(19 Oct 2023, 10:16 pm)Arcticrossy92 wrote I might be wrong, but this form of striking is still a 'thing' in some countries, including Japan etc. I believe it was made 'illegal' in the UK in the 70s/80s.

Correct

Seems to be all quiet on the front comrades?

Is Ben busy scurrying away on his Windows XP laptop with his latest masterpiece to hand

(23 Oct 2023, 7:00 pm)Ambassador wrote Seems to be all quiet on the front comrades?

Is Ben busy scurrying away on his Windows XP laptop with his latest masterpiece to hand

Pretty sure there are some talks this week. 

No doubt we will find out Friday evening whats happening.

(23 Oct 2023, 7:00 pm)Ambassador wrote Seems to be all quiet on the front comrades?

Is Ben busy scurrying away on his Windows XP laptop with his latest masterpiece to hand

Still no further forward, more discussions tomorrow

(23 Oct 2023, 7:55 pm)NL62WVW wrote Still no further forward, more discussions tomorrow

Best of luck to all involved!

(23 Oct 2023, 7:00 pm)Ambassador wrote Seems to be all quiet on the front comrades?

Is Ben busy scurrying away on his Windows XP laptop with his latest masterpiece to hand

I'm waiting for the new update for him to swear and say "F**k this I'm done" "Unite can shove the deal up there a**e"

(23 Oct 2023, 10:19 pm)Aaron21 wrote I'm waiting for the new update for him to swear and say "F**k this I'm done" "Unite can shove the deal up there a**e"

Perhaps he'll go all European and channel his inner Anne-Marie and go for 'Ciao, Adios' instead - or what I thought the song was at first 'Chow at the horse'.

Breakthrough?

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/go-north-e...ert-strike

Jesus Christ that press release

So dragging their feet for weeks just to get what the drivers wanted in the first place

(25 Oct 2023, 1:54 pm)Unber43 wrote So dragging their feet for weeks just to get what the drivers wanted in the first place

The nature of the beast.

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Roughly £22,500 after tax (£27k ish before tax)

Which one is Dan putting on a vinyl?

(25 Oct 2023, 1:53 pm)Ambassador wrote Jesus Christ that press release

Another one that looks like it's been written by someone that has been slapped across the face with a copy of the S*n...

From this paragraph, it sounds like the offer will be put to ballot: "The next move is for Unite to ballot its members. An endorsement for the new pay rates should allow the union to call off its indefinite strike due to start on Saturday 28 October."

What isn't clear, probably due to the tabloid-style writing, is whether it'd be recommended for acceptance.

Bet those driver's are really excited about these 'region busting' wages. All that 1p an hour. Bet the sweet shops are jumping for joy - can you even get 1p sweets anymore...?

Just a shame those driver's earning that 1p a less have had that wage for 6 months now but yeah... and no doubt will be REGION BUSTING again in 6 months time...

(25 Oct 2023, 2:14 pm)Adrian wrote Another one that looks like it's been written by someone that has been slapped across the face with a copy of the S*n...

From this paragraph, it sounds like the offer will be put to ballot: "The next move is for Unite to ballot its members. An endorsement for the new pay rates should allow the union to call off its indefinite strike due to start on Saturday 28 October."

What isn't clear, probably due to the tabloid-style writing, is whether it'd be recommended for acceptance.

It's a very interesting tactic if it hasn't. 

Interesting that GNE have moved first and nothing in the local press/Unite site as of yet

(25 Oct 2023, 2:14 pm)Storx wrote Bet those driver's are really excited about these 'region busting' wages. All that 1p an hour. Bet the sweet shops are jumping for joy - can you even get 1p sweets anymore...?

Just a shame those driver's earning that 1p a less have had that wage for 6 months now but yeah... and no doubt will be REGION BUSTING again in 6 months time...

It gets backdated to July

It's simply to make us look bad when we inevitably reject it.

(25 Oct 2023, 2:39 pm)deanmachine wrote It's simply to make us look bad when we inevitably reject it.

So what have they taken out of it for the drivers to reject it?

(25 Oct 2023, 2:43 pm)Unber43 wrote So what have they taken out of it for the drivers to reject it?

I would guess they're still refusing to rule out divide and conquer T&Cs on a depot by depot basis, plus the extra penny just shows how much contempt the company really has for it's staff.

I think the customers should protest against GNE management as well. Stand in solidarity with the rest of the staff and demand their bus services back.

(25 Oct 2023, 3:44 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I think the customers should protest against GNE management as well. Stand in solidarity with the rest of the staff and demand their bus services back.

Dont tempt me

(25 Oct 2023, 2:14 pm)Storx wrote Bet those driver's are really excited about these 'region busting' wages. All that 1p an hour. Bet the sweet shops are jumping for joy - can you even get 1p sweets anymore...?

Just a shame those driver's earning that 1p a less have had that wage for 6 months now but yeah... and no doubt will be REGION BUSTING again in 6 months time...

As the current hourly rate is £12.83 and the offer is £14.15 that’s an extra £1.32 per hour, or £51.48 extra per week on a 39 hour week. Not a bad increase in my view.

I don’t know any people getting a 10% pay rise this year, and even fewer who, like GNE drivers, got a 10% rise last year as well.

(25 Oct 2023, 5:51 pm)busmanT wrote As the current hourly rate is £12.83 and the offer is £14.15 that’s an extra £1.32 per hour, or £51.48 extra per week on a 39 hour week. Not a bad increase in my view.

I don’t know any people getting a 10% pay rise this year, and even fewer who, like GNE drivers, got a 10% rise last year as well.

I assume you will be benefiting from any increase though, with keeping your hand in on the driving side of things.

Or are you happy sticking with the lower rates?

(25 Oct 2023, 2:14 pm)Storx wrote Bet those driver's are really excited about these 'region busting' wages. All that 1p an hour. Bet the sweet shops are jumping for joy - can you even get 1p sweets anymore...?

Just a shame those driver's earning that 1p a less have had that wage for 6 months now but yeah... and no doubt will be REGION BUSTING again in 6 months time...

1p vs Arriva current top rate, which is already under negotiation for next increase...

(25 Oct 2023, 6:14 pm)RobinHood wrote 1p vs Arriva current top rate, which is already under negotiation for next increase...

It's not even that though, it's exactly the same as Arriva's top rate which is also £14.15/hr. And before anyone bothers to link Arriva recruitment adverts on Indeed etc which say £14.14/hr, that is wrong, it is £14.15/hr they currently get and due for an increase at the end of this year, compared to the middle of next year for GNE.

And of course that's beside the point anyway when they would be on worse T&C than Arriva drivers if they accept it.

(25 Oct 2023, 5:51 pm)busmanT wrote As the current hourly rate is £12.83 and the offer is £14.15 that’s an extra £1.32 per hour, or £51.48 extra per week on a 39 hour week. Not a bad increase in my view.

I don’t know any people getting a 10% pay rise this year, and even fewer who, like GNE drivers, got a 10% rise last year as well.

(25 Oct 2023, 6:14 pm)RobinHood wrote 1p vs Arriva current top rate, which is already under negotiation for next increase...

Aye it wasn't about the wage, it was more a jibe at the complete farce of shouting the highest wage when it's only 1p more than Arriva at Blyth / Ashington. I don't for one second don't believe it's not delibrate the number either so they can shout about it for 2 months or whenever Stagecoach or Arriva have their respective increases which will no doubt put GNE at the bottom of the pile again.

(25 Oct 2023, 7:20 pm)Driver9*** wrote It's not even that though, it's exactly the same as Arriva's top rate which is also £14.15/hr. And before anyone bothers to link Arriva recruitment adverts on Indeed etc which say £14.14/hr, that is wrong, it is £14.15/hr they currently get and due for an increase at the end of this year, compared to the middle of next year for GNE.

And of course that's beside the point anyway when they would be on worse T&C than Arriva drivers if they accept it.

No changes to T&C with the GNE offer.

I think Arriva drivers have longer unpaid mealbreaks than GNE drivers and Arriva drivers have longer driving portions than GNE. 

So how would T&C be worse?

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(25 Oct 2023, 7:21 pm)Storx wrote Aye it wasn't about the wage, it was more a jibe at the complete farce of shouting the highest wage when it's only 1p more than Arriva at Blyth / Ashington. I don't for one second don't believe it's not delibrate the number either so they can shout about it for 2 months or whenever Stagecoach or Arriva have their respective increases which will no doubt put GNE at the bottom of the pile again.

Someone is always going to be “bottom of the pile” with the companies having different pay anniversary dates - it’s GNE currently as the pay deal hasn’t been settled, but once it is I think Stagecoach South Shields will be at the bottom.

Let’s be honest,Ben and the rest of them are massive incompetent liars

I saw something saying theyre removing T&Cs from each depot in the following months from this deal which is appauling considering its only 1p over Arriva Ashington and theyre already in re-negotations

A message to Go North East passengers from Unite.

(25 Oct 2023, 10:07 pm)Unber43 wrote I saw something saying theyre removing T&Cs from each depot in the following months from this deal which is appauling considering its only 1p over Arriva Ashington and theyre already in re-negotations

I don’t believe that there is any “removal” of T&Cs - discussion on scheduling agreement changes perhaps.

But GNE drivers are on far better schedules conditions than Arriva and Stagecoach with whom they compare hourly rates. GNE drivers only get the first 30 minutes of any mealbreak deducted as unpaid, whereas I believe that Stagecoach drivers get up to an hour deducted as unpaid. (I don’t know about Arriva Northumbria).