11 Oct 2023, 10:28 pm)Ambassador wrote Indeed, and as much abuse as he gets here, to his credit in the face of provocation Dan isn’t one of them and keeps a professional silence (don’t worry Dan, I’m not getting soft, I’d still sack the lot of you…or at least retrain you) 

(12 Oct 2023, 6:18 am)Dan wrote Aww, I might blush!

I suppose someone needs to be re-trained to be the cleaner, if she’s gonna get sacked too!


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(11 Oct 2023, 10:28 pm)Ambassador wrote Indeed, and as much abuse as he gets here, to his credit in the face of provocation Dan isn’t one of them and keeps a professional silence (don’t worry Dan, I’m not getting soft, I’d still sack the lot of you…or at least retrain you)  

I’ve seen non striking General Managers, Dogsbody enthusiast types gloating on Twitter and Facebook and it does leave a sour taste but also unlocks why there’s such unhappiness and strained relations. You can’t stop those people holding their views but it seems GNE in particular have a real issue with wholly unprofessional and unregulated social media behaviour and you again have to say…where is the leadership? The coaching? I’m sure Go Ahead Head Office is  detached from the day to day (another issue) but if you sent those tweets and Facebook posts to any professional organisation…they’d be gone and I say this as a warning to members of those Facebook groups and those who tweet…you’re clearly in breach and if adults at Go Ahead get involved….you’re gone

(12 Oct 2023, 11:45 am)Andreos1 wrote You can't do that to our very own Dan. He's (almost) award winning!