More strike action is planned on Arriva buses in the run up to Christmas.

Strikes have already been called for 20 Nov, 27 Nov.

Now it looks like the drivers are going to strike on the following days in December unless a solution can be found to the pay dispute.

A four day strike just before Christmas could see many shop and business suffer at the busiest time of the year.

4 Dec

7 Dec

12, 13 and 14 Dec

20, 21, 22 and 23 Dec

......and drivers lose yet more pay to satisfy the ego's of their officials.
It's worth noting that the top officials of that union, living it up in that there London, will most nights spend more on a meal in a swanky London restaurant than the drivers earn in a day.
Meanwhile, commuters, schoolkids, pensioners going to vital appointments and the general public will be put through unnecessary hardship in the hope of gaining a few extra quid a week for already well paid staff.
In the meantime, they'd better hope the many passengers they have well and truly ******** off, don't decide to make other arrangements - permanently.

Time to bin off these Foreign owned Bus & train companies and give the subsidies to British owned companies.

Originally Posted by gazaprop

......and drivers lose yet more pay to satisfy the ego's of their officials.
It's worth noting that the top officials of that union, living it up in that there London, will most nights spend more on a meal in a swanky London restaurant than the drivers earn in a day.
Meanwhile, commuters, schoolkids, pensioners going to vital appointments and the general public will be put through unnecessary hardship in the hope of gaining a few extra quid a week for already well paid staff.
In the meantime, they'd better hope the many passengers they have well and truly ******** off, don't decide to make other arrangements - permanently.

Got to agree. It’s sad that the drivers haven’t got the brains to see that the Unions are using them as pawns in their battle to bring down the Conservative Government. If all these strike days go ahead, the drivers will have lost more than two weeks wages by Christmas. While they and their families struggle and go without, their Union leaders will be enjoying their Christmas festivities to the full.

It's not just about money. They don't have time to do their routes safely, legal and in time. Times where already tight, but with the addition of 20mph zones all over the place it's impossible without speeding.

Dinosaurs.

No excuse for speeding at all, it’s a bus not a fire engine!

Originally Posted by Steve_728

No excuse for speeding at all, it’s a bus not a fire engine!

Exactly. Hence the strike.

Originally Posted by Ceam

It's not just about money. They don't have time to do their routes safely, legal and in time. Times where already tight, but with the addition of 20mph zones all over the place it's impossible without speeding.

I really do hate to disagree with you but that view is naive - the safety concerns are
just bye lines put in by the 'puppeteers' to make the strike a little more 'fluffy' and consumer friendly.
If the unions insist that the strike is motivated by safety concerns then they have given the employer a ready made, off the peg get out - reduce the frequency of service and, by doing so, over a relatively short time, reduce the number of drivers required.
This will of course allow the union to trumpet a great victory in allowing those lucky enough to keep their jobs a few extra quid a week in their pay packets.

Why don't these dinosaurs realise that pre-Christmas strikes just alienate their customers? You know - customers - the ones that ultimately pay their wages.

Time for the posties to announce one any time now.

Originally Posted by gazaprop

I really do hate to disagree with you but that view is naive - the safety concerns are
just bye lines put in by the 'puppeteers' to make the strike a little more 'fluffy' and consumer friendly.
If the unions insist that the strike is motivated by safety concerns then they have given the employer a ready made, off the peg get out - reduce the frequency of service and, by doing so, over a relatively short time, reduce the number of drivers required.
This will of course allow the union to trumpet a great victory in allowing those lucky enough to keep their jobs a few extra quid a week in their pay packets.

You can disagree all you like, I have a relative that is a driver and it is certainly a big concern of his. Not only for safety issue, but also it gives the bosses a great excuse to sake you if your face doesn't fit. Would you fancy doing an 8hr shift without time to even go for a toilet break?

Also why would a private company want to reduce services? assuming of course they are needed.

Originally Posted by Lamparilla

Why don't these dinosaurs realise that pre-Christmas strikes just alienate their customers? You know - customers - the ones that ultimately pay their wages.

Time for the posties to announce one any time now.

Pointless having a strike if it doesn't give out some pain. That's what puts the pressure on the owners.

Originally Posted by Ceam

You can disagree all you like, I have a relative that is a driver and it is certainly a big concern of his. Not only for safety issue, but also it gives the bosses a great excuse to sake you if your face doesn't fit. Would you fancy doing an 8hr shift without time to even go for a toilet break?

Also why would a private company want to reduce services? assuming of course they are needed.

Indeed I do disagree.
First - your evidence re safety is anecdotal and therefore of no real probative value.
Second - if your relative is asking you to believe they go 8 hours without a toilet break - really???? Relying on the 'face doesn't fit' argument can often be a smoke screen for other issues such as not very good at the job, obstructive or generally unpopular due to attitude - just suggestions as I don't know them so can't comment definitively.
Third and last - simple - the income generated by largely empty buses set against the savings in fuel and wages - you really make your own point on this with your last comment.

I suspect most of the critical comments come from car owners.

I hope that the bus drivers can get a satisfactory settlement. Not a job I would want. Perhaps the critical car owners want to volunteer? Getting the buses to run to time table is getting harder and harder. If only the bosses could drive the buses.

Originally Posted by gazaprop

Indeed I do disagree.
First - your evidence re safety is anecdotal and therefore of no real probative value.
Second - if your relative is asking you to believe they go 8 hours without a toilet break - really???? Relying on the 'face doesn't fit' argument can often be a smoke screen for other issues such as not very good at the job, obstructive or generally unpopular due to attitude - just suggestions as I don't know them so can't comment definitively.
Third and last - simple - the income generated by largely empty buses set against the savings in fuel and wages - you really make your own point on this with your last comment.

Yes really, Well unless you want your bus running late.

gazaprop do you have any knowledge of what they have to do? Or is it just your perception of what you expect to be happening?

You tell me how they make what was already a very tight time table work, when they now have to negotiate all the 20mph zones.


Don't get me wrong it's also about wages. Like everyone else they have been squeezed for years. There is always a breaking point. I guess the drivers have found theirs.