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They should be paid the same whatever they drive.

(03/02/2016 00:58)bus401 Wrote: [ -> ]They should be paid the same whatever they drive.

It's all politics.....if you drive small buses on set rota you be on lower rate

Same with P&R drivers are on lower rate than standard drivers and school drivers are on different than standard drivers
(Every firm and most garages all have different specifications does not matter if there stagecoach Gillmoss, stagecoach birkenhead, happy ALS, a2b or Gha they be all paid different rates of pay)

(03/02/2016 01:47)E208 WBG Wrote: [ -> ]It's all politics.....if you drive small buses on set rota you be on lower rate

Same with P&R drivers are on lower rate than standard drivers and school drivers are on different than standard drivers
(Every firm and most garages all have different specifications does not matter if there stagecoach Gillmoss, stagecoach birkenhead, happy ALS, a2b or Gha they be all paid different rates of pay)

Another consequence of deregulation, privatisation and a free-market economy. Once upon a time there was a standard rate of pay within each company irrespective of which depot you worked out of or vehicle type driven. I read an interesting article recently on how First Bristol turned round a failing service by INCREASING rates of pay for its drivers. In the long run it saved the company money, drastically reduced lost mileage, increased patronage and greatly improved customer satisfaction.

The race to the bottom in rates of pay is now being applied in education and the health service. Good, hey?

(02/02/2016 20:21)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]The good management ends up following the investment around the country.

I'd say it was the other way round - the investment follows the good management around.

(02/02/2016 22:10)R879 HRF Wrote: [ -> ]Some companies have a different rate of pay for differents sized vehicles. For example, if a driver was on a minibus route, they would receive a lowerr minibus rate.

Even though the drivers were previously driving Darts?

Correct- What they where driving before hand doesn't make a difference . As far as I know the 5 now has its own set drivers, or will do, and as its operated by minibus only, a lower minibus rate is applicable. I suppose it has been made into some form of low cost unit. Already mentioned that Chester depot makes nowhere near enough profit to be seen as worthwhile to stagecoach and it was even more at threat during the P&R bidding process. If it had been lost then Chester probably wouldn't have had a future with Stagecoach.

It seems a pretty strategic move by Stagecoach - Bring in 'posher' buses for a route which isn't turning over enough profit in hopes that it encourages more people to use it, which means income will be increased. Couple this with the fact that these buses are smaller, so not only can they pay drivers a lower minibus rate, but also that the buses are lighter, and in theory cost less to run. Overall cutting down spends and maximising profit.

I find that intriguing. My understanding of employment law regarding changes to contract where wages/hours are concerned (so obviously this is not applicable to a zero hours contract) is that the employee must give their consent otherwise, they are well within their rights to refuse the change and continue working under their current conditions. Incidentally, this then has me wondering whether this is a case of employees agreeing to a lower wage (in which case, why; unemployment can't be threatened) or whether Stagecoach have taken on a set of new drivers on contracts with a lower specified wage as way of creating the new low cost unit at Chester. This is something I believe Arriva looked into several years ago for some of their depots.

I'd agree it's quite a strategic move by Stagecoach but as I say, I'm skeptical as to how they're getting away with it or alternatively, why drivers are agreeing to it.

I agree its a bit sneaky. Often in such cases, low cost units are for new drivers, however Chester already has the park and ride, which are on a lower wage and all new starters find themselves on this before normal work. Im not 100% sure if this route is at a lower rate, but mbonwicks comment seems to indicate it.

I cant see that drivers have volunteered to go onto the new Gold rota with it being a lower rate of pay. Unless they have moved drivers up off the park and ride rota onto the Gold rota. Thats the only way i can see Stagecoach paying a lower rate for Gold. Only one way to find out for sure I suppose and thats to ask.

19022, 19054 and 19061 should be on 919?? (Football bus) in Liverpool tonight