(03 Oct 2023, 11:36 pm)streetdeckfan wrote This might be an unpopular opinion, but the drivers were already offered a 'decent wage' and as usual the unions decided to try and push their luck. They've got to make it look like they're doing something otherwise how are they going to rake in their millions?I do agree, about GNE losing money, but I dont think its about the pay increase I think its the further retractment of employee beneifts, as I am pretty sure they are removing paid meal breaks (personally I think they should be paid if you have it over 30 mins), and extending driving tme (personally I think 4.5 hours) is enough but I can see why GNE are not budging on this as this would have some royal screw ups with the X10/24/26 etc.
The fact of the matter is GNE are loss making and do not have the money to pay drivers more. More pay for drivers means they can afford less drivers. There is no magic money tree.
While an extra few percent doesn't sound like much, it's an extra £2m a year they're asking GNE to come up with. Actually that still doesn't sound like a lot, but that's an extra 70 full time drivers GNE could hire even after the 9.5% pay rise they were offered, or more likely 70 full time drivers they need to justify keeping around when they're already haemorrhaging money.
(feel free to check my maths, it's late and I didn't fancy breaking out Excel to work it out properly)
As for MG, I really do think his heart was in the right place, but he was screwed over by the pandemic. Passenger numbers had actually started increasing after he implemented the changes, so obviously something was working, had he become MD a year or two earlier, perhaps GNE would be in a much stronger position now?
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Also I agree with your comments about MG.