Unofficial Bus Strike...

dub_commuter

Savman wrote: »

See, yer gonna have to expand on that because Joe Public has been kept out of this particular loop.
Chillax btw!

Read the thread, it's laid out in black and white.

jaybird

Savman wrote: »

See, yer gonna have to expand on that because Joe Public has been kept out of this particular loop.
Chillax btw!

I'd love to chill, but I'm out of work, he's on a crappy wage from DB, and for everyday this strike lasts, thats a day without pay. More than a couple of days of this strike and I won't be able to pay my mortgage this month.

The drivers voted to agree with the Labour court recs, which did include these new rosters. They also included that there was to be no departure from normal practice when introducing a new bill (driving schedule), and normal practice is that a new bill is agreed in advance with the union and drivers. A new bill is never worked without this agreement, its been that way for like 50 years! And they just handed out the new bill.
This wasn;t done anywhere else, all new bills were agreed in other garages. Its possible that they deliberately provoked the drivers at Harristown, I don't know why, maybe they are looking to get rid of more drivers/routes whatever. They knew that an unagreed bill would never be worked by a driver, it couldn't be a more basic rule, but they did it anyway.

You might think thats nothing, and that drivers should be happy to have their jobs, etc etc. But when a company uses the economic situation to bulldoze workers and destroy hard won practices, it does matter. When we have already agreed on eveything they wanted, when drivers have lost their jobs, lost money, lost routes etc, they pushed too far for no reason other than they could. How much should we sacrifice to keep our jobs?

murphaph

jaybird wrote: »

I'd love to chill, but I'm out of work, he's on a crappy wage from DB, and for everyday this strike lasts, thats a day without pay. More than a couple of days of this strike and I won't be able to pay my mortgage this month.

The drivers voted to agree with the Labour court recs, which did include these new rosters. They also included that there was to be no departure from normal practice when introducing a new bill (driving schedule), and normal practice is that a new bill is agreed in advance with the union and drivers. A new bill is never worked without this agreement, its been that way for like 50 years! And they just handed out the new bill.
This wasn;t done anywhere else, all new bills were agreed in other garages. Its possible that they deliberately provoked the drivers at Harristown, I don't know why, maybe they are looking to get rid of more drivers/routes whatever. They knew that an unagreed bill would never be worked by a driver, it couldn't be a more basic rule, but they did it anyway.

You might think thats nothing, and that drivers should be happy to have their jobs, etc etc. But when a company uses the economic situation to bulldoze workers and destroy hard won practices, it does matter. When we have already agreed on eveything they wanted, when drivers have lost their jobs, lost money, lost routes etc, they pushed too far for no reason other than they could. How much should we sacrifice to keep our jobs?

It's not a strike. It's an unofficial stoppage and if your OH is refusing to work he should be sacked like anyone else in any other industry. You have summed up th problems nicely-50 year old archaic rules that belong nowhere in the 21st century. To you "hard won work practices" translates as "archaic inflexibility" to the rest of us. You junior driver OH is just another one that "the old skins" are using as they are the ones with most to lose.

angel01

murphaph wrote: »

Are you private sector Angel?

Yes I am.

Jonathan

jaybird wrote: »

I'd love to chill, but I'm out of work, he's on a crappy wage from DB, and for everyday this strike lasts, thats a day without pay. More than a couple of days of this strike and I won't be able to pay my mortgage this month.

I don't envy the situation you are in, but if money is tight, could he not cross the picket?

It seems two other drivers in Harristown already have.

Irish Times Website wrote:

Some of the drivers taking unofficial industrial action at Dublin Bus returned to work this afternoon.
Dublin Bus said a significant number of the 250 drivers at Clontarf garage were back at work and services operating out of the depot were “beginning to get back to normal”.
However, at the Harristown garage all drivers bar two are continuing their work stoppage resulting in the cancellation and curtailment of many services in the capital.

_blank_

Fair play to the two in Harristown, and the lads in Clontarf.

Hopefully Clontarf at least is back online in the next couple of hours.

murphaph

angel01 wrote: »

Yes I am.

Is it unionised employment?

angel01

murphaph wrote: »

Is it unionised employment?

No it isn't, there is no union here.

SickCert

When these boys appear at all depots tomorrow morning - CROSS the line!

murphaph

angel01 wrote: »

No it isn't, there is no union here.

Ok. I'm surprised by your outlook but it's a free country.

Volvagia

apologies if this has been answered already in the thread, but is there any indication when this strike will end?

jaybird

Jonathan wrote: »

I don't envy the situation you are in, but if money is tight, could he not cross the picket?

It seems two other drivers in Harristown already have.

Principles are worth more than money. However tight things get, we would never cross a picket line. Believe me, I want it to end right now, but if you can't hold your head up and trust your principles, what have you got?

How many employers and workplaces are using the economy as an excuse to take from their employees. Pay cuts everywhere, whether warranted or not. Loss of worker rights, loss of defined benefits. Its not about keeping cushy numbers, its about basic standards. Employment law, union rules, they are there to protect us.

if we don't be careful, in a few years the economy will be back on its feet but the average joe will be in a worse position than ever before, with this new "do anything to hang onto your jobs". What next? Lets give back holiday entitlements, bank holiday pay, maternity leave.......

Jonathan

jaybird wrote: »

Principles are worth more than money. However tight things get, we would never cross a picket line. Believe me, I want it to end right now, but if you can't hold your head up and trust your principles, what have you got?

How many employers and workplaces are using the economy as an excuse to take from their employees. Pay cuts everywhere, whether warranted or not. Loss of worker rights, loss of defined benefits. Its not about keeping cushy numbers, its about basic standards. Employment law, union rules, they are there to protect us.

if we don't be careful, in a few years the economy will be back on its feet but the average joe will be in a worse position than ever before, with this new "do anything to hang onto your jobs". What next? Lets give back holiday entitlements, bank holiday pay, maternity leave.......

If it means helping out a country that is borrowing €60million a day to run itself, then yes, I would give up those things.

Victor

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/News-Centre/Travel-News/Service-Disruption/

Service Disruption
Monday, April 27, 2009

Dublin Bus wishes to apologise to customers for the disruption to a number of its services. This disruption is due to unofficial Industrial action by drivers at Clontarf and Harristown depots following the introduction of service changes which were agreed and accepted following a Labour Court Recommendation.

Service Disruption update 17:25hrs

A limited service has been restored to the following routes

27 Talbot Street to Clare Hall
29a Eden Quay to Newgrove Cross
31 Eden Quay to Howth Summit
32/b Eden Quay to Portmarnock
42 Lower Abbey Street to Sands Hotel (Portmarnock) / Coast Road (Malahide)
130 Lower Abbey Street to Castle Avenue

The following routes currently have no service

4/4a Harristown to Blackrock/Stradbrook
13/13a Merrion Square to Harristown
17a Finglas to Kilbarrack
27b Eden Quay to Harristown via Beaumont Hospital
27x Clare Hall to UCD Belfield
31b Eden Quay to Howth Summit
32a Eden Quay to Malahide
32x Malahide to UCD Belfield
33b Portrane/Donabate to Swords
40/a/b/c/d Finglas to City Centre
41x Swords to UCD Belfield
42a/b Lower Abbey Street to Blunden Drive / Beaumont Hospital (42a)
43 Lower Abbey Street to Swords Business Park
53 Eden Quay to East Wall Road
53a Eden Quay to North Wall (Alexandra Road)
83 Harristown to Kimmage
102 Sutton Station to Airport via Swords
103 Clontarf Dart Station to OMNI Shopping Centre
104 Clontarf Dart Station to Cappagh Hospital
128 Clongriffin to Rathmines (Palmerston Park)
140 Finglas to Leeson Street
142 Portmarnock to Rathmines (Palmerston Park)
237 Blanchardstown to Castleknock
238 Blanchardstown to Tyrellstown
239 Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre
270 Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to Dunboyne


The following routes have a curtailed peak time service
37 Hawkins Street to Carpenterstown
37x Carpenterstown to UCD Belfield
38/a Hawkins Street to Damastown
38b/c Hawkins Street to Tyrrelstown
39 Hawkins Street to Ongar
39x Ongar to UCD Belfield
41 Lower Abbey Street to Swords Manor
70/a Hawkins Street to Dunboyne

Dyr

jaybird wrote: »

they are there to protect us.

less of the "us" most of us have nothing in common with the harristown jobsworths.

invincibleirish

I'll say the same thing i said when i was caught high & dry by wildcat strikes on the Cobh line before xmas, both staff & management in the CIE companies are 2 sides of the same coin and are incompetent and troublesome. Privatise the lot and lets make the public and their needs the priority for once and not stroppy job for lifers.

Steviemak

Just saw a 4A on the Mobhi Rd. Must be one of the 2 drivers that went back to work - fair play to him!

Addin

as far as im concerned every bus driver who is on strike should be fired.... they are the most selfish group of blowhards.... this is all because some member of staff got suspended for not wanting to work new rota's well you know what she deserves it she should be greatful she has a job. today i had to be at an interview at half ten so went for my number for into town early...but the driver of the number 4 was marching up and down outside harristown nevermind the fact that he has messed up my chance of a job which these days are hard to come by...... bus drivers you are noting but scum and yous only tink of yourselves, i hope you never get what yas want coz im not gonna care about you if yous don't care about us

Red Sleeping Beauty

From After Hours after the lock :

Workers in France are uniting . Irish people instead just ****ing whinge, complain and turn it inward on themselves. People talk about being grateful to have a job ? Makes me f'n sick. Each and every person has a right to a quality life and a right to work . It's not a privilege.

The Irish attitude typified by this kind of tripe is utterly shocking to me.

So fair fucking play to them drivers standing up for themselves and their job.

herya

Sorry if I missed it, but why don't they strike through their union(s) if they have to?

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

Alan Rouge wrote: »

From After Hours after the lock :

Workers in France are uniting . Irish people instead just ****ing whinge, complain and turn it inward on themselves. People talk about being grateful to have a job ? Makes me f'n sick. Each and every person has a right to a quality life and a right to work . It's not a privilege.

The Irish attitude typified by this kind of tripe is utterly shocking to me.

So fair fucking play to them drivers standing up for themselves and their job.

Fair play? You do realise how insipid the issue they're striking over is? Everyone out there striking should be fired on the spot, and hire some new people to take their places. And send out the names of the strikers to every other bus or heavy vehicle related company and tell them not to hire since they're trouble makers so they never get a job in the country again. They're really taking the piss, ****ing bus drivers.

Stark

Alan Rouge wrote:

Each and every person has a right to a quality life and a right to work . It's not a privilege.

It sickens you that the public at large doesn't feel like it owes you a living? Poor you.

heyra wrote:

Sorry if I missed it, but why don't they strike through their union(s) if they have to?

Because sometimes their unions might accept compromise solutions that they don't like and cake is nice to have and to eat as well.

January

Boom Boom wrote: »

They can all kiss my hairy little @r$€;, I had to drive to work this morning cos there was no service at all not one of them no 40's, 83 or 140 and because of that i have to pay parking €30 a day on street, but it gets better, i have just been clamped so my €4.40 a day fair has just jumped to €90 excluding petrol.


How long is this unofficial strike expected to last, because now i may be forced to have to take annual leave as i cant afford to get to work for a week :mad::mad:

lets introduce more competition more bus companies then see what happens because as a public transport system this country sucks in providing........

cant wait till those clowns come round looking for votes there is going to be some slaps dished out

rant over

I take it from this you live in Finglas... what was wrong with walking up to Jamestown Road or Ballygal and hopping on a 19/19a? That's what I did... saved myself the parking and petrol fees!

invincibleirish

Alan Rouge wrote: »

From After Hours after the lock :

Workers in France are uniting . Irish people instead just ****ing whinge, complain and turn it inward on themselves. People talk about being grateful to have a job ? Makes me f'n sick. Each and every person has a right to a quality life and a right to work . It's not a privilege.

The Irish attitude typified by this kind of tripe is utterly shocking to me.

So fair fucking play to them drivers standing up for themselves and their job.

You cannot be serious. Turning this into an us and them stick it to the man type of rhetoric is a joke. The CIE companies are living in a different age, both management & workers are perennially engaged in conflict. Meanwhile in the real world, people are put off Public Transport for good by this kind of shenanigans. We're never going to get people off cars and onto PT when our companies are staffed by strike happy staff. If ever there is one example in the public/semi state sector that is ripe for change for the better it is CIE.

jaybird

Addin wrote: »

as far as im concerned every bus driver who is on strike should be fired.... they are the most selfish group of blowhards.... this is all because some member of staff got suspended for not wanting to work new rota's well you know what she deserves it she should be greatful she has a job. today i had to be at an interview at half ten so went for my number for into town early...but the driver of the number 4 was marching up and down outside harristown nevermind the fact that he has messed up my chance of a job which these days are hard to come by...... bus drivers you are noting but scum and yous only tink of yourselves, i hope you never get what yas want coz im not gonna care about you if yous don't care about us

Less of the scum you selfish fool, you clearly don't care about anyone as long as you're ok. Well don't go crying to the bus drivers when soon enough there are NO BUSES and you are stranded.

As for privatising the buses, well go ahead, as long as you don't mind that only people living in profitable areas will have a bus service. There'll be hundreds of buses in Blackrock and Foxrock and Ranelagh, and none in Ballymun, Finglas and Darndale. All those grannies and people with passes can walk everywhere.

None of you have a clue how the buses work, what the funding is like, or what the job is like. You care when you bus doesn't arrive, and sod anyone who has to drive it as long as you get to where you are going.

Selfish people who get the services they deserve, from a government that treats them with contempt, and who bend over and ask for more. I think most are ust jealous that they haven't the backbone to stand up for themselves in their own jobs and hate those who do.

lucernarian

Someone very familiar with CIE labour relations proceedures put it to me very simply today.

There is a well established mechanism which has the force of law and tries to get everyone's opinion voiced. Dublin Bus made a mockery of that over the past week.

What the drivers are meant to do is get on to their Union rep. Then they inform head office of what's going on, and then they decide on these matters and meet with management over the issue. If agreement can't be reached,they can put forward a ballot for industrial action.

Instead some wannabie Jim Larkin comes along and makes a "principled stand" to management. By going behind the backs of their own unions, they make a mockery of the unity and principles that Larkin and Connolly stood for. They don't represent the honest working people of this country, the trade union movement or indeed the DB customers. Thousands of people had to fight vested interests, big business and govt to get those employment rights. This kind of acting the ****ox is never what those people set out to achieve.

I do understand that what Dublin Bus management did on Friday/Saturday was wrong, but they would be punished for this through the usual union proceedures, quite possibly through an official strike. Now all that's happened is that both sides can't back down any time soon and a lot of people have a big problem on their hands through no fault of their own.

Shame on both sides.

Dyr

As for privatising the buses, well go ahead, as long as you don't mind that only people living in profitable areas will have a bus service. There'll be hundreds of buses in Blackrock and Foxrock and Ranelagh, and none in Ballymun, Finglas and Darndale. All those grannies and people with passes can walk everywhere.


lol Dublin bus drivers have been only too content to shaft old people in areas like ballymun over the years. their attitude to the public has always been "I'm alright jack"

I'm sick of paying for jobs for life for these gits, time is up.

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

jaybird wrote: »

Selfish people who get the services they deserve, from a government that treats them with contempt, and who bend over and ask for more. I think most are ust jealous that they haven't the backbone to stand up for themselves in their own jobs and hate those who do.

Yeah...I think you hit the nail on the head right there. We're all jealous of the scumbag striking bus drivers who have such pathetic lives that they have nothing better to do than to strike over completely asinine non-issues. :rolleyes:

Also, most of us are beyond the stupid mentality of life being us, the poor oppressed beaten down worker who must rise in opposition to our natural enemy, the evil employer, who wants nothing more to keep us down and miserable.

SickCert

Its not all drivers, i love the job and happily drove my passengers in today.

A very small group under the name of the 'Busworkers action group' OR 'Independant workers union' that throw a few guys on the gate and intimidate the good workers that show up for their duty.
There are reports of more widespread randoms pickets tomorrow of a few guys here and there - BUT official union reps will be also on the scene to make sure they have access to their depots without threats.

Most i spoke to today accept its going to be chaos for 2 weeks while things change, but they have accepted it and they want to work.

murphaph

SickCert wrote: »

Its not all drivers, i love the job and happily drove my passengers in today.

Fair play.