First Mainline strike thread

[Cyclone 10]

I'm sorry but you seem to think that bus drivers are in some sort of special category because they happen to drive buses that poor people catch.

Forget about who catches it, if I were a driver concerned about my pay and being ballotted for strike action I wouldn't give a flying hoot who'd be inconvenienced, that's just tough luck. The customers certainly aren't going to do anything to get the drivers a payrise, so that's just tough.

[V3CTRA 10]

reason they are goin on strike is beacause they have brought this n*b ed of a boss back, who use to work for first and appreantly staff arny happy with his ways of running things

[Cyclone 10]

firstly, there doesn't seem to be a strike.

Secondly, they don't have a new MD yet, only a temporary MD (The MD of leeds is running things).

[English Glory 10]

I'm sorry but you seem to think that bus drivers are in some sort of special category because they happen to drive buses that poor people catch.

Forget about who catches it, if I were a driver concerned about my pay and being ballotted for strike action I wouldn't give a flying hoot who'd be inconvenienced, that's just tough luck. The customers certainly aren't going to do anything to get the drivers a payrise, so that's just tough.

 

If they don't give a flying fig what misery they cause by striking then i don't care if they get a slap on a weekend night. They deserve it. They should really be put in chains whilst being horse whipped and dragged through town and city centres and forced to apologise for wrecking several sacred days of OAPs lives by leaving them stranded in their own homes.

[Cyclone 10]

these people are not in the business of providing a public service. They don't work for the government or the council. First doesn't even care about providing the service to people that need it, all they care about is making money.

 

This is a simple employee/company conflict (or would be if there were any truth to the rumours) and the customers are irrelevant.

Bus drivers work for a living and they work for a company, they do not operate a charity and they didn't go into driving buses because they wanted to help pensioners.

 

I find your attitude very difficult to understand. What other approach do you suggest they should take?

[V3CTRA 10]

firstly, there doesn't seem to be a strike.

Secondly, they don't have a new MD yet, only a temporary MD (The MD of leeds is running things).

not gna bother arguin but u obviosly no nowt, because my uncle works for them and told me yesterday what was happenin.. also ive no youve not very popualr with people onthis thread as youve been dishin out abuse and that, go chat in loner section...

[English Glory 10]

these people are not in the business of providing a public service. They don't work for the government or the council. First doesn't even care about providing the service to people that need it, all they care about is making money.

 

This is a simple employee/company conflict (or would be if there were any truth to the rumours) and the customers are irrelevant.

Bus drivers work for a living and they work for a company, they do not operate a charity and they didn't go into driving buses because they wanted to help pensioners.

 

I find your attitude very difficult to understand. What other approach do you suggest they should take?

 

There's full employment. If they don't like it they can get another job.

 

The Poles have taken over the vacant HGV driving jobs in South Yorks, they can do a better job than the current First S Yorks bus drivers, without the moaning and with it a much better customer led service as well, as Hellish as the words customer and service are to current First drivers they better smell the coffee.

[V3CTRA 10]

firstly, there doesn't seem to be a strike.

Secondly, they don't have a new MD yet, only a temporary MD (The MD of leeds is running things).

 

500 pound bet ill have willyou mate, that they go on strike around end of may june time.. then we will see who is right or not

[V3CTRA 10]

mite av to start and call you sheffield news

[Yellowrose 10]

First are always recruiting for new drivers, so maybe those who would 'give their right arm to work' are not looking in the right places? I'd hardly call people who have a job, for a pretty low wage, where they have to put up with constant abuse from passengers, work shy! Think of it from the drivers' perspective - they see their employer putting prices up time and time again, anything up to 40% in 18 months or so. And all they get is an extra 35p per hour! Wouldn't you be a bit peeved at that?

 

And for those arguing in favour of the Local Government strike last month by saying that public sector workers are paid less etc - bus drivers are just one of many groups who are MUCH worse off working in the private sector than they used to be in the public sector.

 

Agree with the gist of this, but they didnt get 35p per hour, it was 30p apparently.

 

Also, in reply to other posters: the rise in fares was nothing to do with wages, they were put up because management in Aberdeen have decided first must make more profit and the only way to do it was to increase fares. Nothing to do with wages and fuel, these are allocated for within their budget.

[Alex C. 10]

I still don't understand which buses the majority of people catch - I have had maybe 3 or 4 bad experiences with bus drivers, ever - what exactly do you people do to provoke these drivers?

 

First, to the people saying get another job - First are constantly recruiting people for jobs, and subsidise their training - a lot of these get fed up and end up costing money to employ (they're supposed to pay for the training if they don't stay for x time, but I know at least one driver who got out in under a year without paying them). There are not enough drivers for the buses - the more drivers who leave, the more cancelled services.

 

Second, the fares are the responsibility of First - they made a massive profit last year, so they could quite easily absob a decent increase to bring SY (already its most profitable operating area) up to the national average. The drivers do not set the fares, or the profit margins.

 

Finally, I think we could see a couple of price wars on particular routes over the summer - notably the 52 and the ecclesfield - city centre corridor where there is strong competition from stagecoach now - they've already shown their willing to lower fares (£5 for a weekrider during stagecoaches first week of 'new' operation starting may 2nd, and it covers the tram!)

[Cyclone 10]

not gna bother arguin but u obviosly no nowt, because my uncle works for them and told me yesterday what was happenin.. also ive no youve not very popualr with people onthis thread as youve been dishin out abuse and that, go chat in loner section...

 

I have a closer member of family working there. Although to be fair he doesn't drive buses (hasn't for 20 years) and doesn't speak to the drivers daily. But he is in the union and knows nothing about any potential strike.

It's a good job I wasn't discussing the thread with a view to becoming popular then isn't it. Was that your plan? If you can point out any abuse I'll be happy to apologise, but I'll be very surprised if you can, I tend to just use the facts and common sense to argue, not insults.