(29 Oct 2023, 2:26 pm)Thomas12 wrote Are Gateshead Central Taxis not paying around £14 per hour, yet they seem to have a lot of contracts.

Let's be honest if GNE offered £25 an hour. Then Stagecoach and Arriva would be offering £25 not too long after as no way would they sit there while a depot down the road is paid more. It's a non starter discussion point, not to mention they've been using agency drivers for the contract work which are well above £14 an hour. 

Be interesting to see Arriva Northumbria is having a play on this as Unite will know what's being bundled around with their talks there. If Arriva go upto £15.00 which is about the inflation increase of their current rate then the Manchester rates are now suddenly much closer to home and all the 'cost of living' and other shite that's been thrown around by the bus operator apologists will be running out of excuses.

I really don't know how they pulled it off but for all the penny pinching with Arriva they got a great deal there without striking at all.