Wildcat bus drivers strike in Limerick City busses

billy the squid

If you are wondering why you had to walk to work this morning it is because bus drivers decided to call a work stoppage because of a dispute over whether their roster should be written or typed.

pedantic assholes. does it really make a difference? No doubt these pricks will be looking for a "change of work practice" compensation as their roster will be easier to read and will take up less time at the start of their shift, thus forcing them to get to work 30 seconds earlier.

motormouthmable

but at least the streets were not blocked by busses. just 5 minutes from castletroy into town today!!!

if someone deserves the right to strike than only the customers! those busdrivcers (pricks indeed) are the very last ones who have the right to strike! with their ****ty attitude towards the passengers - every single one of then should be sacked!!!!!

Champ

Ah i posted my own thread about this in the commute forum:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=52194791#post52194791

How did you find out what it was about? All i could get was that there was an unoffical strike.

billy the squid

Champ wrote:

Ah i posted my own thread about this in the commute forum:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=52194791#post52194791

How did you find out what it was about? All i could get was that there was an unoffical strike.

I have some fellas working over one of the drivers in my basement

no actually it was stated on Limerick Today this morning.

lasno

Now where might one look for info on a bus drivers work stoppage....the Bus Eireann website........Nothing. Typical of customer service!

ninty9er

Sack the lot and give the jobs to some deserving soul on the dole.

They are not protected by any legislation sice they did not to my knowledge hold a ballot nor did they give 1 week notice to their employer, nullifying their protection under employment legislation.

BobTheBeat

Unbelievable.... I despise the mentality of these people. I heard from many people who work with CIE/Bus Eireann/Iarnroid Eireann and when talking about people who work for the company they say "Oh yeah, that fella, his father used work in the coach works/Station etc., and he was the same as him, a gurrier." I get the impression that these people are still fighting the fight of their fathers.

Are the unions to blame, or just this element that cannot be weeded out? And this is a scumbag element.They wouldnt work to warm themselves, the b*****ds.

Champ

no actually it was stated on Limerick Today this morning.
Yesterday 09:30

I really should try to wake up earlier in the morning, where i can listen to such news instead of running out the door half awake:D.

Back to the topic.

Are the unions to blame, or just this element that cannot be weeded out? And this is a scumbag element.They wouldnt work to warm themselves, the b*****ds.
Yesterday 13:35

I'd say its a combination. I know quite a lot of the drivers from my regular commutes, and the majority of them are dedicated, friendly people who take their work seriously. Probably a small but noticable segment would constitute the undesirables which are determined to milk their position as much as they can under the pretense of workers' rights. They cry foul and the others have no choice but to follow their union's actions.

Possible solutions:
(A) Get rid of the troublemakers. Probably the most efficent solution, were it not for the fact that they'd use the union shield.
(B) Secretly get private companies in place to offer competition. When they're ready, just announce it. I'd expect the union to go on strike, but the public would hopefully have some sembelance of a service available to take over. I know not going to happen, but we can hope;)
(C) Make the law so that public workers can't strike, and take a hardline stance. Take after the PATCO example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Air_Traffic_Controllers_Organization
(D) Okay i'll admit this one is a bit naive and shortsighted. Dismantle the unions on the basis that if your not happy with your job just leave and get another one. I think this is what most private sector workers do:D

Ok i probably sound a bit anti-union in regards to public services but this derives from my own experiences:
(1) This strike.
(2) The train strike from before. Refresher = new trains. Claim was unsufficent training and in very small print a salary hike.
(3) A past strike because a driver got disciplined for inappropriate behaviour.
(4) A past strike as they claimed Kavanagh & Sons were running an illegeal Limerick - Shannon route. Oh yes strike and the public will be in support of you and not the latter company which is theoratically providing an alternative non striking service.;)
(5) A past strike as Bus Eireann contracted out a minor run to a smaller company instead of buying a new bus and hiring a new driver.

Number 4 in particular makes me question the mentality of the unions who organise these strikes e.g. we don't see AMD striking over the actions of Intel.
Either way i'm resigned to the fact that the unions will probably be kicking and screaming before they'd allow themselves to face up to the harsh realities of the modern world.

billy the squid

(D) Okay i'll admit this one is a bit naive and shortsighted. Dismantle the unions on the basis that if your not happy with your job just leave and get another one. I think this is what most private sector workers do

I think that might actually be illegal as you are constitutionally entitled to be a member of a trade union. What the private sector and the multi nationals do is prevent unions from entering their workspace rather than dismantle one that is already there. They will also try to keep them relatively happy thus keeping the idea of unions out of their heads.

They cannot sack a person simply because they are in a union.

Champ

I think that might actually be illegal as you are constitutionally entitled to be a member of a trade union. What the private sector and the multi nationals do is prevent unions from entering their workspace rather than dismantle one that is already there. They will also try to keep them relatively happy thus keeping the idea of unions out of their heads.

New pay survey points to 40% public/private pay gap

http://www.irn.ie/issues/article_unreg.asp?id=10719&issueType=1

You'd think the better pay would keep the public workers happy enough.. and thus keep union hassle to a minimum?;)

BobTheBeat

Champ wrote:

http://www.irn.ie/issues/article_unreg.asp?id=10719&issueType=1

You'd think the better pay would keep the public workers happy enough.. and thus keep union hassle to a minimum?;)

Good point. I wasnt aware of that much of a gap between the two sectors. I must get myself a job in the public sector