Bus drivers to vote on possible industrial action

Run_to_da_hills

Any attempt to sack bus drivers will only precipitate industrial action, the National Bus and Rail Union has warned.

The union, which represents drivers in Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, will begin balloting members on Thursday if the companies press ahead with cutbacks.

This could be fun, If this goes ahead taxis will get more business (Provided they dont join them)

http://news.eircom.net/breakingnews/general/14884010/

godtabh

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

This could be fun, If this goes ahead taxis will get more business (Provided they dont join them)

People who have a car will drive.

People who dont will call in sick/wont go to work. Not many people can afford or will want to get a taxi to work

Cookie_Monster

Hopefully strikes will be held in a manner that won't bring Dublin to a standstill and customers will be given decent notice unlike last time

seamus

Of all the public services, bus drivers probably hold the most sway purely because without them a massive chunk of people simply cannot get to work.
It also has the knock-on effect of causing most other to attempt to drive, meaning that the only people in work on time (or at all) are those on bikes (motor or pedal) and those who walk. Which is a tiny percentage of the total.

I'm secretly hoping that they do it on a Monday because it'll be a bit of a wake up call to businesses to learn to adapt to teleworking and to commuters to find alternative modes of transport. I am aware of the chaos it would cause though.

cooperla

I partially support the drivers on this one.

Letting people go is taking the easy way out. There has to be better ways to cut costs and I question how much effort those in charge have given to saving money. We need a better public transport system and I doubt this will help.

I'd like to see the bus drivers come public with some real and viable alternative measures to save this money - it could help to improve their image and show they are willing to do their part.

Cookie_Monster

cooperla wrote: »

I partially support the drivers on this one.

Letting people go is taking the easy way out. There has to be better ways to cut costs and I question how much effort those in charge have given to saving money. We need a better public transport system and I doubt this will help.

I'd like to see the bus drivers come public with some real and viable alternative measures to save this money - it could help to improve their image and show they are willing to do their part.

+1
Cutting mid management and role duplication is required more than cutting services. The drivers need to take some pain in helping to make the service more efficient in regards to changover points and shift patterns but these changes should be minor compared to the proper cost saving measures that need to be brought it.(whatever they may be in the end)

jhegarty

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

bring Dublin to a standstill

How would we tell ?

godtabh

jhegarty wrote: »

How would we tell ?

things will go in reverse

Run_to_da_hills

Its going ahead now. JC Decauz better hurry up with those bicycles

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/commuters-face-chaos-as-bus-drivers-vote-to-strike-1638374.html

bk

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Its going ahead now. JC Decauz better hurry up with those bicycles

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/commuters-face-chaos-as-bus-drivers-vote-to-strike-1638374.html

Ottawa in Canada has just come out of a 53 day bus strike (mostly ended as Obama is due to visit soon!!).

For the most part the city kept running, people found alternatives, car pooling, work from home, taxis, etc. (and bikes and walking isn't an option there as they are in the depth of Canadian winter at the moment).

Many people there say they will now never return to the bus.

I wonder if bus drivers will be able to get by without two months without pay? Because it might just come down to that here.

There is a big danger for bus drivers here that it will just raise support amongst the general public for the privatisation of Dublin Bus.

Heroditas

Sorry if it's been mentioned already but the 90 route is being axed?
I guess demand for it has dropped since the LUAS started

Dub13

Heroditas wrote: »

Sorry if it's been mentioned already but the 90 route is being axed?
I guess demand for it has dropped since the LUAS started

Thats a strange one,I have found the 90 faster than the Luas more often that not.

mdebets

I fully support the drivers in their actions. I hope however they are opting for no-fee days (or weeks), rather than full-out strikes as it would do more to bring the public behind them rather than pissing them off.

Cutting services in a recession is really not the way to go. Instead services should be increased. They might be able to do some cuts in overhead functions, but not in the actuall service. With more and more people out of work or having to take pay-cuts, there are more people who might need the bus because they need to save money on the car.

meanmachine3

Heroditas wrote: »

Sorry if it's been mentioned already but the 90 route is being axed?

i could nearly reply to every quote here but i'll do my best to explain things. to answer you question about the 90 rte. no it's not, it's not on the list as of yet..this strike isn't mainly about the 160 drivers being let go. it's about serious changes in work practises that the company want to introduce, i know of drivers who will be down over €120 a week in their wages if these changes are implemented. most bus drivers are not on the 60,70k alot of you presume we are on. last year i came out with less than 32k. my take home pay is less than €500 p/w.some posters here i assume have lost their jobs or are about to, some of you i'm sure will have to give back your car. dublin bus want to make severe changes to routes across the city by taking buses off routes. that means there will be less buses for those of you that use them, rely on them or will have no choice but to use them in the near future.
the unions weren't consulted about the changes, they were brought to a meeting and told this is what we want basically take it or leave it, the ballot for industrial action was and still is a last resort. i'm a marked in driver ( i have my own route) and i am serioulsly concerned about the changes dublin bus are making and the affect it will have on my passengers. i've up-loaded the changes. the ones marked in orange are the routes that are going to get cuts.all the rest are euro's.

Cookie_Monster

@meanmachine3

does that mean effectivly the 111 is gone altogether
There were/are only 3/4 busses on that route anyway.

How does that effect the 7. 10th and 14th service axed and an additional 3 busses withdrawm, totaling 5 withdrawn altogether. Am I reading that right? Or is that staff rather/journies than busses?

meanmachine3

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

@meanmachine3

does that mean effectivly the 111 is gone altogether
There were/are only 3/4 busses on that route anyway.

How does that effect the 7. 10th and 14th service axed and an additional 3 busses withdrawm, totaling 5 withdrawn altogether. Am I reading that right? Or is that staff rather/journies than busses?

they are taking 3 buses of the 111 ,2 buses off 114/115 and 3 buses off the number 7 route. the 10th and 14 are what we call extra works they're slotted onto routes to help them out at peak times. there is a driver ratio of 1/1.55. so for every 2 marked in drivers they have to basically get rid of another ( spare driver)
the most important thing to look at is the numbers under the word buses. these are the actual amount of buses being taken of each route that is high lighted

Cookie_Monster

meanmachine3 wrote: »

they are taking 3 buses of the 111 ,2 buses off 114/115 and 3 buses off the number 7 route. the 10th and 14 are what we call extra works they're slotted onto routes to help them out at peak times. there is a driver ratio of 1/1.55. so for every 2 marked in drivers they have to basically get rid of another ( spare driver)
the most important thing to look at is the numbers under the word buses. these are the actual amount of buses being taken of each route that is high lighted

So the 111 is effectivly axed then, I've never seen more than 4 busses run this route a day. (It drives by my house). With only 3 runs an hour in each direction they only ever needed 4 buses to man it anyway.

SickCert

Yes the 111 is going to the wall BUT there is history of the late shift covering late 75s and brokendown 59s so many wont miss (after dark) unless your a dart user! During the day this is an important service carrying OAP passes etc. (NO CASH)
The 115 is going down the same toilet too, this being two OT duties which did a couple of runs on the 114. This is also a FREE pass users service bringing a few workers into Sandyford then a handful of OAPs down from the estates.

Cookie_Monster

SickCert wrote: »

Yes the 111 is going to the wall BUT there is history of the late shift covering late 75s and brokendown 59s so many wont miss (after dark) unless your a dart user! During the day this is an important service carrying OAP passes etc. (NO CASH)
The 115 is going down the same toilet too, this being two OT duties which did a couple of runs on the 114. This is also a FREE pass users service bringing a few workers into Sandyford then a handful of OAPs down from the estates.

The 7 can still do that. More often than not a 111 and 7 would turn up at exactly the same time anyway.

SickCert

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

The 7 can still do that. More often than not a 111 and 7 would turn up at exactly the same time anyway.

3 busses are also be removed from the 7s too (6/7 duties approx)

List
http://sickcert.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=6825&page=1#19958

meanmachine3

SickCert wrote: »

3 busses are also be removed from the 7s too (6/7 duties approx)

List
http://sickcert.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=6825&page=1#19958

if this doesnt work see my list on post no14 click on image

spareman

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

So the 111 is effectivly axed then, I've never seen more than 4 busses run this route a day. (It drives by my house). With only 3 runs an hour in each direction they only ever needed 4 buses to man it anyway.

111 axed, 3 buses axed from 7 route, 3 buses=9 drivers=20 laps=40 departures gone from timetable.

Make no mistake cookie, these cutbacks will be hardest felt between dun loaghaire and Loughlinstown park, blackrock ok because they got the 4/4a.

There was a protest in Dun Loaghaire today over these cutbacks, looked a very small number of people protesting, I dont think people relize the extend of the cutbacks in certain areas of Dublin.