Dublin Bus strike from Sunday 04/08 [called off - service resumes 07/08]

ebbsy

Leo will let this go on and on, let both sides tear each other to pieces and both end up weakened.

gerbilgranny

A few months ago I was on an early bus, and two Dublin Bus staff got on and sat near me. I think they were both drivers - one definitely was. He was telling the other man how they hate the LEAP card, and so they always just charge their 'regulars' the lowest fare possible, no matter how far they're going. He said that his son's friend had got on the bus the day before - and PAID the correct fare - this seemed to be a shocking notion altogether! The driver hadn't realised in time, but he told the young lad never to do that again.

I thought it was a bit of a shame that Dublin Bus staff were sabotaging their own company.:(

sim3620

gerbilgranny wrote: »

A few months ago I was on an early bus, and two Dublin Bus staff got on and sat near me. I think they were both drivers - one definitely was. He was telling the other man how they hate the LEAP card, and so they always just charge their 'regulars' the lowest fare possible, no matter how far they're going. He said that his son's friend had got on the bus the day before - and PAID the correct fare - this seemed to be a shocking notion altogether! The driver hadn't realised in time, but he told the young lad never to do that again.

I thought it was a bit of a shame that Dublin Bus staff were sabotaging their own company.:(

Bull, i think they where bus drivers. They where either wearing the uniform ,so you know they where drivers, or you are making up this little story.

brick tamland

Hopefully this will be sorted sooner rather than later

I Wonder how the drivers will get on when the inevitable public backlash hits over the next few days? People who they are stopping getting to and from work or old folk who cant get around who have been more effected by the downturn tan the drivers have been? Don't think the train drivers will come out for this reason, public wont support it

sim3620

brick tamland wrote: »

Hopefully this will be sorted sooner rather than later

I Wonder how the drivers will get on when the inevitable public backlash hits over the next few days? People who they are stopping getting to and from work or old folk who cant get around who have been more effected by the downturn tan the drivers have been? Don't think the train drivers will come out for this reason, public wont support it

I assure you ,drivers have thick skin.
We are held in contempt by many, a few more wont matter.
The facts are if drivers don't make a stand now, this time next next year many would be better off on the dole.

TimeToShine

sim3620 wrote: »

I assure you ,drivers have thick skin.
We are held in contempt by many, a few more wont matter.
The facts are if drivers don't make a stand now, this time next next year many would be better off on the dole.

Are you a driver? How long do you think this strike will go on for?

hmmm

The only good thing that will come out of this is an acceleration of privitisation and an increase in support for getting rid of the DB monopoly. This isn't the 70s, people aren't going to let a public sector monopoly try and block people from getting to work. Leo can sit back and every day this goes on the public's anger will rise. The company have played a blinder by scheduling this for 2 days before the return of the normal work week - most people have an alternative plan for transport.

Peppa Pig

sim3620 wrote: »

The facts are if drivers don't make a stand now, this time next next year many would be better off on the dole.

Can you provide facts for this claim or do you think DB will remove all pension entitlements, overtime, shift allowance and about 60% of salary?

Or do they all have about 10 kids?

Mustard1972

brick tamland wrote: »

Hopefully this will be sorted sooner rather than later

I Wonder how the drivers will get on when the inevitable public backlash hits over the next few days? People who they are stopping getting to and from work or old folk who cant get around who have been more effected by the downturn tan the drivers have been? Don't think the train drivers will come out for this reason, public wont support it

Isnt that the point of a strike. Withdraw your labour to show how important it is. I think if there is no public backlash the strike will have failed.

hmmm

Mustard1972 wrote: »

Withdraw your labour to show how important it is.

They're only highlighting how they have a monopoly. If the Government has any cop-on, this will be the last time Dublin bus hold Dubliners to ransom. Particularly because Labour won't dare call an election on their current poll figures as they'll be wiped out.

Workers in a public monopoly should not have the right to strike. If they want to strike, the quid pro quo should be an alternative for the public.

liger

ebbsy wrote: »

Leo will let this go on and on, let both sides tear each other to pieces and both end up weakened.

He is probably laughing watching this,

He can now fast track privatisation

Grandeeod

sim3620 wrote: »

I assure you ,drivers have thick skin.
We are held in contempt by many, a few more wont matter.
The facts are if drivers don't make a stand now, this time next next year many would be better off on the dole.

Get over yourself there. Make a stand for what? Perks? And a reliance/dependency on them?

:rolleyes: Welcome to the real world.

ebbsy

Oh look, the bus lanes will not be open tomorrow and the trains etc are not accepting bus tickets.

What contempt these idiots have for the people who pay their wages.

LuckyLloyd

Seems confirmed that strike will continue tomorrow at least:

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/News-Centre/General-News/Dublin-Bus-Holding-News-Story/

shamwari

ebbsy wrote: »

Oh look, the bus lanes will not be open tomorrow and the trains etc are not accepting bus tickets.

What contempt these idiots have for the people who pay their wages.

I really can't understand the bus lanes remaining closed. This dispute is likely to force displaced people into their cars in very big numbers and its almost offensive to think that the bus lanes won't be available for their use. Whoever has made this shameful decision should reconsider it and quickly. It's makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

:mad:

JohnInDublin59

I moved to Dublin in the mid 70s. I don't drive so have had to ‘rely’ on DB every working day since and many non-working days too.

Essentially I've found them to be pretty much the worst company of any kind whatsoever that I've ever used. They have improved somewhat, but from a staggeringly low level, and from dire to mediocre.

Years ago I read an interview with John Cleese where he summed up Basil Fawlty of Fawlty Towers. He said that Basil thinks running a hotel would be a perfectly pleasant occupation – if only people didn't insist on staying in it. And I thought – that's exactly the DB attitude to its customers.

Then a few years back I saw a Prime Time on DB. An ex DB driver said one of his older DB colleagues once said to him – ‘this would be a great job if it wasn't for the Skulls’.

(The Skulls being their not v complimentary nickname for the public – the suckers obliged to use their monopoly services and pay their monopoly wages – as revealed on the aforesaid Prime Time.)

This strike is just making their indifference and contempt for the people who are forced to pay their wages a little more blatant than usual. As evidenced by the DB supporter or worker here who said there's no problem – people can get a cab. Or the one who said disabled people who need the bus shouldn’t have such a sense of ‘entitlement’ – rather rich coming from DB...

So, like thousands of others, and due to the awful DB monopoly, I’ll either have to walk a long distance and hope I can get on the LUAS, or take time off work.

PS As far as I can make out the DB management think the staff are useless and unreasonable and it’s all their fault.

And the DB staff think the management are useless and unreasonable and it’s all their fault.

I suspect they’re both right

PPS Anyone else think it’s ludicrous that train unions are now threatening to intervene and strike, in a dispute that's nothing to do with them??

ax586

The drivers are not the only ones on strike here there's maintenance and clerical staff who are on strike with them

shamwari

ax586 wrote: »

The drivers are not the only ones on strike here there's maintenance and clerical staff who are on strike with them

Agreed. And to look at the other side of the coin, people in this day and age do not take strike action lightly either. One has to wonder why the DB, BE and potentially IE are prepared to do this where most of the public sector has been fairly strike free for the last few years. Clearly there is more to this....

markpb

shamwari wrote: »

I really can't understand the bus lanes remaining closed. This dispute is likely to force displaced people into their cars in very big numbers and its almost offensive to think that the bus lanes won't be available for their use. Whoever has made this shameful decision should reconsider it and quickly. It's makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Don't forget that all the other bus companies (Bus Eireann, Aircoach, Swords Expresss, JJ Matthews, etc) will be operating tomorrow. Taxis will also still be around (for people who want to car pool but don't drive) and there will be cyclists using the shared bus and cycle lanes. Cramming those lanes full of cars would be a disaster for traffic and obliterate any remaining non-private transport. More importantly, it would decimate any ability for the emergency services to navigate past traffic congestion.

Also, if everyone who previously took the bus to town suddenly drove, where would they park? On street parking certainly can't cope. Off-street can mop up some of the demand but probably not all of it.

The last time there was a prolonged bus strike, cycling in Dublin experienced a surge and I suspect it will happen again unless there's a sudden change of heart.

ArmaniJeanss

shamwari wrote: »

I really can't understand the bus lanes remaining closed. This dispute is likely to force displaced people into their cars in very big numbers and its almost offensive to think that the bus lanes won't be available for their use. Whoever has made this shameful decision should reconsider it and quickly. It's makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

:mad:

Buses other than DB use the bus lanes, for example Bus Eireann build a rush hour timetable around clear bus lanes.
Would be unfair on them and other bus operators (and taxi drivers) to open the bus lanes to cars.
So its probably not as bad a decision as you thought.

Heisenberg1

JohnInDublin59 wrote: »

I moved to Dublin in the mid 70s. I don't drive so have had to ‘rely’ on DB every working day since and many non-working days too.

Essentially I've found them to be pretty much the worst company of any kind whatsoever that I've ever used. They have improved somewhat, but from a staggeringly low level, and from dire to mediocre.

Years ago I read an interview with John Cleese where he summed up Basil Fawlty of Fawlty Towers. He said that Basil thinks running a hotel would be a perfectly pleasant occupation – if only people didn't

Can I put this to bed, before IE can join this strike the members of IE must ballot for strike action, and inform IE that they are going on strike in due course, If they go before this then it is un official action which is illegal.

Heisenberg1

Heisenberg1 wrote: »

JohnInDublin59 wrote: »

I moved to Dublin in the mid 70s. I don't drive so have had to ‘rely’ on DB every working day since and many non-working days too.

Essentially I've found them to be pretty much the worst company of any kind whatsoever that I've ever used. They have improved somewhat, but from a staggeringly low level, and from dire to mediocre.

Years ago I read an interview with John Cleese where he summed up Basil Fawlty of Fawlty Towers. He said that Basil thinks running a hotel would be a perfectly pleasant occupation – if only people didn't

Can I put this to bed, before IE can join this strike the members of IE must ballot for strike action, and inform IE that they are going on strike in due course, If they go before this then it is un official action which is illegal.

Can I put this to bed, before IE can join this strike the members of IE must ballot for strike action, and inform IE that they are going on strike in due course, If they go before this then it is un official action which is illegal.

wolfpawnat

My partner is being screwed over by the strike but we understand where the staff are coming from.

Out of all the jobs in Ireland a bus driver is one of the last I would ever consider. At any one time a bus can be filled with near 60-70 people. Babies, pregnant women, school kids and parents, etc. Think of the responsibility the drivers have for all those lives and for the lives of other road users. Semi-suicidal cyclists and lane cutting cars, not to mention Jay walking pedestrians. Pass!!!!

This coming from amoerson who has been screwed over
Double, if not treble figure times by some drivers there are horrific drivers, but others are pure gentlemen. I hate the sweeping statements people make regarding the drivers.

I remember growing up with the industrial action of the early 90's. You'd swear industrial action never happened before by some people's reaction, actually next month is the centenary of the 1913 lock out.

rx8

Dublin Bus, and CIE in general, are all family run companies. The amount of cronyism and nepotism that permeates through all levels of management, right to the very top, is unbelievable.
Everyone is looking over their shoulder to see that it's not them who is losing out, or taking a cut.
Nobody in management gives a damn about Drivers, Mechanics or Office staff (even though most of them got their jobs through relations), and all they care about is their golden handshakes and big pensions that are coming to them.

This needs to end, and the company needs to be run by people who have pride in their work, and who will have some interest in both the travelling public, and the people who are at the coal-face, providing the service to them.

Buildings don't need to be painted every year,budgets need to be looked at so that money is not spent unnecessarily and stupidly. We're fed up with seeing wanton waste and needless spending just for the sake of it.

All the staff want this strike to be over, but if some changes come of it, then it might ultimately be worthwhile.

Cookie_Monster

the masses don't support the strikers, unsurprisingly enough.
should be an entertaining read too
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057008042#

gerbilgranny

sim3620 wrote: »

Bull, i think they where bus drivers. They where either wearing the uniform ,so you know they where drivers, or you are making up this little story.

Yes, they were wearing uniform....so I guess both of them were drivers. I suppose no other Dublin Bus staff wear uniforms like that.

I hadn't been planning on scrutinising them - they were just seated near me, and I couldn't help but hear the conversation.

I am certainly not making up the story, I'm an 'ordinary worker' myself, and a member of a union. In my job we've had to put up with cuts and longer working hours. It's not nice, but I can't see the logic in employees wanting to do Dublin Bus out of money.

We - passengers - complain about bus fares, but I've got an 87-year old relative who lives 'down the country'. He's got free travel - but there's no bus service in his town, so he has to pay €15 to get a taxi to get to collect his pension and go to the supermarket for his shopping. The people in his town pay the same tax as those of us in Dublin who can avail of public transport.

Gael23

Not allowing the bus lanes to be used is a crime -absolute disgrace. Looking forward to Joe Duffy tomorrow!

Cookie_Monster

ryanf1 wrote: »

Not allowing the bus lanes to be used is a crime -absolute disgrace. Looking forward to Joe Duffy tomorrow!

they are being used by other companies, ES, taxis, motorbikes and cyclists. Blocking them with traffic needlessly would be a worse crime.

devnull

Why should other bus companies who are not striking have to suffer because Dublin Bus staff have gone on strike? It is not their fault.

WhatNowForUs?

devnull wrote: »

The maximum legal capacity of a Dublin Bus is not 124, it's lower than that even on the VT's, of which there are not many of them, but any excuse in order to try and exaggerate your point.

I would want anyone who operates Dublin Bus to hold the relevant licenses and also the certificate of professional competence that has been brought in. Have Dublin Bus drivers yet ensure they have all their CPC modules yet?



I think that drivers needing to have a proper rest period after doing a shift is a very sensible idea, since it will ensure that they are refreshed when they come to driving on the road, as everyone knows that a tired driver is not going to be so alert as one who has had appropriate levels of rest and sleep.

For someone to come on here and say that qualified drivers who hold licenses and certificates of professional competence are dangerous even if they are fully refreshed, just kind of sends out the message that Dublin Bus drivers think they are better than drivers of other companies. I'd rather have a refreshed, qualified certified driver than someone who hasn't had the appropriate rest who is a much greater danger on the road.



Another unrealistic proposal that both you and me know is not going to happen so it's pointless bringing it up, as I keep saying, no cuts to management will raise anywhere near the amount of money the company needs to. Even if you cut 100 managers by 10k each, it still only raises €1m out of the €11.7m figure that the company is looking for.

Its about leadership. If management take a significant cut in their pay it is more likely that the rest of the company will follow. Leadership Leadership Leadership dreaming of happy dreams political leadership ahhhh. Night all