[NewMan]

Originally Posted by JOakey

What exactly will the bus drivers be doing in excess of their normal duties? If they will be working longer hours, wouldn't they be compensated for that by getting overtime payments?

They'll have to contend with the temporary TARDIS-like qualities of their buses, which will be fuller than they've ever been before and thus more difficult to drive through time and space correctly for the entire duration of the Olympics across every single bus route.

[Kebabhead]

Originally Posted by NewMan

They'll have to contend with the temporary TARDIS-like qualities of their buses, which will be fuller than they've ever been before and thus more difficult to drive through time and space correctly for the entire duration of the Olympics across every single bus route.

More smelly people to cope with

[Mshulla]

Originally Posted by NewMan

An Oxford-educated lawyer? I forsee an apopleptic fit in someone's future. It's a shame you didn't go to Eton too.

Originally Posted by Wore Nowt

It would go down much better if you said that your family were well connected and you used the old boys network to get in

I believe these irrevelant posts say more about you and your attitude

[NewMan]

Originally Posted by Mshulla

I believe these irrevelant posts say more about you and your attitude

Well, it's good you have beliefs. Good luck with that.

[Squiffy]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

well lets put it this way, NO ONE has argued quite as vehemently as i have that showering these clowns with ill deserved bonuses is just plain wrong

OK, well let's put it this way. You made a statement, and you can't back it up. Again.

[GAZBEROTTEN]

Originally Posted by Kebabhead

You do realise they are holding the country to ransom

How are they holding the country to randsom?

[sidicks]

Originally Posted by GAZBEROTTEN

How are they holding the country to randsom?

What else would you call 'threatening to go on strike if they don't get bonuses'?

[NewMan]

Kebabhead's original "witty" comment was, I think, about how it's only restricted to London, so why should anyone else care.

The classic "I'm alright, Jack" attitude.

Edit: Though of course even though the Olympics is only in London, the whole of Great Britain (or just England, to appease all you hangers-on ) would be embarrassed in front of the world, so technically they're holding us all to ransom...

[Jamezinho]

Originally Posted by Jim0882

I'm all for this bonus during the olympics for having to do a little extra work.....

..... because obviously the same will then apply during off peak times when their wages can be halved for driving half empty busses! I think we'll save a fortune in the long run!!

Precisely. Many jobs have seasonal peaks and troughs so it's just a case of taking the rough with the smooth. If the bus drivers want to play that game then drop their wages for off-peak shifts.

[pandemic]

Originally Posted by sidicks

He 'sensed' an awful lot about taxes in Norway and Sweden yet actual investigations shows the poorest in those countries pay higher levels of tax and the rates are less progressive than in the UK.

Only Sweden, Norway taxation still a lot lower than here. It helps to have a small population and oil/gas

[sidicks]

Originally Posted by pandemic

Only Sweden, Norway taxation still a lot lower than here. It helps to have a small population and oil/gas

Yes - I should have been more specific:

Sweden tax system is much less progressive = relatively higher tax on lower incomes

Norway = lower tax than UK

(or basically the opposite of what LGS has claimed...)

Thanks

Sidicks

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by JOakey

What exactly will the bus drivers be doing in excess of their normal duties? If they will be working longer hours, wouldn't they be compensated for that by getting overtime payments?

what exactly do bankers and executives do to deserve their bonuses?Seems like double standards to me. Bonuses for the executives for sitting on their backsides maybe a pushing a pen or shovelling money here and there but sweet fanny adams for bus drivers who will undoubtedly be facing significan increase in workload and stress levels during the games.Thankfully Boris has seen common sense and will grant extra money to cover those well deserved bonuses. Unite should be congratulated for fighting the good fight on behalf of its members

[kav]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

what exactly do bankers and executives do to deserve their bonuses?Seems like double standards to me. Bonuses for the executives for sitting on their backsides maybe a pushing a pen or shovelling money here and there but sweet fanny adams for bus drivers who will undoubtedly be facing significan increase in workload and stress levels during the games.Thankfully Boris has seen common sense and will grant extra money to cover those well deserved bonuses. Unite should be congratulated for fighting the good fight on behalf of its members

Must be disappointing not to be getting a rise out of people in this thread- you're trying so hard too.

[IronGiant]

He certainly is very trying...

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by IronGiant

He certainly is very trying...

I just want people to think and not be so pig headed thats all

[Jamezinho]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

I just want people to think and not be so pig headed thats all

[dejongj]

I am actually for the bus drivers to get there bonus. Although more accurately I am for removing the bonus of all other transport workers, but in absence of that I think it is not fair for the bus drivers not to get anything. Oddly enough they were actually the first to put their "claim" in.

However don't be mistaken I am 100% percent against any of these bonuses for any worker who purely does what it says in their employment contract and do not go above and beyond their expectations. Other than purely linked to performance targets.

The Goverment made a huge mistake caving in to these stupid greedy militant unions whipping up their members. It is pure greed for no additional performance.

[GAZBEROTTEN]

Originally Posted by dejongj

I am actually for the bus drivers to get there bonus. I think it is not fair for the bus drivers not to get anything. Oddly enough they were actually the first to put their "claim" in.

However don't be mistaken I am 100% percent against any of these bonuses for any worker who purely does what it says in their employment contract and do not go above and beyond their expectations.

The Goverment made a huge mistake caving in to these stupid greedy militant unions whipping up their members. It is pure greed for no additional performance.

I would like to bring up this point as well, a lot of bus drivers do things no one is expected to do and even some friendly bus drivers even go out of there way at times. This is exactly why these drivers should be given a bonus when they go beyond there job expectations.

[sidicks]

Originally Posted by GAZBEROTTEN

I would like to bring up this point as well, a lot of bus drivers do things no one is expected to do and even some friendly bus drivers even go out of there way at times.

In what way?

Originally Posted by GAZBEROTTEN

This is exactly why these drivers should be given a bonus when they go beyond there job expectations.

What are they going to be doing 'beyond expectations'??

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by GAZBEROTTEN

I would like to bring up this point as well, a lot of bus drivers do things no one is expected to do and even some friendly bus drivers even go out of there way at times. This is exactly why these drivers should be given a bonus when they go beyond there job expectations.

Do they how? Have you ever been to London? They sit behind their 10"'ish thick perspex ignoring everyone.

I've never seen a bus driver go out of their way, they most definitely don't stop at my house. They stuck to their route

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by sidicks

In what way?


What are they going to be doing 'beyond expectations'??

in what way and how are bankers doing "beyond expectations" other than ****ing up whole countries?

[NewMan]

Looks like it's going ahead (at least in part anyway):



BBC News - London 2012: Bus strike to go-ahead despite injunction

Mr Hendy said: "As I understand it, the bus companies made three offers to supplement this with more of their own money, but the Unite leadership have refused to budge from their position of £500 after tax for everybody, and indeed have asked for more during the course of the negotiations.

"The union leadership have also refused to defer the strike to give time for further negotiations or for any of the offers to be put to their members."

Yep, same old sensible Unions.

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

in what way and how are bankers doing "beyond expectations" other than ****ing up whole countries?

What on earth has that to do with this topic? Unless you know something before us like ATM refillers going on strike because they have to full the ATMs up more regularly? The people will still be working their normal contracted hours regardless of anything.

[IronGiant]

Originally Posted by dejongj

What on earth has that to do with this topic?

Brain dump before finding another topic to rant on?

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by IronGiant

Brain dump before finding another topic to rant on?

A dump yes, but from the brain? really? I

thought it was just pure trolling.

[Surebrec]

Originally Posted by GAZBEROTTEN

I would like to bring up this point as well, a lot of bus drivers do things no one is expected to do and even some friendly bus drivers even go out of there way at times. This is exactly why these drivers should be given a bonus when they go beyond there job expectations.

yeah, they do.. for example:

they deliberately run ahead of schedule, deliberately miss stops when people are waiting, just so they can gain time to take a cigarette break at the side of the road, or to sent text messages. this has happened to me several times, most notably only a few weeks ago when a journey home from manchester that should have taken no more than 30 minutes actually took closer to 45. the driver in question took 3 cig breaks, was stood at the side of the road smoking and got caught up texting so much that he lost track of time. it was only when one of the passengers reminded him that he was supposed to be driving a bus that he replied with "yeah, I won't be a minute". he spent the rest of the journey missing stops, only stopping where people wanted to get off, in a bid to make the time back up, which he didn't do.

they are curt with people who don't have correct change and refuse them entry to the bus when they cannot produce the exact amount

they refuse to do their duty and ask abusive passengers to either calm down or leave the bus.

they refuse to ask passengers who are smoking to cease, even when asked by amother with a young child. this particular time when, yet another shameful incident I witnessed and submitted a complaint about..

I've also witnessed in times gone by drivers deliberately print off a string of tickets, then pass them off as "spoiled", then still sell them to unwitting passengers from behind the change tray, to pocket the money himself. this doesn't happen so much these days since the new ticket machines rolled out, but 10+ years ago, this sort of thing happened quite often.

I'm not tarring and feathering all bus drivers with the same brush, but there are a good number that do the job with a couldn't-care-less attitude.

Originally Posted by dejongj

Do they how? Have you ever been to London? They sit behind their 10"'ish thick perspex ignoring everyone.

I've never seen a bus driver go out of their way, they most definitely don't stop at my house. They stuck to their route

I was always under the impression they weren't employed to go out of their way, and deviating from their planned route was supposedly forbidden for insurance reasons.

my dad who was a personel officer for the local major bus company, from its days as LUT, through GMT, GM Buses and onto first manchester, told me that drivers are purposely advised against unscheduled drop off's and pick up's because they would be personally responsible and would be legally accountable if a passenger was injured outside a bus station or designated stop.

if gaz is implying that drivers deviate from their route by stating they go out of their way, I think it's another example of him not knowing what the hell he is talking about

[dejongj]

To be fair on gaz, I don't think he meant going out if their way literally. I think he meant being helpful beyond what reasonably can be expected to be part of their job.

Unfortunately as per usual he doesn't seem to be up for a discussion about it, not able to actually explain what he meant by it. But hey I much prefer that compared to his bessie mate who just trolls on here now. Shame.

[Kebabhead]

Originally Posted by NewMan

Kebabhead's original "witty" comment was, I think, about how it's only restricted to London, so why should anyone else care.

The classic "I'm alright, Jack" attitude.

LOL and you don't think Londoners adopt this attitude

[la gran siete]

Originally Posted by dejongj

What on earth has that to do with this topic? Unless you know something before us like ATM refillers going on strike because they have to full the ATMs up more regularly? The people will still be working their normal contracted hours regardless of anything.

well lets put it this way there is a certain very vocal caucus of posters ever ready to dismiss or have a go at particular working groups ,like for eg bus drivers, train drivers and postmen because they have the audacity to fight for their rights, but seem very quiet about the scandalous ineptitude incompetence and greed displayed by certain prominent individuals who just happen to be bankers , executives or CEOs of footsie 100 companies .Its down to the likes of me to redress the balance.we should not have a culture where a few get to benefit from massive ill deserved bonuses whilst denying others what is in effect a paltry one

I find the view that we must indulge these greasy individuals for the hand wringing ,limp wristed reason that "they might leave the country" if we dont ,particularly repellant

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by la gran siete

well lets put it this way there is a certain very vocal caucus of posters ever ready to dismiss or have a go at particular working groups ,like for eg bus drivers, train drivers and postmen because of having the audacity to fight for their rights, but seem very quiet about the scandalous ineptitude incompetence and greed displayed by certain prominent individuals who just happen to be bankers , executives or CEOs of footsie 100 companies .Its down to the likes of me to redress the balance.we should not have a culture where a few get to benefit from massive ill deserved bonuses whilst denying others what is in effect a paltry one

Firstly why is it their right? The bonus schemes of those bankers, executives, cep's etc are documented in their contractual arrangements. Tell me where it says that the bus drivers (or any other transport for london affiliated group) have a right to a bonus due to the olympics being in london?

I really don't get how you can sit there with a straight face and draw parallels? Please do explain, as none of the bus drivers that come onto LBC phone in radio have been able either, what is it that they have to do extra? As far as I know passenger numbers are limited on the buses due to maximum capacity, shift hours and patterns stay exactly the same. What extra do they have to perform compared to any other day?