Strike Action

[Stu]

Is Andy Street aware that the West Midlands bus network will grind to a halt in a few days?

He seems very quick to get his photograph next to new vehicles or like a few days ago when he triumphed Diamond's service cut reversal - but radio silence on the pending disaster !

Politicians are only interested when they can claim to take credit for something 'positive' that they have had little involvement in.

See:
https://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?msg=310448

Otherwise its a case of "it's somebody else's fault".

[Westy]

If its not positive news then he dont seem interested

Ditto Eddie Hughes MP for Walsall North.

If it  involves Willenhall station, then he's there in a flash!

I asked him twice on his Facebook page whether he had an opinion, being a bus driver's son, on the strike.

Silence.

[D10]

Could they not do emergency tenders to cover the routes would love to see uk transport have a shot only downside would be the fact that every bus needs to be euro 6

They can't really issue tenders when they have no long how long they will need to be for, it might be over in days or heaven forbid months.

And of course there is the driver issue, where will all these driver that would be needed come from.

[Coventrybususer95]

They can't really issue tenders when they have no long how long they will need to be for, it might be over in days or heaven forbid months.

And of course there is the driver issue, where will all these driver that would be needed come from.

Cant the army be drafted in they did it with the lorry driver shortage

[BMJ1970]

It's not life and death.  The army are not required!

[Coventrybususer95]

It's not life and death.  The army are not required!

Well half of coventry has no buses and andy street doesn't seem to care about it,  nx have seem to have left thngs to the last minute and now have seemed to  enter panic mode 

[Tony]

Could they not do emergency tenders to cover the routes would love to see uk transport have a shot only downside would be the fact that every bus needs to be euro 6

All Abellio/UK Transport buses are Euro6, but as found by Stagecoach, where do the drivers come from?

[j789]

Well half of coventry has no buses and andy street doesn't seem to care about it,  nx have seem to have left thngs to the last minute and now have seemed to  enter panic mode

I think you'll find it's the union that has caused the delay here as the company wouldn't know if any last minute pay offer would be offered to members to be voted on or whether this initial strike was set in stone whether a new offer came in or not.

It is not realistic to expect a company in this position to plan weeks ahead for this strike as clearly they would have hoped that a compromise with their workers was reached. Maybe it still will but not looking very likely.

Also, why criticise Andy Street for this when he can't personally get involved in any industrial dispute between a private company and its employees? I'd much rather have Andy 'I love a photo' Street as mayor than Andy 'I'm about to waste all your money and will then blame someone else' Burnham!

[Ginger66]

I think you'll find it's the union that has caused the delay here as the company wouldn't know if any last minute pay offer would be offered to members to be voted on or whether this initial strike was set in stone whether a new offer came in or not.

It is not realistic to expect a company in this position to plan weeks ahead for this strike as clearly they would have hoped that a compromise with their workers was reached. Maybe it still will but not looking very likely.

Also, why criticise Andy Street for this when he can't personally get involved in any industrial dispute between a private company and its employees? I'd much rather have Andy 'I love a photo' Street as mayor than Andy 'I'm about to waste all your money and will then blame someone else' Burnham!

Compromise on the strike action in the first instance while negotiations are in progress such as in the first instance no services after 7pm every day, then no services before 7am, no Saturday or Sunday service then if all fails all out strike.

[Coventrybususer95]

Compromise on the strike action in the first instance while negotiations are in progress such as in the first instance no services after 7pm every day, then no services before 7am, no Saturday or Sunday service then if all fails all out strike.

That requires common sense

[Rachvince53]

Could they not do emergency tenders to cover the routes would love to see uk transport have a shot only downside would be the fact that every bus needs to be euro 6

Would drivers from other companies and members of Unite be willing to run services instead of fellow union members?  Would they be able to refuse?

[j789]

Would drivers from other companies and members of Unite be willing to run services instead of fellow union members?  Would they be able to refuse?

The point of a strike is to cause the maximum amount of disruption possible. Clearly Unite are not going to encourage or allow members from other bus companies in the same union to undermine the efforts of the NX drivers! It would only be the cow boy type companies who do not recognise a union, and don't give their drivers that protection, whose drivers could possibly run such things.

And let's be honest any driver working for a company like that that doesn't protect worker rights is not going to be very high quality anyway if the only driving job they can get is with such a cowboy company. 

[metrocity]

The point of a strike is to cause the maximum amount of disruption possible. Clearly Unite are not going to encourage or allow members from other bus companies in the same union to undermine the efforts of the NX drivers! It would only be the cow boy type companies who do not recognise a union, and don't give their drivers that protection, whose drivers could possibly run such things.

And let's be honest any driver working for a company like that that doesn't protect worker rights is not going to be very high quality anyway if the only driving job they can get is with such a cowboy company.

Are you being serious?

[j789]

Are you being serious?

Totally and as usual I'm guessing your previous company/ies didn't recognise unions hence your statement?

There is a reason why 'certain' companies don't recognise union membership and guidelines - their drivers don't have any comeback or support if they query any management decision. Easy to get away with 'dodgy' practices then. 

NX/First/ Stagecoach etc drivers (whose companies have union agreements) can happily refuse to take a bus out if they feel there is a fault, not fully type trained, etc etc KNOWING THAT THEY WILL HAVE UNION SUPPORT FROM THEIR REP!
Now, you imagine that situation with a 'cowboy' company with no union reps or support, are you honestly saying that those drivers would have the same confidence to refuse what the management asked - of course they wouldn't!

No doubt you'll be sending an incoming lecture about how much your drivers loved working for your company and what high standards you had (which I am not necessarily doubting by the way) however it is a complete joke (and you should know with your experience) to say other such companies would not take advantage of drivers in this way where there is no union protection. 

I am sure some drivers are decent and happy to accept this situation yet it is also VERY true that such companies also end up with those less than decent drivers who've been sacked by other companies. So yes I am being very serious Metrocity!

[MW]

The above poster posting rubbish as usual I see