Stagecoach Wigan

[GmBusesNorth]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan
Stagecoach have drafted in replacement drivers from other depots to cover friday and mondays strikes! Lets hope sense prevails!

[M60lad]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan
Notices about the strikes have gone up on Wigan Depot vehicles now, will it be Wigan Depot vehicles operating the services tomorrow or vehicles from other depots?

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan
Probably other depots drivers bringing vehicles with them , I suppose other depots unionised drivers may not be happy crossing picket lines to use that companies vehicles so will probably have to have on hire signs as the legal address will be incorrect on vehicles drafted in.

[MPTE1955]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan
Not necessarily other vehicles, remember the strike at Gillmoss a few years ago, GM Vehicles were mostly used with just the odd exception.

[jimbo]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan
Wigan have a nice barrier on entrance the picket liners could easily bring them down and padlock it...

[motormayhem1]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan
It will be mainly inspectors and managment who will be driving as they are getting drafted in from all areas to cover just like they did when gillmoss went on strike.

[Barney]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan

(11/09/2014 08:09)motormayhem1 Wrote:  It will be mainly inspectors and managment who will be driving as they are getting drafted in from all areas to cover just like they did when gillmoss went on strike.

I have no idea as to why this strike has been called but I can guess. The timing of this strike is quite significant bearing in mind that Sir Brian Souter has recently donated over £1 million to the Yes vote in Scotland. The Yes campaign is promising a fairer, more equitable society where the lowest paid are promised a better standard of living and the 'fat cats' are taxed accordingly. Clearly, as one of the richest men in the UK, Souter's 'socialist' principles don't apply south of the border.

Prior to Thatcherism and deregulation, bus workers enjoyed much better comparable rates of pay, working conditions and employment protection. Those few people who crossed official picket lines were commonly referred to as "scabs." How are they referred to in the present day "a committed work force"?

Without wishing to sound too political, if the No campaign got wind of this industrial dispute in Wigan it could use it to its own ends.

[jimbo]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan
It is cause older driers get a lot more in pay; and they are trying to buy them out of it..

[Barney]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan

(11/09/2014 10:45)jimbo Wrote:  It is cause older driers get a lot more in pay; and they are trying to buy them out of it..

Thanks for that. In other words, Stagecoach are trying to reduce costs - and increase profits - by ripping up previously agreed rates of pay and paying experienced staff less than they are entitled to. That is not really the best way to retain and recruit staff but, hey ho, I'm sure that most share holders of Stagecoach PLC would never be seen dead on a bus.

[Barney]

RE: Stagecoach Wigan

(11/09/2014 16:01)Dentonian Wrote:  Unfortunately, the same can be said of the Unions, who have also swung markedly to the right in recent years, in line with their "Nu-labor" masters. Why haven't they been inundating local media about the strike? warning passengers (sorry, customers) about possibly disruption; apologising and explaining why they felt it necessary to go on strike. But not a dickie bird. They are too busy rabbiting on about what a poor deal rail users (ie. middle income motorists) are getting with inflation-tied fare rises.

In truth, for better or for worse the trade union movement has been battered into submission in the past 30 years. One union that took a stand was the NUM and look where that got it. How many pits are still working in the Wigan area?

Occasionally, some workers feel that they have no option but to withdraw their labour as is the case with the Wigan drivers. Whether this action is successful or futile only time will tell.

As regards the union "inundating the media", you surely realise that what gets reported or transmitted in the media is down to editorial decision-making. No doubt it will be reported in next Thursday's local, but it will be interesting to see if this issue is mentioned, and in what detail, on the local BBC and Granada TV channels over the weekend.

Some people on this forum may look forward to seeing some unusual workings in Wigan over the next few days, but don't forget this dispute is about drivers' livelihoods.

I will post no more on this topic.