Most people probably know now that First bus drivers are on strike on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. Here's a link: http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/yorkhumber/southyorkshire/news/news.php?item=199

What kind of chaos will this cause? I normally use the tram in a morning, which is busy enough already. It'll probably be packed to the rafters this week :(

Tell you what.... for £15 I'll take you to work Monday n Tuesday!!! :P

Damn... I'll really miss their friendly attitude :lol: :P

I apologise if anyone on here is a bus driver... but I feel that the majority of Bus Drivers are complete w******s. They pull out into the road from the bus stop without a care for what cars are passing. They just flick in the indicator and start to pull out. I know a bus has the right of (according to the highway code) but that doesn't give them the right to drive dangerously.

And they VERY VERY rarely let in regular car drivers into a flow of traffic!

Winds me right up! :evil:

Therefore strike action will take place on Saturday 7th, Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th June. No First services in South Yorkshire will operate on these dates.


Oh my God!!!! Noooooooooo!!!! Its mine & my boyfriend's 8 months! We were planning to go out! This is terrible! :cry:

If it's that special then splash out on a taxi... :lol:

Originally posted by "caprice"


Oh my God!!!! Noooooooooo!!!! Its mine & my boyfriend's 8 months! We were planning to go out! This is terrible! :cry:
Congrats to you and the home boy (http://www.faceparty.com/member_zoom.asp?member_id=294636&member_name=capz& img_id=1336834) but it looks like you'll either be traming or walking on Monday then pet! :headbang:

If it's that special then splash out on a taxi...

Can't afford a taxi.... need shoes :lol:

Originally posted by "geoffbowen"

Damn... I'll really miss their friendly attitude :lol: :P

There used to be a bus driver on my local route who'd let most of the regulars on for free. He'd also take diversions and shortcuts, drop people off outside their houses, even if it wasn't a bus stop, and stop the bus outside the newsagents while he went in to buy a paper.

I think he got sacked, though :(

Originally posted by "caprice"

Can't afford a taxi.... need shoes :lol:
Typical woman :P

It's a good job I haven't got anything planned for the weekend.. First is the only bus service that runs in my local area.

Typical woman

:lol: Haha! :lol:

Who needs buses anyway, I ride my bike everywhere and ain,t used a bus in over 10 years....Are the fares still 2p by the way.

Are the fares still 2p by the way

Haha! You must be Kidding! 35p for Kids and Pensioners... umm about a quid for adults... Day saver - £2.20...

:lol:

Ya what. You could buy the bus for that then...... :lol:

You could buy the bus for that then......

As if somebody'd want to??? They reek something wicked! :oops:

Love them or loathe them, South Yorkshire bus drivers are amongst the worst paid in the country. Now, I don't think First Mainline will upset their shareholders by providing a generous pay increase out of their profits so I'd prepare myself for yet another round of fare increases...

Where has all the traffic gone? 8:30 on Ecclesall Rd S/Haugh Lane junction there's always a tail-back (and worst on Mondays). Not today. If this is what happens to traffic congestion when there are no busses, let's have more strikes!

OK... I expect a few people took the day off, shared cars, went in early, walked, cycled, working from home.

Originally posted by "Abby"

South Yorkshire bus drivers are amongst the worst paid in the country.

Is this hearsay or fact? I bet they earn a lot more in London but I'd not move to London for twice the pay, it wouldn't make up for the higher cost of living and lower quality of life.
What does a bus-driver earn here compared with, say Leeds?

What does a bus-driver earn here compared with, say Leeds

Between £5 to £6 a hour in Sheffield. It's been all local radio all last week. First are offering a rise somewhere 'tween 6 to 9%. Mmm nice! All this for 4am starts and 40+ hour weeks. One driver said that some drivers were taking home less than £150 a week after tax.

But surely the issue here is who's going to pay for any rise? First shareholders or passengers?

Heard the bus strike may extend till the end of the week and next weekend.

I heard that too. Its terrible for us students too! IT's a good job my school's not far from my house, or there'd be no way for me to get to my exams :roll:

Originally posted by "caprice"

I heard that too. Its terrible for us students too! IT's a good job my school's not far from my house, or there'd be no way for me to get to my exams :roll:How did the anniversary go?

You could all get bikes and get really fit like me. 8)

You could all get bikes and get really fit like me

Cycle in North Sheffield? Those hills are enough to kill you

Originally posted by "robh"

Where has all the traffic gone? 8:30 on Ecclesall Rd S/Haugh Lane junction there's always a tail-back (and worst on Mondays). Not today. If this is what happens to traffic congestion when there are no busses, let's have more strikes!

OK... I expect a few people took the day off, shared cars, went in early, walked, cycled, working from home.

I agree! If people did share cars, walked or cycled to work, then what's stopping them doing this more often? This would mean less buses, less pollution and congestion... and people could get fitter and save money! Yey!

It took me only 20 minutes to walk to work this morning instead of 25. That's because I didn't have to wait for buses when crossing the road, fight through groups of people getting off busses or stop occassionally to cough because of the pollution caused by buses! OK, the last one isn't strictly true - but I do normally get a gob full of smog when walking past bus stops and I didn't this morning!

I did notice the City Centre was quieter and safer on Saturday

How did the anniversary go?

It's today!!!! :lol: We're going out after I come home from my exam! :lol: Yay!

Have a good one miss. May I reccomend seeing 'The Matrix Reloaded'!

Have a good one miss. May I reccomend seeing 'The Matrix Reloaded'!

No way! I have issues with that film! Don't even go there!!!! haha! :lol:

Eh, nowt wrong wi a bit o' Matrix lass!

catching up on the posts....the roads are better without buses! Bus drivers always pull out when indicating the opposite way, think they are driving something small and try to get through gaps which they have no right to and block the road with their rear ends and ignore car owners who have right of way and just cause chaos generally. No buses roads are safer, clearer and people are less fraught driving to and from work!

Also the bus fares have gone up again, so the round quid fares are no more its a quid and five now (a quinea) for single routes.

Humbug!

:D :D :D :D :D
delight to drive without busses holding everything up!

It is indeed a lot easier driving without all the buses about. Bus drivers pull out without checking if cars are coming and use the size of their vehicle to intimidate people into giving way. When I was younger and used to use the 82 and 83 services I also found most of the drivers to be pretty rude and unhelpful. A few years ago I remember being sat near the front, coming up Ecclesall Road, and this woman was getting on but didn't have anything less than £20 note, and the bus driver couldn't change it. He agreed to wait at the stop while she nipped into a nearby shop. So off she ran, and as soon as she did, out pulled the bus and off he drove! The passengers that heard, including myself, were outraged.

So off she ran, and as soon as she did, out pulled the bus and off he drove!

That's terrible, but typical!

It reminds me of a man getting onto the 95 bus in town next to Ponds Forge. He asked the driver if he'd wait while he got some chips from the chip shop near there and the driver agreed, as soon as the man had turned his back off we went!

I felt sort of sorry for him, because the driver had agreed to it. But then again he would've stank the bus out with those chips! :lol:

That's because you're not allowed to eat on buses. Most drivers let you on with the odd bag of crisps or bottle of pop but hardly any, if any, will let you on with chips.

I got quite annoyed with the people who were on the news yesterday... general public walking round town been asked what they thought of the bus strike and they were ALL so nasty about it. If it was their job and they thought they weren't earning enough money I'm sure they'd do the same!!

My dad's a bus driver, personally he isn't bothered about the strike, he's not in a union so it wouldn't make any difference but I think that bus drivers are more or less putting their own life on the line these days!! They even have to have big screens in front of them that lock, and there's stickers now on the windows saying that drivers should be able to do their job without fear of being intimidated or assaulted!!! What's happening here then!!??

It's madness, that's what it is!
Chloé

who votes for the buses to strike everyday...it could be a anti-road pollution measure :)

Especially the green buses.

I've actually found the roads between Meersbrook and Norfolk Park loads worse. There have been nutters on the road who shouldn't drive - and it's quite a relief to think that they don't most of the time. I am surprised, though...do that many people who own cars really not use them most days? It's nice to think so.
Or perhaps they've all been banned from driving if there's any other transport they can use, because they're so appallingly ignorant/stupid/obnoxious :lol:
If you must drive, at least drive like the people around you are human beings with their own places to get to and a rational need to stay alive.
:shock:

The good news is that the bus strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday have been suspended:

First, South Yorkshire’s leading bus operator, are pleased to announce that the Transport and General Workers Union (T&GWU) have suspended planned strike action on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th June, following an improved pay offer by First management. Normal bus services will operate on these days.

The T&GWU will confirm whether Thursday 19th’s planned strike action will take place following a further meeting on Monday 16th between First and the T&GWU. This information will be posted on-line as soon as it is known.

The revised offer sees an average hourly increase of 5.7% for all staff, back-dated to April. Two-thirds of staff will receive an increase of more than 6.5%.

Commenting on the revised offer, Mr Gary Nolan, Managing Director of First in South Yorkshire, said: “I am pleased that the Union has decided to suspend this action and I would urge them to recommend acceptance to their members so that the traveling public of South Yorkshire are not further inconvenienced.”

Customers should call First’s Customer Services team on (01709) 566000 for the latest information or see our website.

Originally posted by "Chloe"

I got quite annoyed with the people who were on the news yesterday... general public walking round town been asked what they thought of the bus strike and they were ALL so nasty about it. If it was their job and they thought they weren't earning enough money I'm sure they'd do the same!!

I'm not a bus driver, and I don't think I get enough money. I'll go out on strike then. Thanks for the advice.

Chloe has a slight vested interest though - her dads a bus driver. :roll:

its all elementry anyway

trams>buses

simple! :D

i bet Stagecoach are rubbing their hands with glee when the strikes are on :lol:

I have a vested interest because I have to put up with him when they're off!! Nah, am only kidding! SheffieldLady - please don't be sarcastic, it doesn't do you any favours.
Chloé

Originally posted by "Chloe"

My dad's a bus driver, personally he isn't bothered about the strike, he's not in a union so it wouldn't make any difference
I bet he'd take any pay rise tho that the union won, without him having to pay a penny for it. bloody hypocrites, nigh on as bad as scabbing

Originally posted by "SheffieldLady3"

I'm not a bus driver, and I don't think I get enough money. I'll go out on strike then. Thanks for the advice.
bloody good idea, damn good luck to ya

I could easily have taken offence in your posting about the union. My dad's not in the union for your information and that's exactly why he didn't want to strike. He's been losing money for the duration of the strike! Bloody hypocrites?? I'd rather you didn't call people things like that, it's not clever of you, gains you no respect from me anyway.
Chloé

Speaking of bus drivers, read this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/20/nskool20.xml

LOL! :lol:

Originally posted by commie pig
I bet he'd take any pay rise tho that the union won, without him having to pay a penny for it. bloody hypocrites, nigh on as bad as scabbing

You raise an interesting point. ALL the bus drivers will benefit from any pay negotiations but obviously these will not all be a member of the union, could these be classed as freeloaders?

As far as I see it, I will never go against a pay rise for anyone. Anybody getting a pay increase is good for them. I'd even say that for the fat cats, whom aren't my favourite people but if the companies want to pay them what they do then that's their choice. My only concern is that why should these same companies then keep other workers on or below the poverty line.

There will be more strikes - the drivers rejected the offer which lead to this week's strikes being called off.

The buses will be on strike from next Friday, June 27, to Monday, June 30.

Originally posted by Andy
There will be more strikes - the drivers rejected the offer which lead to this week's strikes being called off.

The buses will be on strike from next Friday, June 27, to Monday, June 30.

I don't suppose you happen to know off hand what this offer was do you? I heard initially it was £60 a week but with a weeks holiday taken off. Disgusting really!

I don't know what the deal was. The following is taken from the First Group press release:

The pay deal offered to drivers provided almost 1,100 drivers with a 6.5% increase in their hourly rate. Within this category, 310 drivers with less than 4 years service would have received a 7.1% increase and drivers with less than 1 year’s service would have received a 9.1% increase. The pay award would have also seen Firsts’ 429 Senior Drivers receive a 3.2% increase in their hourly rate of pay. The management of First had made improvements on the previous offer by withdrawing conditions relating to back-pay and holiday pay.

Who are responsible for strikes? is it the unions who are being greedy? or is it the fault of the employers who are too mean to pay a fair wage?

No I think it is just labour again.

"Oh look the suckers are back in power again..........come folks lets strike"

Moon Maiden

Originally posted by halevan
Who are responsible for strikes? is it the unions who are being greedy? or is it the fault of the employers who are too mean to pay a fair wage?

Well Halevan I believe it's a combination of both. As the very big companaies do influence the Government. The Unions I believe don't always act in the best interest of the employees. When you get Union bosses getting knighted - obviously something is wrong. You don't get knighted for going on strike as a rule.

Originally posted by Moon Maiden
No I think it is just labour again.

"Oh look the suckers are back in power again..........come folks lets strike"

Moon Maiden


Quite. Just what makes this country great. Come on guys, there are loads of jobs out there. If you don't like how much you get paid, get another job. I don't think many people think they get paid enough.

Originally posted by Bugsy12
Quite. Just what makes this country great. Come on guys, there are loads of jobs out there. If you don't like how much you get paid, get another job. I don't think many people think they get paid enough.

Okay I would love to see the Abulance and fire crews ALL quit to find other jobs!!

Moon Maiden

oh well....i only use Yorkshire Traction........

Do you think that First may be about to sack the striking drivers as there has been a board outside their Halfway offices for over a week advertising for new drivers ??????

This is pretty interesting stuff. The busdrivers over here in Calgary were on strike for about 4 months 2 years ago. Fortunately for the public, the public transport system is so damn lousy here that no one really gave a flying fig! If you don't have a car in this city, you don't stand much of a chance getting anywhere in a hurry, buses or not!

There was a real public outcry when the city finally gave into their demands as these guys get paid $42,000 a year on average before their new deal. No bad for a group of people with just a high school diploma.

The real kicker is that two years later and the union leader (a real s***head of the highest order) is making noises about another pay related strike....

A more effective means of protest, which would still hit their bosses but not stop people getting to work (my friend is a cleaner at the Crucible and he has already lost wages he can ill afford to lose)... bus drivers should still work but refuse to sell tickets. effectively running free buses and hitting their bosses in the pocket.

Originally posted by Richard Ap Rhys
A more effective means of protest, which would still hit their bosses but not stop people getting to work (my friend is a cleaner at the Crucible and he has already lost wages he can ill afford to lose)... bus drivers should still work but refuse to sell tickets. effectively running free buses and hitting their bosses in the pocket.

A good idea in theory (I think railway staff in Australia did something similar) but most buses on popular routes are always full anyway!

It would be a good idea to turn up for work but not to do the job you're paid for, viz. collectiing money, delivering letters, digging coal, etc. Unfortunately, they are all sackable offences whereas a legally held strike is still the only way for workers to protest their rights.

Before anybody condemns strikers think about this:

If an investor is unhappy with a company's performance, ie it isn't returning a decent dividend, he can withdraw his capital and re-invest it. A worker, who's only capital is his labour, does not have this luxury and so can only withdraw his 'capital' on a temporary basis, or strike.

In an ideal world we could all move between jobs as and when we wanted demanding ever improving conditions but there are very few semi or un-skilled jobs around these days so the majority of the workforce have to stick it out and make the best of a bad job (pun intended).

Sorry if this sounds like preaching but I feel that unions and workers get a bad press when 9 times out of 10 it is poor management which leads to strikes.

An interesting fact:

The higher a postion in a company held by the personnel function the more prone to industrial disputes is that company.

If there is an HR director then watch out but if the junior from accounts looks after HR then you're less likely to have disputes.

Originally posted by maxt
It would be a good idea to turn up for work but not to do the job you're paid for, viz. collectiing money, delivering letters, digging coal, etc. Unfortunately, they are all sackable offences whereas a legally held strike is still the only way for workers to protest their rights.

Before anybody condemns strikers think about this:

If an investor is unhappy with a company's performance, ie it isn't returning a decent dividend, he can withdraw his capital and re-invest it. A worker, who's only capital is his labour, does not have this luxury and so can only withdraw his 'capital' on a temporary basis, or strike.


A perfectly adequate description of free will. However, the people from whom services are withdrawn also have rights. If I pay you to teach me fencing, and then you withdraw those skills, that's fine, but I would not expect to pay (that would be theft), and I would also expect to have the right to seek another trainer (or to give up fencing altogether if I wished - that would be my right). There are alternatives to the jobs you cite, and these alternatives become more attractive when the providers of those services fail to deliver, ie. "delivering letters" (I use email, but still use letters - I might however stop using letters if that became too difficult, and that would be my right), "digging coal". I have no problem with strikers or strikes at all, and am about to become one myself. The demonstration of the effect of services withdrawn can serve to galvanise minds, but can also backfire, and taking that gamble is a right. The risk of the gamble should be borne by those who take the gamble. Withdrawal of services should be that and only that (the person who has already paid for the fencing lesson, or the flight to Paris should not have to pay for that demonstration). Likewise, while I entirely supported the fire fighters strike in principle, I had already paid for a fire service I did not subsequently receive. The "worker" who does not wish to strike also has rights, and forcing others to strike against their will has to be wrong. It is easy to talk about these things in the collective - much harder when you consider individuals - me, my fencing trainer, and my lesson.

Originally posted by Chloe
[BI think that bus drivers are more or less putting their own life on the line these days!! They even have to have big screens in front of them that lock, and there's stickers now on the windows saying that drivers should be able to do their job without fear of being intimidated or assaulted!!! What's happening here then!!??

It's madness, that's what it is!
Chloé [/B]


Anybody who works in any job that involves public contact is putting their life on the line.

The obvious ones are bank tellers, post office clerks etc at risk from robbery, also in this category are betting shop staff, off licenses, petrol station staff, most retail staff (including market traders). Then at risk of violence because their job brings them into contact with nutters (by which I mean anybody so unstable as to have insufficient self control not to resort to violence if they get ****** off) - teachers, DSS/DWP staff, traffic control staff, bar staff, emergency services, social workers, health service staff... need I go on.

And then theres those such as low paid security officers sat with an unreliable mobile phone as the only contact with the outside world and expected to be able to keep hordes of plant machinery obsessed gypsys off building sites.

The most insane thing I ever saw was an artist at the Fargate craft market headbutted by this guy that didn't like one of his paintings.

Public transport should never have been deregulated. So many people rely on it to earn their living that it should have remained in local authority control. Sure bus drivers should get more pay, but so should the average NMW retail assistant. But why should other people have to lose wages? Seems that is hitting the poorest members of the public in most cases, not their own fat-cat bosses who drive everywhere in jags and BMWs anyway.

Any money the bosses do lose they will claw back by investing in 6 less, or 12 less new buses next year, cutting cleaning staffs working week by two hours, increasing bus fares beyond a reasonable increase amount, withdrawing a couple of services, again, hitting the public.

Most people, in low paid jobs, if they strike, will simply be dismissed.