Bus drivers' strike across Essex today (From Thurrock Gazette)

What makes these people think its only happening to Bus Drivers??? Its happening the world over! Get on with your job as many others have!

Nice copy and paste off the First website Echo :)

Journey into work this morning was great! No buses holding up the traffic or crawling along at a snail's pace. More strikes please!

Completely unrealistic to expect employees to accept a pay freeze when every household expense is rising at an alarming rate.

Paladin wrote:
Completely unrealistic to expect employees to accept a pay freeze when every household expense is rising at an alarming rate.

Rubbish. Interest rates are low, so mortgage payers should see the benefits. Sure, those who live off their savings and pensioners are feeling the pinch; but I doubt that our unfriendly bus drivers fall in that category. Perhaps they would prefer to be unemployed? Sack the lot of them I say.

First did themselves no favours, given that they have known about this since Thursday, no signs were put up on the buses or at the bus station, yet they expected customers to be psychic this morning and know that there was a strike on (which they would only know if they had seen it reported in the news, which not everyone watches / reads).

As I understand it the drivers are striking because they have a "pay-freeze" like so many over companies across the country. GET OVER IT! Everyone else has to get on with their jobs, in spite of pay-freezes.

What they don't understand is that if they make the service unreliable, then people will find other ways of getting places, therefore the bus companies will reduce services and this in turn will reduce the number of drivers required. SO YOU STRIKE, YOU RISK YOUR OWN JOBS... Is it really that difficult to understand?

Ray Von wrote:
Nice copy and paste off the First website Echo :)

But they did correct the spelling mistake - "Service 67
West Mersay to Colchester " ;)


The above list has now been updated here.....

http://www.firstgrou
p.com/ukbus/southeas
t/essex/news/index.p
hp?item=8411

> given that they have known about this since Thursday
-

Actually it was known about on Wednesday, when they released the information in an email. It's certainly poor that no notification was displayed at bus stations or in buses at that time.

"Household expense"

Council Tax
Water Rates
Gas
Electricity
Telephone
House Insurance
TV Licence
Food
The above will all undoubtedly increase in the next year(s).
Get a grip MrH

Passengers would also like to benefit from the profits with lower fares but this is not going to happen is it?

Winston Smith wrote:
Journey into work this morning was great! No buses holding up the traffic or crawling along at a snail's pace. More strikes please!

What a ridiculous selfish attitude. It is not the buses, but the sheer number of vehicles on the road - mainly cars - that creates the delays.

If more people got on buses instead of filling the roads with cars which mostly only have one person in each of them, then the traffic would flow much more smoothly.

Plus, many people do not enjoy the privilege of choice that you clearly do, to be able to afford a car and hence not to have to use buses.

Your comments are even bordering on snobby arrogance; effectively sneering at the countless others, less fortunate than you, for whom the situation is a cause of great inconvenience and misery (rather than the trivial amusement you seem to view it as), by gloating about how it makes things marginally more convenient for you.

"Drivers feel their pay rises over this period have not reflected the profits."

Errr, and where in their contracts does it say that their pay is profit-linked?!

Presumably therefore they would expect, and happily accept, a pay cut if profits dropped? No?! Thought not!

Another Resident wrote:

Winston Smith wrote:
Journey into work this morning was great! No buses holding up the traffic or crawling along at a snail's pace. More strikes please!

What a ridiculous selfish attitude. It is not the buses, but the sheer number of vehicles on the road - mainly cars - that creates the delays.

If more people got on buses instead of filling the roads with cars which mostly only have one person in each of them, then the traffic would flow much more smoothly.

Plus, many people do not enjoy the privilege of choice that you clearly do, to be able to afford a car and hence not to have to use buses.

Your comments are even bordering on snobby arrogance; effectively sneering at the countless others, less fortunate than you, for whom the situation is a cause of great inconvenience and misery (rather than the trivial amusement you seem to view it as), by gloating about how it makes things marginally more convenient for you.

I don't drive to work, I cycle. My 12 mile journey was a lot safer this morning. No buses pulling out without warning, or trying to crush me against the kerb. Fewer traffic hold-ups so less having to cycle between traffic.

More strikes please!


A for your baseless assumptions on my character and motives, go hug a tree.

At least they have jobs, unlike a lot of people in Colchester.

It cost me £10 by taxi to get my son to school and myself to work today!

Another Resident wrote:

Winston Smith wrote: Journey into work this morning was great! No buses holding up the traffic or crawling along at a snail's pace. More strikes please!

What a ridiculous selfish attitude. It is not the buses, but the sheer number of vehicles on the road - mainly cars - that creates the delays. If more people got on buses instead of filling the roads with cars which mostly only have one person in each of them, then the traffic would flow much more smoothly. Plus, many people do not enjoy the privilege of choice that you clearly do, to be able to afford a car and hence not to have to use buses. Your comments are even bordering on snobby arrogance; effectively sneering at the countless others, less fortunate than you, for whom the situation is a cause of great inconvenience and misery (rather than the trivial amusement you seem to view it as), by gloating about how it makes things marginally more convenient for you.

What nonsense.

"Privilege of Choice" - choice is not a privilege but a reward for hard work and application.

If your happy earning minimum wage in some dead end job, rather than taking a risk or applying yourself to inprove then that's your choice.

Don't sit on your stinky bus with a chip on your shoulder blaming everyone else for your failings or lack of motivation/foresight - your lack of success is down to one thing - your lack of ability to see and use whatever talent you have to better yourself.

But of course, that's someone elses fault as well isn't it.

Enjoy your slow smelly bus travel.

Why should bus drivers accept zero percent just because others do - if others don't have the brains or courage to stick up for their living standards that's their problem. Bus drivers get up at 4am to ensure that passengers get to work and work till 1am to get them home after a night out. The bus companies are making increased profits which will go to shareholders who don't have to put up with anti-social passengers who often resort to verbal and physical abuse. Those who want drivers to accept a pay cut don't have to worry about the bills because their wages are guaranteed with nice little contracts that reward them whether they succeed or fail.

GO FOR IT DRIVERS YOU DESERVE IT!!!

The drivers are striking over a pay freeze. Most companies are doing it, and whilst I accept that the bus companies are making more money, the fact is the drivers are under contract to the bus company and the company have the right to choose how much a pay rise is (or is not in this case). Other companies in the region have implimented pay freezes in an effort to keep their current employment levels in the current economic crisis. I'm sure there are plenty of people who have been made redundant recently who would not mind training to get the appropriate license. The drivers who strike have only themselves to blame if they become expendable.

Silwoods, Colchester comments that other companies in the region are freezing pay to keep people in work . The simple fact is that the majority of companies are freezing pay to retain or increase their profit levels.
Those who have been made redundant recently are welcome to try and obtain their license. I will guarantee that the vast majority of them will soon happily go back to the dole rather than face a life driving buses with all the attendant difficulties, not the least of which is the attitude of bus company managements.

Ivanna Goodhump wrote:

Another Resident wrote:

Winston Smith wrote: Journey into work this morning was great! No buses holding up the traffic or crawling along at a snail's pace. More strikes please!

What a ridiculous selfish attitude. It is not the buses, but the sheer number of vehicles on the road - mainly cars - that creates the delays. If more people got on buses instead of filling the roads with cars which mostly only have one person in each of them, then the traffic would flow much more smoothly. Plus, many people do not enjoy the privilege of choice that you clearly do, to be able to afford a car and hence not to have to use buses. Your comments are even bordering on snobby arrogance; effectively sneering at the countless others, less fortunate than you, for whom the situation is a cause of great inconvenience and misery (rather than the trivial amusement you seem to view it as), by gloating about how it makes things marginally more convenient for you.

What nonsense.

"Privilege of Choice" - choice is not a privilege but a reward for hard work and application.

If your happy earning minimum wage in some dead end job, rather than taking a risk or applying yourself to inprove then that's your choice.

Don't sit on your stinky bus with a chip on your shoulder blaming everyone else for your failings or lack of motivation/foresight - your lack of success is down to one thing - your lack of ability to see and use whatever talent you have to better yourself.

But of course, that's someone elses fault as well isn't it.

Enjoy your slow smelly bus travel.

""Privilege of Choice" - choice is not a privilege but a reward for hard work and application.

If you're happy earning minimum wage in some dead end job, rather than taking a risk or applying yourself to improve then that's your choice."

This would be the case in an ideal and fair world, and yes it is indeed very true of many people - as are your remarks about them blaming others for the results of their own lack of effort - and those people really pee me off too, as much as they seem to pee you off.

But in reality sometimes "hard work and application" go unrewarded - no matter how hard you work or how much you try to apply yourself, and how much talent or ability you may have, life is simply not fair; and health problems, other circumstances (such as disability discrimination to name just one), and on occasion also just plain bad luck, stand frustratingly in the way of success.

So whilst I understand your perspective, and that your interpretation was a reasonable one, we should not be so quick to judge others whose circumstances we know nothing about. And on the same note I do apologise unreservedly to Winston Smith for my hastily jumping to the wrong conclusion from his comments.
(However I would argue that my interpretation was not entirely "baseless" as suggested; but a reasonable, albeit wrong, interpretation of very limited information.)
Oh, and I think the weather's a bit chilly at the moment for hugging trees ;-)

Oops, I don't know why it did the complete quote there! I must have clicked the wrong thing!

I think they could have had the decency to tell passengers there was a strike as my daughter got a bus from west mersea to town but now cant get home in time to collect her children from school ,if she had known they were striking she wouldn't have went.
now she has to pay £15 for a cab home.

I am a driver in this essex region for the above named company.

We would like to make it clear to you people that this was the last resort after drivers all over essex have tried every avenue with First bus managment. Also remember this strike is growing all over first group with more then 8,000 drivers. Before you all harp on about how lucky we are to have a job, remember FIRST group is an extremely profitable business.Earleir this year they made £135 million in record profits, with everyone at boardroom level getting the fat cat bonus and mega pension.
They then had the cheek to tell drivers that in order to keep fares low they would not be offering us a pay rise, intially we all accepted this, but then 2 weeks later they hicked up the fares, accross essex!

You can not treat the working man as if he is stupid. First managment are very arraogent, and dont give a toss about drivers or the public! How many people saw a sign by first group at your bus stop today? How many people even knew a strike was on? The managment are hiding in the ivory towers creaming the profits, and the rest of us, thats drivers, and customers can do as we please! belive me this is just the beggining!

Also to those who do normally travel with us we are apoloagetic, but when ur backed into a corner what can you do?

comments welcome

fedupbusdriver wrote:
I am a driver in this essex region for the above named company.

We would like to make it clear to you people that this was the last resort after drivers all over essex have tried every avenue with First bus managment. Also remember this strike is growing all over first group with more then 8,000 drivers. Before you all harp on about how lucky we are to have a job, remember FIRST group is an extremely profitable business.Earleir this year they made £135 million in record profits, with everyone at boardroom level getting the fat cat bonus and mega pension.
They then had the cheek to tell drivers that in order to keep fares low they would not be offering us a pay rise, intially we all accepted this, but then 2 weeks later they hicked up the fares, accross essex!

You can not treat the working man as if he is stupid. First managment are very arraogent, and dont give a toss about drivers or the public! How many people saw a sign by first group at your bus stop today? How many people even knew a strike was on? The managment are hiding in the ivory towers creaming the profits, and the rest of us, thats drivers, and customers can do as we please! belive me this is just the beggining!

Also to those who do normally travel with us we are apoloagetic, but when ur backed into a corner what can you do?

comments welcome

Good luck to you. As an ex T&G Member (Ford 1107) I fully support your actions.

I'm fully 100% behind the bus drivers too. Maybe the management will see they can't treat drivers like dirt anymore.

fedupbusdriver wrote:
I am a driver in this essex region for the above named company.

We would like to make it clear to you people that this was the last resort after drivers all over essex have tried every avenue with First bus managment. Also remember this strike is growing all over first group with more then 8,000 drivers. Before you all harp on about how lucky we are to have a job, remember FIRST group is an extremely profitable business.Earleir this year they made £135 million in record profits, with everyone at boardroom level getting the fat cat bonus and mega pension.
They then had the cheek to tell drivers that in order to keep fares low they would not be offering us a pay rise, intially we all accepted this, but then 2 weeks later they hicked up the fares, accross essex!

You can not treat the working man as if he is stupid. First managment are very arraogent, and dont give a toss about drivers or the public! How many people saw a sign by first group at your bus stop today? How many people even knew a strike was on? The managment are hiding in the ivory towers creaming the profits, and the rest of us, thats drivers, and customers can do as we please! belive me this is just the beggining!

Also to those who do normally travel with us we are apoloagetic, but when ur backed into a corner what can you do?

comments welcome

Brilliant, well lets give them the raise that they are after but make redundancies to fund the raises, lets see tham all stick together then.

And a few more points:-

Give one good reason why you deserve a pay rise more than anyone else.

Funny how none of you seem bothered by your working conditions but some jumped up little oik from a Union who probably earns 4 times your salary tells you you should be striking and you all jump straight to it.

Where in your contract of employment does it state thet you pay is linked to profits? and as another poster pointed out by the same token would you be happy to take a pay cut if profits fell?

Make redundancies, Shadow Demon? The bus companies can't get enough drivers now - the reasons? Pay and atrocious working conditions driving buses years old and being faced with a hostile, uncaring and often arrogant public who expect a first class service from drivers who are treated like dirt. Try it yourself and see how you get on. GOOD LUCK DRIVERS!!!!!

maddriver wrote:
Make redundancies, Shadow Demon? The bus companies can't get enough drivers now - the reasons? Pay and atrocious working conditions driving buses years old and being faced with a hostile, uncaring and often arrogant public who expect a first class service from drivers who are treated like dirt. Try it yourself and see how you get on. GOOD LUCK DRIVERS!!!!!

No, the REAL reason is that our state makes it more financially benificial for people to set on backsides at home, paid for by the tax payer, rather than doing low paid jobs. If we didn't pay to allow people to do it, they'd all be fighting over the jobs. Unionists the lot of them.

I notice that maddriver was only able to answer the question that suited his agenda (i.e. "woe is me i'm a poor bus driver"), or are you waiting for the union to spoon feed you the answers to my other points?

why are bus drivers soo impolite?

I get the impression some of those criticising this strike action have never had to go on strike for their rights.

Being on strike is no picnic. You get NO pay. NOTHING. You might get strike pay off the union, but that is usually less than £20 a week.
Strike action is not something anyone enters into lightly. It is a last resort.

Many of you who've never done a hard day's work in your lives either don't understand that or you just don't have the guts to stand up for your own rights.

Winston Smith wrote:
I get the impression some of those criticising this strike action have never had to go on strike for their rights.

Being on strike is no picnic. You get NO pay. NOTHING. You might get strike pay off the union, but that is usually less than £20 a week.
Strike action is not something anyone enters into lightly. It is a last resort.

Many of you who've never done a hard day's work in your lives either don't understand that or you just don't have the guts to stand up for your own rights.

If they had "the guts" to stand up for their own rights then they wouldn't need the Union telling them what to do. Half of them see it as a day off and the others are either too dumb to understand what's going on and voted to maintain the status quo or out of fear of being branded a "scab" buy the union members".

No mention of the lack of number 1 bus running in Westcliff. My son gets to 7:50am bus to school, 8:50am still no bus. He is meant to be at school at 8:40am. I had to get my boss to drive him in this morning!!!
None of us get paid enough, shall we all stike so the world grinds to a halt? Get a grip!! I shall wave goodbye to my sons perfect attendence thanks to the lovely bus service.

Purplekimmy wrote:
No mention of the lack of number 1 bus running in Westcliff. My son gets to 7:50am bus to school, 8:50am still no bus. He is meant to be at school at 8:40am. I had to get my boss to drive him in this morning!!!
None of us get paid enough, shall we all stike so the world grinds to a halt? Get a grip!! I shall wave goodbye to my sons perfect attendence thanks to the lovely bus service.

No metion because the number 1 is Arriva. Could is possibly be that Arriva have suffered because of the First strike?

Shadow Demon wrote:

Winston Smith wrote:
I get the impression some of those criticising this strike action have never had to go on strike for their rights.

Being on strike is no picnic. You get NO pay. NOTHING. You might get strike pay off the union, but that is usually less than £20 a week.
Strike action is not something anyone enters into lightly. It is a last resort.

Many of you who've never done a hard day's work in your lives either don't understand that or you just don't have the guts to stand up for your own rights.

If they had "the guts" to stand up for their own rights then they wouldn't need the Union telling them what to do. Half of them see it as a day off and the others are either too dumb to understand what's going on and voted to maintain the status quo or out of fear of being branded a "scab" buy the union members".

So are we to understand that if your employer made record profits, then turned around to you, pleaded poverty, and told you your pay would be frozen for a year, while the cost of living is spiraling upwards, that you would be ok with that? You would just timidly accept the shareholders taking the cream of your hard work while you got no recognition at all?
You would be happy with that? You would be able to look your family in the eye and not be ashamed that you don't have the courage to stand up and say 'I deserve better'?

I'm a driver for this company in Essex, so an apology. To all those trying to get to and from work, to mums with prams, elderly people, and everyone else put to trouble because of this action, sorry. None of us wanted this, but when cornered, you grow a pair and coming out snarling.

For those who feel we are being unreasonable some FACTS:

Council tax 09/10 3.79% increase
Rent 09/10 4.1% increase
First Buses profits £134 MILLION
Shareholder dividend 10%

And we get NOTHING.

The excuse that First are using is that there is a recession on, a recession caused by fat cat greed. If you agree that apathy is the best weapon against greed, then I suggest you seek alternative means of transport. Without buses, which are an integral part of this county's transport policy, people would do well to walk over the lanes of stationary traffic. Still it will get you fit and save money, good result all round. If however, you feel that we have a legitimate claim, please tell First to start listening, and sort this dispute out.

We are not asking for "a substantial increase" as quoted by some news agencies, just a fair pay rise to cover our increased costs of living, and to be treated with some respect, but instead, First insult our professionalism with a bland 'sorry there's no more money', excuse me, what's £134 million, small change then.

Just a final point, for all those ignorant drivers who can't be bothered let buses out of bus stops, it's rule 223 in the Highway Code, and cyclists are not immune from the law of stopping at red traffic lights.

Why don't the drivers all get together, form a co-operative, and make a bid to run the business themselves. From what they say, the bosses are just fat cats, so they can remove all the fatcat salaries and take it in turns sitting in the board room. There would all those extra profits to share amongst yourselves as a bonus. If nothing else it would put the wind up the management next time they have to tender for contracts.
.
Winston, you are spot on. The roads todays were the best I have driven on for a long while.
.
To those who had to pay for a taxi, all you need to do is read the Echo or listen to the local radio. The bus strike was well advertised in the media.

Shadow Demon wants me to answer his other points - well as I am not a union member nor a bus driver and am now retired the union will not spoon feed me answers. Bus drivers don't have to be told to strike - they are given a free vote and the vast majority chose to lose a day's pay and possibly more as they are fed up with being treated badly. The points made by Shadow Demon seem to have been adequately answered by others whilst I have been offline. I have no idea what job Shadow Demon does but if he feels that bus drivers are adequately paid then he should try it himself and see. Or at least try and see some of the job at first hand

Nebs wrote:
Why don't the drivers all get together, form a co-operative, and make a bid to run the business themselves. From what they say, the bosses are just fat cats, so they can remove all the fatcat salaries and take it in turns sitting in the board room. There would all those extra profits to share amongst yourselves as a bonus. If nothing else it would put the wind up the management next time they have to tender for contracts. . Winston, you are spot on. The roads todays were the best I have driven on for a long while. . To those who had to pay for a taxi, all you need to do is read the Echo or listen to the local radio. The bus strike was well advertised in the media.

I think that idear is a brilliant one. Thankyou for your support. And also thankyou to all those other hard working people who recognise decent hard working people truing to survive in todays fat cat world.

To the bloke in colchester who seems to be very arragoant, are you sure your not first managment? you sure sound like it!You dont live in the real world! We live in a democracy and have the right to use the law as we see ideal for action! I bet if ur employer treated you like complete rubbish you would be the first one to harp on about it!

I can tell you the support had been excellent on the picket line!

Oh yes just one more thing,

not all bus drivers are rude and impolite, its a fact of nature when you work with the public you are subject to being on the receiving end of rude, arrogant, violent and often anti social people, which obviously in turn has an effect on th drivers mood! Add into the mix being put under pressure by a firm who have no concern for you wellbeing, then sometimes you are likely to be a little inpolite.

This is not just applicable to bus drivers! Shop workers, call center staff, debt collectors, Lorry drivers, mechanics, you name it are all in the same book as bus drivers!

i wonder if shadow demon would want to work for low wages or frozen wages and have to put up with abusive customers, rude customers and ignorant customers. My husband is a bus driver, though he doesnt work for first, but he tells me some right horror stories and i think he must be a saint to put up with what he does.

He has had customers spit at him, threaten him, try and steal money off him, yell at him because fares have gone up. Bearing in mind it costs £1.20 to go one way for the entire journey, (he works in barking) and if they put the prices up, he is the one (well not just him, but bus drivers in general) are the ones that take all the abuse and flack, not the ones sitting in their ivory towers taking fat cat bonuses. So cut the profits back and give the drivers a pay cut, after all, if it wasnt for the bus drivers a majority wouldnt get to work.

And shadow demon, pray do tell me, would you work for low pay and recieve abuse all day long for it, hmmmm i doubt it.

YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buses are dirty and smelly.....Please continue to strike and keep off our roads. The longer this strike lasts the better......Why are they striking anyway? - The £26k a year not enough to sit on their arses all day driving at 29mph stopping every 30ft between Basildon and Southend !!!!!!!!

Cor Blimey wrote:
YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buses are dirty and smelly.....Please continue to strike and keep off our roads. The longer this strike lasts the better......Why are they striking anyway? - The £26k a year not enough to sit on their arses all day driving at 29mph stopping every 30ft between Basildon and Southend !!!!!!!!

Where the hell did you get £26k from! sort it out! Try 18k a year!

Cor Blimey wrote:
YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buses are dirty and smelly.....Please continue to strike and keep off our roads. The longer this strike lasts the better......Why are they striking anyway? - The £26k a year not enough to sit on their arses all day driving at 29mph stopping every 30ft between Basildon and Southend !!!!!!!!

Then these drivers should go and work for TFL and drive a big red bus

WELL, AT LEAST ALL YOU ARROGANT GITS MAY APPRICIATE THE BUSES NOW AND STOP ALL THE ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THE DRIVERS! THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO STRIKE IF THEY WANT TO. SO WHY DONT YOU DO GOODERS BACK OFF AND LEAVE THE BUS DRIVERS ALONE UNTIL YOU HEAR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STORY!!!!!!! GO ON THE BUS DRIVERS GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!!!!!

Bring in some good competition, and introduce more bus companies. Competitive pricing for the old folk can only be a good thing.............I remember when a rover was £1.20! How much is a sunshine bus ticket these days?

Good luck to the bus drivers, I hope the strike made management more amenable to negotiation. If not, then I suppose there will have to be more strikes till they see reason. The drivers have every right to strike, and some of them have outlined the problems they face. Good luck to them.

charl3n3 wrote:
why are bus drivers soo impolite?

What and most passengers are not get real if your treated like rubbish you return the favour

Cor Blimey wrote:
Bring in some good competition, and introduce more bus companies. Competitive pricing for the old folk can only be a good thing.............I remember when a rover was £1.20! How much is a sunshine bus ticket these days?

Rover tickets are still pretty cheap compared to other areas in the UK. Although i'm not fussed either way with a free pass :) and no i'm not an OAP either.

Hopefully the management who were out today got all the flak and now they can see what its like on the frontline.

Cor Blimey wrote:
YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buses are dirty and smelly.....Please continue to strike and keep off our roads. The longer this strike lasts the better......Why are they striking anyway? - The £26k a year not enough to sit on their arses all day driving at 29mph stopping every 30ft between Basildon and Southend !!!!!!!!

COR blimey you stink cos bus drivers dont earn that much . get your facts right

Cor Blimey wrote:
Bring in some good competition, and introduce more bus companies. Competitive pricing for the old folk can only be a good thing.............I remember when a rover was £1.20! How much is a sunshine bus ticket these days?

nothing they all have free passes shows what you know

Blimey I See Stan and Aurther are back ON THE BUSES ! This Strike is so 70s style and its not fair for all the hard working folks to suffer becasue for busdrivers. I Have had no pay increase for 3 years infact my salary gone down to ensure we have a job.
What a liberty do they think there jobs are recession proof? if they dont want the job let someone else have it and be gratefull.

SaveOurStanford wrote:
Blimey I See Stan and Aurther are back ON THE BUSES ! This Strike is so 70s style and its not fair for all the hard working folks to suffer becasue for busdrivers. I Have had no pay increase for 3 years infact my salary gone down to ensure we have a job.
What a liberty do they think there jobs are recession proof? if they dont want the job let someone else have it and be gratefull.

Is it the bus drivers' fault that YOU don't have the courage to stand up to your employer, who is quite obviously playing on your fears to exploit you?

No, it isn't. Don't blame others for your own failings.

I'm sorry i didn't realise that your husband had no other option than to work on the buses.

It's quite simple if you are unhappy with your job, feel under valued, are abused by customers then LEAVE.

"And shadow demon, pray do tell me, would you work for low pay and recieve abuse all day long for it, hmmmm i doubt it." - No i would get off my backside and find a different job.

Still i suppose we should all spare a thought for these poor bus drivers forced to drive these buses against their will.

And whilst you lot are banging on about guts it doesn't take guts to take a day of strike action because the union tells you to.

Cor Blimey wrote:
Bring in some good competition, and introduce more bus companies. Competitive pricing for the old folk can only be a good thing.............I remember when a rover was £1.20! How much is a sunshine bus ticket these days?

With over 20 companies already operating bus services in Essex, many with more modern vehicles than those operated by First & Arriva, there is already competition in most areas. It's only in Chelmsford where there has been no real competition which ECB are now providing.

As for striking bus drivers setting up their own company - already tried and failed - remember Budget Busways?

Ray Von is correct, rovers in Essex are cheap
Southend £2.90 (off peak, Colchester £3.10, Ipswich £4.60, Norwich £4.70

daveyboy25 wrote:

Cor Blimey wrote: Bring in some good competition, and introduce more bus companies. Competitive pricing for the old folk can only be a good thing.............I remember when a rover was £1.20! How much is a sunshine bus ticket these days?

nothing they all have free passes shows what you know

Your so correct, I dont know because I would never get on a stinky dirty bus! Keep them off the roads to allow me and my 4x4 more room..........Hope the strike lasts forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!

daveyboy25 wrote:

Cor Blimey wrote: YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buses are dirty and smelly.....Please continue to strike and keep off our roads. The longer this strike lasts the better......Why are they striking anyway? - The £26k a year not enough to sit on their arses all day driving at 29mph stopping every 30ft between Basildon and Southend !!!!!!!!

COR blimey you stink cos bus drivers dont earn that much . get your facts right

I'd stink if I had to get on a bus but im fortunate enough not to have to use one!

How much do they earn then?

daveyboy.. i am real, and i am not most people i am me, and i am poliet so i expect the same back, i dont treat them like rubbish so i dont deserve the same back :)

I cant believe this strike went ahead just because of a pay freeeze. I have taken a 20% pay cut this year but I am not striking! I am getting on this it as I am happy to still be in work. It's people like you who will drive business away and make the 'credit crunch' worse for the area!

Partyboy2 wrote:
I cant believe this strike went ahead just because of a pay freeeze. I have taken a 20% pay cut this year but I am not striking! I am getting on this it as I am happy to still be in work. It's people like you who will drive business away and make the 'credit crunch' worse for the area!

Its people like you, who are too cowardly to stand up to your employers exploitation of you, who are eroding pay and working conditions in this country.

charl3n3 wrote:
daveyboy.. i am real, and i am not most people i am me, and i am poliet so i expect the same back, i dont treat them like rubbish so i dont deserve the same back :)

Then dont worry its not you its the others. how many rude and arrogant joe publics would it take before just thought i have enough of being nice and smiley its not the drivers fault its just society in general. most if not all drivers i start my travelling day with are happy but by the end of the day all i get is a grunt but then i feel like that at times

Winston Smith wrote:

Partyboy2 wrote:
I cant believe this strike went ahead just because of a pay freeeze. I have taken a 20% pay cut this year but I am not striking! I am getting on this it as I am happy to still be in work. It's people like you who will drive business away and make the 'credit crunch' worse for the area!

Its people like you, who are too cowardly to stand up to your employers exploitation of you, who are eroding pay and working conditions in this country.

No Winston it's people like you who seem to think that the world owes them a favor that is the problem. You seem very fond of the word coward yet not one of those people striking yesterday would have done so alone or without the say so of the Union, sheep the lot of them!

Shadow Demon, is that not the purpose of unions? Strength in numbers?

That's like saying none of our soldiers would have invaded Iraq on their own.

I've said it loads of times before and it's worth saying again. While I never necessarily agree with the reason for a strike, I will defend to the hilt a persons right to strike.

Who remembers Southend Transport? .........and Thamesway! As a kid I used to love sitting on the top deck of Southend Transport Blue buses! Have the time wasters got back behind the wheel yet?

Ok bus drivers, lets get this right...you are actually surprised that big bosses take a larger slice of the cake ?

Open your eyes, it happens everywhere, it happens at my job....but do I go on strike ? Nope, why ? Because it would let other people down.

I seriously cannot understand selfish, simple minded, hard done by, arrogant people like bus drivers, Underground drivers etc who are always banging on about "oooh my pay is low...oooh conditions"

If you do not like your pay and conditions - go and do another job ? Or are your Union cuddles too comfy?

First group made £135 million, good for them, thats good management and the directors and top brass deserve a bonus for it. Do you not realise that buses are not the the only thing that First Group do ? and that all the money goes into financing other areas of their interests that are not doing so well ?

That is called management, probably a reason you are driving the buses and not them.

Also, regarding conditions and your "oooh the public are mean to me" approach, you tell me - how are First Group going to sort that out ? Or was this an excuse tacked on to your already limp excuse for striking?

Then you say "management didnt' put up any signs about the strike" - Well why didn't you and your lay about Union bloody well do something ? You could of put up a sign at the bus stops using sellotape, A4 paper and your common sense!

As for your clapped out buses, I see nice new ones in Chelmsford, routes such as the 100 etc, the fact is they are not going to throw buses away that haven't paid for themselves to further add realised debt to the equation...hence another reason you are dispensing tickets, you are not thinking!

Look at the bigger picture, not your pay packet, bunch of miserable do-nothings, go on strike with your equally sad and hard done by Underground drivers.....whingers
, every last one of you !

How many people went on strike at Tescos ? they made huge recession busting profits, how many of the poorly paid staff went on strike ? - None, they live in the real world...try it some times its probably on your route....thats if you bother to turn up on time

SaveOurStanford wrote:
Blimey I See Stan and Aurther are back ON THE BUSES ! This Strike is so 70s style and its not fair for all the hard working folks to suffer becasue for busdrivers. I Have had no pay increase for 3 years infact my salary gone down to ensure we have a job. What a liberty do they think there jobs are recession proof? if they dont want the job let someone else have it and be gratefull.

To Winston The Cycling Tree hugging Unionist!!! So the fact i and all the workers accepted a payfreeze for 2 years to keep our jobs you say we are spineless not to demand a increase. Ok so if if the company made us all unemployed instead is that good? Cutting of your nose saying comes to mind.
Winston You realy do remind me of Blakey "Take of the rosey Glasses and get a Life"
People need jobs and if the job dont give an increase you dont go on strike ! that is just unfiar to other humans who use and need public transport. Honestly i think this was greed more than need.

Gideon Smythe wrote:
Shadow Demon, is that not the purpose of unions? Strength in numbers?

That's like saying none of our soldiers would have invaded Iraq on their own.

I've said it loads of times before and it's worth saying again. While I never necessarily agree with the reason for a strike, I will defend to the hilt a persons right to strike.

Yes but the point i was trying to make is they all have the chance to look for a different more rewarding job, and they only strike because the union tell them too.

Winston Smith wrote:

Partyboy2 wrote: I cant believe this strike went ahead just because of a pay freeeze. I have taken a 20% pay cut this year but I am not striking! I am getting on this it as I am happy to still be in work. It's people like you who will drive business away and make the 'credit crunch' worse for the area!

Its people like you, who are too cowardly to stand up to your employers exploitation of you, who are eroding pay and working conditions in this country.

No my friend, it is people like me who contribute a lot to this country, who work their a*se off, get taxed heavily, receive no government assistance to support his family unlike these bus drivers I bet yet still get out of bed every morning after a 20% pay cut as Im glad to have work in the current climate. There are plenty of people out there looking for work and could easily replace these bus drivers. As said before, if they dont like it, moven on and let someone take their place who wont be a miserable g1t as they think they are hard done by!

"I see nice new ones in Chelmsford, routes such as the 100 etc, "

A new First bus, almost as rare as hens teeth. While the likes of Hedingham, Network Colchester, NIBS, Regal & Stephensons all have/shortly to get 09 & 59 plates First & Arriva make do with cast offs from London unless a contract specifies a new vehicle.

The buses on the 100 route mentioned are 8 years old. Not what you'd call new.

Let's not forget that companies like First have made vast profits from taking on state-funded organisations like Eastern National for a very small price. Like the railways, it's money for nothing. They are not regulated and therefore can cut, at a moment's notice, an unprofitable service that the poorer members of our communities depend upon.

Shadow Demon, you need to pop out and see the real world. There aren't loads of jobs out there, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't fight for better conditions if they do have a job. Might I suggest that your attitude will change when your beloved Tories get in, you lose your job and that chip off of your shoulder.

Essex is usually the barometer of political change. If the selfish, arrogant attitude of some of the posters here is anything to go by then the Tories will have a landslide victory next May. And you think times are bad now?

"They are not regulated and therefore can cut, at a moment's notice........ "

Only after 56 days notice to the Traffic Commissioner although I grant you the first Joe Public normally hear about it is the week before.

Gideon Smythe wrote:
The buses on the 100 route mentioned are 8 years old. Not what you'd call new.

Let's not forget that companies like First have made vast profits from taking on state-funded organisations like Eastern National for a very small price. Like the railways, it's money for nothing. They are not regulated and therefore can cut, at a moment's notice, an unprofitable service that the poorer members of our communities depend upon.

Shadow Demon, you need to pop out and see the real world. There aren't loads of jobs out there, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't fight for better conditions if they do have a job. Might I suggest that your attitude will change when your beloved Tories get in, you lose your job and that chip off of your shoulder.

Essex is usually the barometer of political change. If the selfish, arrogant attitude of some of the posters here is anything to go by then the Tories will have a landslide victory next May. And you think times are bad now?

Of all the people to suggest someone takes a look at the real world you are the last Gideon, as for my political I'm sorry to shatter your views but you are wrong.

I didn't say people shouldn't complain or try to improve thier working conditions but if it really is as bad as some of the drivers will have us believe why haven't the walked, or is it that they are just too dedicated to bus driving and can't envisage their lives without it?

Shadow Demon wrote:

Winston Smith wrote:

Partyboy2 wrote:
I cant believe this strike went ahead just because of a pay freeeze. I have taken a 20% pay cut this year but I am not striking! I am getting on this it as I am happy to still be in work. It's people like you who will drive business away and make the 'credit crunch' worse for the area!

Its people like you, who are too cowardly to stand up to your employers exploitation of you, who are eroding pay and working conditions in this country.

No Winston it's people like you who seem to think that the world owes them a favor that is the problem. You seem very fond of the word coward yet not one of those people striking yesterday would have done so alone or without the say so of the Union, sheep the lot of them!

Well, while you have been spending the day on this website, pontificating from your armchair, I, the bus drivers, and millions of others have been at work.

You obviously have no idea of how a union works, or what it does. Unions protect the individual. Strikes do not happen unless there is a secret ballot with a result in favour of strike action. Unions cannot and do not 'tell people to strike'. They can recommend a pay offer be rejected, but that is as far as it goes. They do not 'tell' their members what to do. There are few institutions in Britain which are more democratic than the unions. In unions EVERYTHING is done by the ballot.

Of course if you weren't a sit at home waster, you might know that.

hughie-s wrote:
"I see nice new ones in Chelmsford, routes such as the 100 etc, "

A new First bus, almost as rare as hens teeth. While the likes of Hedingham, Network Colchester, NIBS, Regal & Stephensons all have/shortly to get 09 & 59 plates First & Arriva make do with cast offs from London unless a contract specifies a new vehicle.

Amusing to note that Network Colchester are in fact owned by Arriva - the parent company of Burton's Coaches Ltd t/a Network Colchester is the Tellings-Golden Miller Group, bought by Arriva in March 2008.
The upgrade of the fleet (and arrival of the first new, as opposed to second-hand buses, since the council sold CBT to Arriva's predecessor) since Arriva sold the business to TGM in 2004 shows that investment can turn around a company and Arriva have maintained this with the arrival of four new double deckers since the takeover (including two just last week) and various low floor second-hand buses.

it's about time the bus-drivers were on strike! the public need to respect them more'cos' they usually get verbally-abused all the time.i'd like to see the train-drivers & taxi-drivers strikung with them;to show solidarity.

Sheep following sheep. It's OK for the union leaders - they get richer as the bus drivers lose wages and the bus companies lose revenue. I have no time for stikes of this type and the public are growing bored of this tiredsome selfishness.

Paladin wrote:
"Household expense" Council Tax Water Rates Gas Electricity Telephone House Insurance TV Licence Food The above will all undoubtedly increase in the next year(s). Get a grip MrH

Council tax went up a minimal amount, and your gas/electric bills remain at the same level. I have a grip - clearly you don't!

Winston Smith wrote:

Shadow Demon wrote:

Winston Smith wrote:

Partyboy2 wrote:
I cant believe this strike went ahead just because of a pay freeeze. I have taken a 20% pay cut this year but I am not striking! I am getting on this it as I am happy to still be in work. It's people like you who will drive business away and make the 'credit crunch' worse for the area!

Its people like you, who are too cowardly to stand up to your employers exploitation of you, who are eroding pay and working conditions in this country.

No Winston it's people like you who seem to think that the world owes them a favor that is the problem. You seem very fond of the word coward yet not one of those people striking yesterday would have done so alone or without the say so of the Union, sheep the lot of them!

Well, while you have been spending the day on this website, pontificating from your armchair, I, the bus drivers, and millions of others have been at work.

You obviously have no idea of how a union works, or what it does. Unions protect the individual. Strikes do not happen unless there is a secret ballot with a result in favour of strike action. Unions cannot and do not 'tell people to strike'. They can recommend a pay offer be rejected, but that is as far as it goes. They do not 'tell' their members what to do. There are few institutions in Britain which are more democratic than the unions. In unions EVERYTHING is done by the ballot.

Of course if you weren't a sit at home waster, you might know that.

EVERYTHING is done by a ballot yes but with junior members of staff being pressured to vote one way, the threat of being vilified by your colleagues for not "doing the right thing" As for your comment that i am a sit at home waster oh how your insults hurt me I infact have a full time job but the fact that you have resorted to petty name calling only goes to further show the childish nature of you Unionists.

Why do people on low wage feel so lucky to be employed the lucky ones are sitting at home playing computers or playing with their children paid for by the goverment. theres no luck in having a job its crap having to be up running to the clock working life is crap so if these drivers want to better their crap good luck to them

Oh, they were on strike.... I thought the traffic was moving smoother.

I would like to point out that NOT ALL First bus drivers in Colchester went out on strike. I get the same buses 5 days a week from one side of Colchester to the other, I know times can be a bit hard but i would like to thank all the drivers {and i know some went very close to their max driving time} who worked to help myself and many others get to and from work. I know if there is another strike i will be able to count on a few drivers that are willing to help their passengers to and from work. A BIG THANK YOU FROM ME TO ALL THAT WORKED.

For a strike to be effective;requires all the drivers out for a whole week.

I just love the selfishness of the "I work harder than anybody else, stuff the driver, if he doesn't like his wage go somewhere else" moron's that post here, for the most part, while they are hard at work? (Check the posting times), little realising that the conditions they take for granted were won for them by real men who had the courage to strike in a very selfish and hostile society that was, and still is "Great Britain." Those of you who bleat about a twenty percent pay cut? Serves you right. you were given the conditions that would have prevented this, but you didn't need that because you could look after your own welfare. Well suffer in silence now please! You can take a twenty percent pay cut without going to the wall? your being paid too much! Just wait and see. You will find out why trade unions were formed and that too will serve you right! The sooner they make you all live where you work or work where you live, the better. AT LEAST YOU WON'T THEN NEED A BUS! Incidentally, did you read the article about the Bankers being up to the same tricks that supposedly caused all this damage? And you spend your time attacking the lower paid? Only trouble is, my health is not that good and I might not live long enough to gloat over you!