Stagecoach staff to strike for 12 days over 'divide-and-rule' pay tactics
Stagecoach staff to strike for 12 days over 'divide-and-rule' pay tactics
(25 Oct 2021, 12:18 pm)Chris 1 Some of the comments on there, dear me! Not sure which ones are worse, these ones are the ones accompanying the Northern Echo story on GNE.Glass houses and throwing stones..
(25 Oct 2021, 12:18 pm)Chris 1 Some of the comments on there, dear me! Not sure which ones are worse, these ones are the ones accompanying the Northern Echo story on GNE.Glass houses and throwing stones..
(30 Oct 2021, 1:55 pm)Adrian "Drivers offered a deal that would see pay being increased by 4% since the start of the pandemic"
So I wonder is that 4% over a two-year deal backdated? Or 4% for this year, when I assume nothing was offered last?
Bit cheap to point at GMB accepting the deal. It's as much their prerogative to accept one as Unite's not to accept one.
(30 Oct 2021, 1:55 pm)Adrian "Drivers offered a deal that would see pay being increased by 4% since the start of the pandemic"
So I wonder is that 4% over a two-year deal backdated? Or 4% for this year, when I assume nothing was offered last?
Bit cheap to point at GMB accepting the deal. It's as much their prerogative to accept one as Unite's not to accept one.
(30 Oct 2021, 1:55 pm)Adrian "Drivers offered a deal that would see pay being increased by 4% since the start of the pandemic"
So I wonder is that 4% over a two-year deal backdated? Or 4% for this year, when I assume nothing was offered last?
Bit cheap to point at GMB accepting the deal. It's as much their prerogative to accept one as Unite's not to accept one.
(30 Oct 2021, 1:55 pm)Adrian "Drivers offered a deal that would see pay being increased by 4% since the start of the pandemic"
So I wonder is that 4% over a two-year deal backdated? Or 4% for this year, when I assume nothing was offered last?
Bit cheap to point at GMB accepting the deal. It's as much their prerogative to accept one as Unite's not to accept one.
(30 Oct 2021, 1:55 pm)Adrian "Drivers offered a deal that would see pay being increased by 4% since the start of the pandemic"
So I wonder is that 4% over a two-year deal backdated? Or 4% for this year, when I assume nothing was offered last?
Bit cheap to point at GMB accepting the deal. It's as much their prerogative to accept one as Unite's not to accept one.
(30 Oct 2021, 1:55 pm)Adrian "Drivers offered a deal that would see pay being increased by 4% since the start of the pandemic"
So I wonder is that 4% over a two-year deal backdated? Or 4% for this year, when I assume nothing was offered last?
Bit cheap to point at GMB accepting the deal. It's as much their prerogative to accept one as Unite's not to accept one.
I was in the Unite union and I've recently left after 20 years in it. Complete waste of money. The main rep gets a piss easy ride in return for towing the company line. Gets paid 41 hous a week for 15 hours of actual work, paid until 4pm and leaves for home at 3pm every day.
(30 Oct 2021, 8:11 pm)Dan It does seem like Unite’s ambition is to have Arriva Northumbria, Go North East and Stagecoach all participating in industrial action at the same time. I’m in favour of trade unions fighting for better pay and conditions for their members (and in turn the wider workforce) but I’m not sure it sits right with me that industrial action is seemingly being coordinated and there’s a dispute over money that the companies simply do not have at this time.
(30 Oct 2021, 11:10 pm)Driver9*** I was in the Unite union and I've recently left after 20 years in it. Complete waste of money. The main rep gets a piss easy ride in return for towing the company line. Gets paid 41 hous a week for 15 hours of actual work, paid until 4pm and leaves for home at 3pm every day.
(30 Oct 2021, 5:54 pm)DeltaMan It's the usual PR rubbish from both sides. Similar to Unite not quoting the actual financials from Busways Travel Services as it won't sound as good but it more pertinent...The press release wars are often the worst part of any dispute. I'm interested in these figures though, because I can only see the May 2020 figures on Companies House and they still show a pre-tax profit of £8.5m at a glance.
(30 Oct 2021, 8:11 pm)Dan It does seem like Unite’s ambition is to have Arriva Northumbria, Go North East and Stagecoach all participating in industrial action at the same time. I’m in favour of trade unions fighting for better pay and conditions for their members (and in turn the wider workforce) but I’m not sure it sits right with me that industrial action is seemingly being coordinated and there’s a dispute over money that the companies simply do not have at this time.
(30 Oct 2021, 11:10 pm)Driver9*** I was in the Unite union and I've recently left after 20 years in it. Complete waste of money. The main rep gets a piss easy ride in return for towing the company line. Gets paid 41 hous a week for 15 hours of actual work, paid until 4pm and leaves for home at 3pm every day.
(30 Oct 2021, 5:54 pm)DeltaMan It's the usual PR rubbish from both sides. Similar to Unite not quoting the actual financials from Busways Travel Services as it won't sound as good but it more pertinent...The press release wars are often the worst part of any dispute. I'm interested in these figures though, because I can only see the May 2020 figures on Companies House and they still show a pre-tax profit of £8.5m at a glance.
(31 Oct 2021, 12:04 am)Adrian It's the most effective way to apply leverage with industrial action, so they'd be mad to not coordinate it. We saw with Arriva two years ago and Go North West more recently, that when its not coordinated, other operators couldn't be quicker to 'help out' with strike-breakers. If any one of the big three went out alone up here, we all know they'd be straight on the phone to the other two to lend a hand and to try and undermine the strike
(31 Oct 2021, 12:04 am)Adrian It's the most effective way to apply leverage with industrial action, so they'd be mad to not coordinate it. We saw with Arriva two years ago and Go North West more recently, that when its not coordinated, other operators couldn't be quicker to 'help out' with strike-breakers. If any one of the big three went out alone up here, we all know they'd be straight on the phone to the other two to lend a hand and to try and undermine the strike
(31 Oct 2021, 6:13 am)Dan I think the world is in a different place now, especially with the labour shortage - operators cannot cover their own work, let alone the work of other operators.
Regardless, we've discussed elsewhere on the forum that the current driver shortage could have a huge negative impact on the great work that's been achieved by operators in trying to build back passenger numbers and increase revenue. Can't the exact same be said about industrial action?
If it has a negative impact on passenger numbers, and in turn revenue, then the desired payrise is going to be even less likely to be affordable. There seems to be little in the way of joined up thinking, purely looking at the here and now and immediate benefit rather than thinking longer term. Trade unions for many years have recommended offers of 2% and members accepted them - that was when bus operators were in a much stronger position financially. Now passenger numbers have dropped off a cliff and revenue has been severely impacted making operators loss-making businesses, they're wanting to fight for more? As I say, I'm in favour of trade unions fighting for the best they can achieve in normal circumstances, but this reeks. I know industrial action is a last resort, but there's a lot of animosity on the ground among staff at bus companies at the moment, largely driven by the pay dispute. I have known drivers leave and move to independent operators (for less pay) purely because they're sick and tired of it all...
(31 Oct 2021, 6:13 am)Dan I think the world is in a different place now, especially with the labour shortage - operators cannot cover their own work, let alone the work of other operators.
Regardless, we've discussed elsewhere on the forum that the current driver shortage could have a huge negative impact on the great work that's been achieved by operators in trying to build back passenger numbers and increase revenue. Can't the exact same be said about industrial action?
If it has a negative impact on passenger numbers, and in turn revenue, then the desired payrise is going to be even less likely to be affordable. There seems to be little in the way of joined up thinking, purely looking at the here and now and immediate benefit rather than thinking longer term. Trade unions for many years have recommended offers of 2% and members accepted them - that was when bus operators were in a much stronger position financially. Now passenger numbers have dropped off a cliff and revenue has been severely impacted making operators loss-making businesses, they're wanting to fight for more? As I say, I'm in favour of trade unions fighting for the best they can achieve in normal circumstances, but this reeks. I know industrial action is a last resort, but there's a lot of animosity on the ground among staff at bus companies at the moment, largely driven by the pay dispute. I have known drivers leave and move to independent operators (for less pay) purely because they're sick and tired of it all...
(31 Oct 2021, 12:09 am)Adrian If that's the case, why don't you just change the rep? Its a democracy after all.There was a person who stood against him for election a few years back. A poll of the drivers seemed to suggest the majority had voted for him yet he lost by a landslide. Read into that what you will.
I've been a rep for the majority of my working life and have stood election every single year. I'd be more than happy for someone else to take it on, if they fancied a go at it. At least I'd get some of the countless hours of my own time back that the role inevitably spills over into!
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
(31 Oct 2021, 12:09 am)Adrian If that's the case, why don't you just change the rep? Its a democracy after all.There was a person who stood against him for election a few years back. A poll of the drivers seemed to suggest the majority had voted for him yet he lost by a landslide. Read into that what you will.
I've been a rep for the majority of my working life and have stood election every single year. I'd be more than happy for someone else to take it on, if they fancied a go at it. At least I'd get some of the countless hours of my own time back that the role inevitably spills over into!
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
(31 Oct 2021, 6:13 am)Dan I think the world is in a different place now, especially with the labour shortage - operators cannot cover their own work, let alone the work of other operators.
Regardless, we've discussed elsewhere on the forum that the current driver shortage could have a huge negative impact on the great work that's been achieved by operators in trying to build back passenger numbers and increase revenue. Can't the exact same be said about industrial action?
If it has a negative impact on passenger numbers, and in turn revenue, then the desired payrise is going to be even less likely to be affordable. There seems to be little in the way of joined up thinking, purely looking at the here and now and immediate benefit rather than thinking longer term. Trade unions for many years have recommended offers of 2% and members accepted them - that was when bus operators were in a much stronger position financially. Now passenger numbers have dropped off a cliff and revenue has been severely impacted making operators loss-making businesses, they're wanting to fight for more? As I say, I'm in favour of trade unions fighting for the best they can achieve in normal circumstances, but this reeks. I know industrial action is a last resort, but there's a lot of animosity on the ground among staff at bus companies at the moment, largely driven by the pay dispute. I have known drivers leave and move to independent operators (for less pay) purely because they're sick and tired of it all...
(31 Oct 2021, 10:57 am)Andreos1 This isn't a new thing though. It's not unique to pay disputes and there are many reasons why drivers leave to go to an independent.
Independents need to get drivers from somewhere (they wouldn't exist otherwise) and if they can offer something that a big operator can't and it ticks the drivers motivating factor, then good luck to them.
(31 Oct 2021, 6:13 am)Dan I think the world is in a different place now, especially with the labour shortage - operators cannot cover their own work, let alone the work of other operators.
Regardless, we've discussed elsewhere on the forum that the current driver shortage could have a huge negative impact on the great work that's been achieved by operators in trying to build back passenger numbers and increase revenue. Can't the exact same be said about industrial action?
If it has a negative impact on passenger numbers, and in turn revenue, then the desired payrise is going to be even less likely to be affordable. There seems to be little in the way of joined up thinking, purely looking at the here and now and immediate benefit rather than thinking longer term. Trade unions for many years have recommended offers of 2% and members accepted them - that was when bus operators were in a much stronger position financially. Now passenger numbers have dropped off a cliff and revenue has been severely impacted making operators loss-making businesses, they're wanting to fight for more? As I say, I'm in favour of trade unions fighting for the best they can achieve in normal circumstances, but this reeks. I know industrial action is a last resort, but there's a lot of animosity on the ground among staff at bus companies at the moment, largely driven by the pay dispute. I have known drivers leave and move to independent operators (for less pay) purely because they're sick and tired of it all...
(31 Oct 2021, 10:57 am)Andreos1 This isn't a new thing though. It's not unique to pay disputes and there are many reasons why drivers leave to go to an independent.
Independents need to get drivers from somewhere (they wouldn't exist otherwise) and if they can offer something that a big operator can't and it ticks the drivers motivating factor, then good luck to them.
Still no updates on this and the stikes are supposed to start on Monday.... is no news good though?
But still someone from the top should come out and say whats happening, as normal there's been no communiction to passengers.. which is very normal at Stagecoach....
(05 Nov 2021, 6:30 am)Michael Still no updates on this and the stikes are supposed to start on Monday.... is no news good though?
But still someone from the top should come out and say whats happening, as normal there's been no communiction to passengers.. which is very normal at Stagecoach....
(05 Nov 2021, 6:30 am)Michael Still no updates on this and the stikes are supposed to start on Monday.... is no news good though?
But still someone from the top should come out and say whats happening, as normal there's been no communiction to passengers.. which is very normal at Stagecoach....
Stagecoach Strike is off
From stagecoach website
Customers are advised that following further constructive talks the proposed industrial action next week at our Walkergate, Slatyford and South Shields depots has now been suspended by the Unite union, pending a ballot of their members regarding the pay offer.
Bus services operated by our Sunderland depot will also operate as normal.
As a result, there will be no industrial action in the Tyne and Wear area next week.
(05 Nov 2021, 7:38 am)RobinHood Busways strike off, no news on Transit.
(05 Nov 2021, 7:38 am)RobinHood Busways strike off, no news on Transit.
Industrial Action from Monday 8 November 2021 across Teesside and Hartlepool
04 Nov 2021
Stagecoach has received notification from the Unite trade union of their intention to proceed with industrial action. We have been notified the dates of strike action will be 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 30 November, and 2, 4 December 2021.
This strike action will affect all local bus services operated by our Teesside and Hartlepool depots. Regrettably, we will be unable to provide any local bus services from these depots on the days of the above strike action.
Tees Flex will also not operate on these days.
Customers are advised that all Stagecoach pre-paid customer tickets will be accepted for travel on local buses operated by Arriva in the affected areas during the dates of strike action.
In addition to the strike action, there will also be an overtime ban in place for non-strike days. As such, we will also need to temporarily reduce our timetables in a number of areas to try to mitigate this difficulty. Reduced timetables will therefore run on 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 29 November and 1, 3 December 2021. Please click here to view the special timetables that will be in operation on these reduced service dates in Teesside and Hartlepool.
We have made what we consider to be a fair offer to Unite regarding the pay dispute, and we remain committed to working constructively with officials to deliver pay proposals that are fair to our people, and which also ensure the long-term sustainability of the bus network for local communities.
Stagecoach apologise for any inconvenience this industrial action may cause.
Teesside: https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.ama...021Nov.pdf
Hartlepool: https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.ama...021Nov.pdf
Week 2 of the strike here and looking on social media it is affecting a lot of people who are having to cancel appointments and all matter of other things. It means in Hartlepool a lot of people are stuck but good news for 23 Taxis as they have never been as busy. People don’t have a clue at the minute if Stagecoach are operating or not as in some cases buses are still been missed out it a complete mess and it seems they is no sign of this ending anytime soon either as I think more strikes are planned for after the new year as well.