(31 Oct 2021, 6:13 am)Dan wrote 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... 

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.