Bus drivers set to strike

9:34am Friday 8th February 2013 in News By Hannah White

BUS drivers at Wilts & Dorset could be set to strike over changes to working conditions.

Transport union RMT began balloting its 500 members on January 23 over changes to shifts, sign on and off times, and meal breaks.

More than 70 per cent of members voted in favour of strike action, with a larger majority voting for other forms of action.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: “This overwhelming mandate for action will now be considered by RMT’s executive and demonstrates to the company the strength of feeling on the shop floor and the determination among our members to stop the attacks on terms and conditions and to secure workplace justice from this wealthy company.”

A Wilts & Dorset spokesman said: “We remain in discussions with RMT and hopefully we can find the right outcome so as to minimise disruption to passengers.”

Comments(10)

PLATO23 says...
11:05am Fri 8 Feb 13

What a great idea, perhaps while they are on strike they can read the highway code and learn that a red light means stop and not carry on going because you think its ok as you are a bus. Also they should take notice of the fact that bus stops are painted parallel to the kerb not at a 45 degree angle, which seems to be the normal practice when stopping a bus, this then blocks the road causing a queue of traffic which could have been avoided.

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Michael66P says...
12:30pm Fri 8 Feb 13

Presumably "traffic" are people who have cars, many of whom like Plato23, seem to feel that when they are locked inside their little bubbles, have sole rights to the roads and can wave their fists, text on their phones, (if they can't find a bus stop to pull into), blare their horns, shout at other bubbles and throw out litter. Plato23 sounds that he's one of those.

Maybe he should read the Highway Code again just to make sure he's perfect.

We all pay for the roads whether through VAT, income tax or the diesel tax included in bus prices.

A strike will isolate my wife and I in our home for as long as it lasts and I hope if we stand at a bus stop, a bubble will stop to offer us a lift - in my dreams.

Of course, we could decide to amble along the Blandford Road into Poole at 4mph and cause the bubbles to go through all their silly habits at us - what a queue that would make.

I can hear it already - "They shouldn't be allowed to do that".

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Grampie says...
1:45pm Fri 8 Feb 13

I suppose some local political dignity will say that the ballot is not valid because the passengers were not consulted.

Some of the drivers can be grumpy, but if the employers are making their conditions worse, I can understand why.

I do not know what the issues are, but I expect it is about working split shifts, an awful way to run your life.

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karlmarx says...
1:55pm Fri 8 Feb 13

"to stop the attacks on terms and conditions"

There's that phrase again. Now, where have we seen this before?

That's right, Salisbury Foundation Trust.

A pattern emerging?

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karlmarx says...
1:59pm Fri 8 Feb 13

Why can't the drivers just be given a slap on the wrist, a £750,000 golden handshake and a £2million pension like they do in the city of London banking empire.

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PLATO23 says...
5:02pm Fri 8 Feb 13

In reply to Michael66P,
You presume i am an agressive driver which is incorrect, I just think traffic should be able to flow correctly and when you have a bus sticking out into the road because they cant be bothered to stop correctly (which i imagine doesn't make to best angle for you and your wife to get on and off of the bus either) it makes it very difficult to get by safely and so the bus driver is inviting an accident to happen.

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hillyanne says...
5:32pm Fri 8 Feb 13

I often catch the X3 to Bournemouth for the day and each time I thank the driver when I alight for a very pleasant journey.I am a driver,too, so I admire their patience and courtesy when other drivers are impatient and who ignore the H.Code:-"allow buses to pull out"or similar wording.

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Grampie says...
7:23pm Fri 8 Feb 13

http://www.spirefm.c
o.uk/news/local-news
/890297/bus-driver-s
trike-avoided/ sounds like it is settled

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Michael66P says...
4:21pm Sat 9 Feb 13

Plato23 & hillyanne: What shall we do if the strike is called off?

Plato23 - My wife and I have both been drivers for almost 50 years, but an illness has meant we have put the car on ice (metaphorically) for a few months and suddenly there's a different viewpoint. Buses have become a new discovery and sitting upstairs watching drivers and their performances is just amazing - as they say, if it were a film, everyone would say it's too ridiculous, but it isn't. It goes through your mind "surely, I wasn't like that, was I"

Hence my comments to you Plato23. I didn't mean to suggest you were aggressive, but have a look when you're about, with fresh objective eyes at the others.

Buses are like stepping back 50 years. Kids just get up and offer their seats to older people. People help disabled people with their bags, frames and even disabled scooters - no one waves their fists or swears; it's odd. Virtually everyone says "Thank you" to the driver when they get off. People even smile at each other.

And then you leave Wonderland and hope that a large black bubble on the school run and furiously texting notices that are half way across the pedestrian crossing.

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karlmarx says...
2:28am Sun 10 Feb 13

Michael66P wrote:
Plato23 & hillyanne: What shall we do if the strike is called off?

Plato23 - My wife and I have both been drivers for almost 50 years, but an illness has meant we have put the car on ice (metaphorically) for a few months and suddenly there's a different viewpoint. Buses have become a new discovery and sitting upstairs watching drivers and their performances is just amazing - as they say, if it were a film, everyone would say it's too ridiculous, but it isn't. It goes through your mind "surely, I wasn't like that, was I"

Hence my comments to you Plato23. I didn't mean to suggest you were aggressive, but have a look when you're about, with fresh objective eyes at the others.

Buses are like stepping back 50 years. Kids just get up and offer their seats to older people. People help disabled people with their bags, frames and even disabled scooters - no one waves their fists or swears; it's odd. Virtually everyone says "Thank you" to the driver when they get off. People even smile at each other.

And then you leave Wonderland and hope that a large black bubble on the school run and furiously texting notices that are half way across the pedestrian crossing.
A very good point! I hadn't thought much about it. I use both public transport and a car and, while I was on the bus yesterday I observed the behaviour you mentioned. You are spot on, peoples attitude changes when they get behind the wheel or, step on a bus. I do exactly the same when I am driving I have to admit.

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