Strike Action

[winston]

Why are Coventry garage drivers paid more than the rest of the company? Things like this don't help when there's unrest about wages within a company.

Coventry had the worst driver shortages next to Walsall garage.

[Gareth]

Coventry had the worst driver shortages next to Walsall garage.

Doesn't really answer why there's such a big pay difference. Walsall drivers may now argue they should be on £14.80 because they're short of drivers too? No wonder staff aren't happy.

[j789]

Coventry wasn't midland red. And both Coventry transport and midland red are going back almost 50 years.

Unfortunately, 50 years in the past is where many unions still think we are - let's still have the same perks of the job from then but massively increase wages too to a financially unsustainable level. 

I've experienced many different daft working practices left over from past times, eg 4 out of 5 day working on (Mon to Fri) never having to work weekends for 'grandad' drivers who had been there a while. No wonder new drivers never stuck around long as they were always given the sh*t rotas and duties. Unions never kicked up a fuss about the unfairness of that though (surprise surprise!)

As for the different wages at different garages, a lot of factors come into play snd it is not as simple as just comparing like for like. Also that rate is for experienced drivers, the starting rate for new drivers is likely to be the same at any garage.

To be fair to NX, if the rumoured 14% offer is true,  that puts the experienced driver rate at well over £16 per hour. I'd be a little worried if I was another of the local operators having to compete with rates like that in today's market.

[MW]

To be fair to NX, if the rumoured 14% offer is true,  that puts the experienced driver rate at well over £16 per hour. I'd be a little worried if I was another of the local operators having to compete with rates like that in today's market.

The reality is, the other operators are largely focused on TfWM contracts. Ultimately, the increased costs fall on the tax payer in this sector.

[2900]

The reality is, the other operators are largely focused on TfWM contracts. Ultimately, the increased costs fall on the tax payer in this sector.

TO STOP ALL THE GUESS WORK THE OFFER WHICH WAS REJECTED BY 95% OF UNION MEMBERS IS £15.57 TOP RATE

[Ginger66]

The reality is, the other operators are largely focused on TfWM contracts. Ultimately, the increased costs fall on the tax payer in this sector.

There's too much greed out there and it seems union bosses like Mike Lynch care more about causing disruption rather than the public that rely on services to get to work, get to hospital appointments or visit friends and family.

I think another member summoned it up "Fares will go up" "Services cut back" and in the end you will see train or bus companies folding as they can't afford to run services if passengers are priced off the buses.

If the strikes do go ahead it will have an effect not only workers can't get to work but also for schools as not all pupils go to local schools.

[2900]

Folks don't believe everything you read in the press, 14% pay rise is based on what top  drivers were getting Jan 2022 since then new TERMS AND CONDITIONS have been passed through which IMO does'nt benefit any driver whos been with NX more than 5 years, drivers basic pay cut from 38 hrs to 36 hrs 15 to 37 hrs 15 NX  number cruncher's readjusted The hourly rate ETC ETC,  the 7 hrs 36 average duty payment is gone, from when new terms finally start end of Jan early Feb, its now what i call PAY AS YOU GO DUTIES Mon to Sat and Sundays is now 7 hrs 15 average duty payment,  many of us long serving drivers  feel CONNED by the new terms and conditions, we rejected this style of duties last April but NX with very clever use of wording and i kept saying a STING is coming and it has big time.
we don,t even have an overtime rate, NX DID introduce an enhanced pay from Nov 21 during driver shortage to encourage drivers to do overtime etc but that is now withdrawn now. For me now no incentive to do so now.

Basically drivers been here only a few years got FAST TRACKED TO TOP RATE AND SAW HEADLINES OF £14.40

WHAT MAKES ME LAUGH IS <redacted for privacy> WAS PART OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS  TALKS, THE MAN WAS SPARED A JAIL SENTENCE AT HIS PREVIOUS EMPLOYER GWR FOR FRAUDULENT EXSPENSES CLAIMS  GOOGLE IT AND NX HEAD HUNTED HIM, REALLY WE GONNA TRUST THIS MAN YEAH RITE

ON SUNDAYS WITH THE NEW STYLE 7 HRS 15 DUTIES I AM £3 a duty worse off may not sound like a lot but that is what its costs me to keep warm in winter at McDONALDS during breaks cause NX have so far refused a restroom only been 20 years

[2900]

There's too much greed out there and it seems union bosses like Mike Lynch care more about causing disruption rather than the public that rely on services to get to work, get to hospital appointments or visit friends and family.

I think another member summoned it up "Fares will go up" "Services cut back" and in the end you will see train or bus companies folding as they can't afford to run services if passengers are priced off the buses.

If the strikes do go ahead it will have an effect not only workers can't get to work but also for schools as not all pupils go to local schools.

Are Bus Drivers greedy really , NX HAS A MASSIVE STAFF RETENTION PROBLEM and when these new terms and conditions kick in only going to get worse , Last 18 months many left for the waggons and love it. 

[Ginger66]

Are Bus Drivers greedy really , NX HAS A MASSIVE STAFF RETENTION PROBLEM and when these new terms and conditions kick in only going to get worse , Last 18 months many left for the waggons and love it.

I said union bosses.  14% is a good offer.   

Where I work we only had a 2.5% pay rise.

[Rachvince53]

Why are Coventry garage drivers paid more than the rest of the company? Things like this don't help when there's unrest about wages within a company.

Perhaps because it's closer to London?!  Seriously I think it's down to Coventry having joined WMPTE later despite the passage of time. Can't think of anything else that might factor into the disparity. 

[Stu]

Looks like its definitely on the cards now...

National Express bus drivers' strike vote almost unanimous after pay offer rejected
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport/2023/01/15/national-express-bus-drivers-strike-vote-almost-unanimous-after-pay-offer-rejected/

Unite the Union has written to its members, following the ballot on Thursday and Friday, telling them that 95.7 per cent rejected the company's final offer and were in favour of strike action.

[Isle of Stroma]

There's too much greed out there and it seems union bosses like Mike Lynch care more about causing disruption

Plenty of greed out there. Last I heard, the NX CEO was on £575k, but feel free to blame Mick & the Drivers.

You said you got a ONLY got a 2.5% increase. Ah, the politics of envy. Perhaps you should've joined a union with a decent leader?

[monkeyjoe]

Plenty of greed out there. Last I heard, the NX CEO was on £575k, but feel free to blame Mick & the Drivers.

You said you got a ONLY got a 2.5% increase. Ah, the politics of envy. Perhaps you should've joined a union with a decent leader?

Wouldn't say it's envy, more like just cracking on and getting on with it and if the jobs that bad then get a better one. 

[2900]

I said union bosses.  14% is a good offer. 

Where I work we only had a 2.5% pay rise.

its not 14% NX playing with numbers its more like 6/8%,  by back dating NX come up with 14%

[2900]

Perhaps because it's closer to London?!  Seriously I think it's down to Coventry having joined WMPTE later despite the passage of time. Can't think of anything else that might factor into the disparity.

NX Coventry garage on 50p an hour more than there NXWM GARAGE  counterparts, you have Stagecoach down there might have something to do with it.