Go-Ahead Ireland Drivers to Strike!

saulmerton

If it was DB it would have its own thread and be full of anti DB bile, so why not a dedicated GAI thread?

4-hour work stoppages on 1 and 8 March with pickets being placed at the company's depots in Ballymount, Dublin and Naas, Co Kildare.

"SIPTU representatives conducted a ballot for industrial action of our members employed by Go-Ahead Ireland on 20 December,"

"In the ballot, an overwhelming majority voted for industrial action if management continued to refuse to engage on the issue of pay,"

SIPTU says that a current collective agreement takes no account of significant cost-of-living increases.

----------------------------

DB is also a power keg , drivers pissed big style about the "vote" for the recent pay deal, you poster round here don't realise just how bad the situation is, DB/GAI pay and conditions are not good, look at the Tallaght regular violence, the GAI exodus of drivers to DB for better pay and conditions , these GAI drivers have moved to DB and after the recent pay /conditions "Vote" have jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

For real it wont take much for all of DB to go on strike, a Tallaght escalation coupled with the anger from the recent DB "vote" for pay and conditions and it will get very interesting.

No end of money for Ukrainians and so called refugees, yet DB/GAI drivers get crumbs, powder keg waiting a spark!

For sure this part of boards will get very busy in the coming months unless big changes happen.

Fizzy Duck

Just left the depot. Haven't seen or heard mention of this powder keg like atmosphere. 🤷‍♂️

Burt Renaults

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058283793/go-ahead-ireland-drivers-to-strike

I heard they were 24-hour work stoppages, not 4-hour.

No idea why you're mentioning refugees, btw. This is a wealthy country; it can afford to pay public transport workers well, whilst also behaving decently towards people fleeing war-torn countries.

standardg60

It's shocking tbh, i've no idea why we're not leaving this country en masse, burning our passports on the way and trying our luck in Africa

end of the road

it was a question of when not if there would be a strike at go ahead ireland, showing once again that private operations do not stop strikes, fare rises or staff seeking pay rises.

100% support to the workers in their vital action as part of their vital fight for a fair days wage for a fair days work.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227110#Comment_120227110

What is fair? What figure would you consider fair for a bus driver?

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227152#Comment_120227152

A lot more than what's on offer. It's a stressful skilled job to drive a 10m long vehicle with 100 people on board through a medieval city where every other road user cuts you up and on top of that they have to deal with the public, ask anyone who works in retail what people are like.

mikeybhoy

Of course Go-Ahead drivers were always going to be pissed off by the fact they are getting less money and poorer working conditions for doing the exact same job as DB drivers. It was only a matter of time before a strike.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227152#Comment_120227152

I haven't got a figure but its clear that whats on offer isnt enough. I know the thread is specific to GAI but the figures advertised on Dublin Buses that are driving around aren't that appealing. So like any other market it comes down to supply and demand. If public transport is the answer to our climate woes then public transport workers need to be well paid enough until we have too many people wanting to be bus drivers. Most of the threads on this forum come to the same conclusion which is a shortage of drivers. It needs to be a more attractive role.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227776#Comment_120227776

Why haven't those drivers joined Dublin Bus then?

Aren't bus drivers leaving Dublin Bus too?

mikeybhoy

Not everyone can. Some go to DB and fail the driving assessment, interview or medical. Some live closer to Ballymount than any DB garage.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227920#Comment_120227920

If they fail a driving assessment or medical at a similar company should they be driving for GAI?

It's quite normal for different companies to have different rates of pay for similar work though. I don't think that pay rates at Dublin Bus should be part of the reason for striking though. Use them as a comparison maybe but thats about it. The fact that GAI drivers want better pay and/or conditions is reason enough.

Just an example but should AIB and Bank of Ireland employees be paid the same? I don't think they should and if one can't get staff they'll try attract staff from the other with better salary etc. This is what should be happening in the labour market for bus drivers. Instead you have two companies with rigid salary scales who are both complaining about shortages of drivers.

Dr Turk Turkelton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227152#Comment_120227152

We should look at the drivers wages from other countries and look to pay similar in my opinion.

Not fair on the Irish drivers too earn less than drivers from other similar cities.

Does anyone know the sort of rates paid to drivers in Madrid, Berlin Lisbon for example and we could base the rates here off these comparable places and get our drivers in line with these guys.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120228004#Comment_120228004

to be fair while i get what you are saying, there is a difference here between GAI and dublin bus and other companies and industries in that GAI and dublin bus are both contracted by a central authority to operate services on behalf of that authority.

so they are effectively an extention of that authority.

if they were both operating of their own accord then the same market forces as would apply to the banks would and should apply to them.

Daith

That's not how it works. It's no different to any company outsourcing to another company to supply services.

Fully support any worker wanting better conditions but there's no automatic right for GAI workers to be on the same conditions as a DB worker. It's a very common scenario.

DB should be used as a comparison for them and how they're struggling to get workers and how valuable they are in current climate, in addition to any BusConnects rollout. I'd steer clear of saying Ukrainians are getting all the money though.

mikeybhoy

Outsourcing is a race to the bottom full stop. When something is outsourced the outsourced company always pays less than in-house. For example I used work in a place that employed its cleaners in house then it was outsourced and the cleaners were paid less than the in-house cleaners.

Daith

I would tend to agree but that's the current situation. GAI bid for this contract, they're an independent organization and the NTA or Government have really little to do with wages.

Again, not me saying GAI workers shouldn't get better pay, but the "we're both doing same job" isn't particularly unusual.

I always thought having some private entity operating some routes didn't make much sense.

Burt Renaults

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120229671#Comment_120229671

Ironically, GAI did the exact opposite. They used to outsource cleaning, but eventually decided to poach them all from the contractor and employ them in-house on better wages.

Qŵèrþÿ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227920#Comment_120227920

If they passed the GA medical then surely they’d pass the DB medical?

What does the interview and assessment involve btw? It’s not a job I could ever do. They have my full respect.

Burt Renaults

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120229901#Comment_120229901

I know quite a few drivers in DB who failed either the interview or driving assessment, and then successfully reapplied a year later. It's quite arbitrary, to say the least - and this is true of both companies. I also know a few current DB drivers who originally applied to Go Ahead and didn't even get as far as the interview stage.

standardg60

I'm lost. People who freely apply for a job in full knowledge of what the wages are deserving of 'more'. Nurses are deserving of 'more', guards are deserving of 'more', and as usual supporters of 'more' when asked what that should actually be have no answer.

In a normal world, employees are rewarded individually for how well they do their job. What is wrong with this concept?

Unions are all about collectivisation, everyone is equal and everyone is contributing equally, absolute nonsense. This is the precise reason why the health especially and most other state services fail to operate adequately despite the enormous resources allocated to them.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230378#Comment_120230378

Ever heard of inflation?

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230383#Comment_120230383

Salaries should be frozen or reduced during inflation to tackle it. Increasing salaries is throwing more money into already overheated market which eventually again fueling inflation further.

No secret that Irish government, and particularly the health system, is not efficient. We burn money away because of badly functioning governmental bodies and the health system administration. We need better professional, preferably, other nationalities, as Irish people are simply too slow, lazy, unreliable and inefficient at doing things.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230508#Comment_120230508

What has the health service got to do with a strike in the passenger transport industry?

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230536#Comment_120230536

Both public services, both partly funded from the budget.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230508#Comment_120230508

How much of your salary have you handed back because of inflation?

Burt Renaults

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230508#Comment_120230508

Freezing or reducing salaries doesn't work when there are loads of jobs elsewhere. This is especially true of the transport industry. It also tends not to force prices down, especially during a housing crisis. That needs to be tackled before any salary freeze or reduction could ever be considered.

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120226524#Comment_120226524

The country has a s250 billion debt

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230695#Comment_120230695

Luckily Go-Ahead aren't in that much debt.

Any increase in their wages will result in a higher tax take which may help with the national debt.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230622#Comment_120230622

How much have you saved during the covid lockdowns?

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230378#Comment_120230378

No fan of unions or the hse. But unions get created because of the poor treatment of workers by owners and managers.

The current problems with housing and living costs and policing is partly driven by govt policies.

No smoke without fire.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230631#Comment_120230631

Your suggestion is shortsighted.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230631#Comment_120230631

Exactly this.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230695#Comment_120230695

Comparing to the GDP, that's not a lot. It's still way below the EU average.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230758#Comment_120230758

Why not answer the question

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230631#Comment_120230631

Too many Irish people are focused to their selfish monetary needs. This is why Ireland has became such a greedy country... Job should be something what the individual loves doing. Salary is a compensation, but not a motivator.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230772#Comment_120230772

I just did. But if are struggling, I'll try to be more direct and will try to explain... Inflation is not to be seen as a handing money period, but rather a normal thing in the economic cycle. Inflation is a result of our overspendings. Do you ever complain about the periods of deflation? People rarely notice them as we usually remember negative impacts better and longer.

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230790#Comment_120230790

No you didn't answer it. Maybe it is you that is struggling.

You suggested that people should endure frozen or reduced salaries during periods of inflation.

I'll ask again. How much of your salary have you returned to your employer during this period of inflation?

Padre_Pio

Best of luck to them.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230778#Comment_120230778

It's not an "Irish" thing.

I'm betting you don't work for free...

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230778#Comment_120230778

It's rare that someone finds their vocation, and the realities of life often force people to choose money over job satisfaction.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230790#Comment_120230790

People do complain when the govt doesn't plan for a rainy day. You must have missed it.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230809#Comment_120230809

Kinda hard to feed and house the family on job satisfaction alone.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230805#Comment_120230805

Oh, sir, you didn't like my answer? Are you expecting me to please you with the answer you are expecting to receive? Inflation is a global economic event, nothing to do with an isolated employer. It's much more global, and a one sample is not enough to summarise that. Have you had economy or at least accounting classes at school?

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230809#Comment_120230809

Are they happy living such life?

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230818#Comment_120230818

Exactly.

Which is why it's important to get proper compensation for your job.

To the question of "how much should they get paid?" the answer is "as much as the company can afford and remain profitable".

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230814#Comment_120230814

I haven't missed it. Seen that the Irish government is not capable of planning ahead, forseeing the future, preparing for the obstacles, risk management is poor. Basically, they do nothing until it's already too late... And they don't care what the lunatics are protesting about. I've only seen a one large legitimate protest which was against the water charges. Everything else was a piss in a rain. Government are busy counting their personal debts rather than pleasing a shortsighted society with no logics.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230829#Comment_120230829

Are you happy?

Are any of us happy?

I love my job and I get paid very well for it, but I'd love to be spinning down a coast road in Thailand on a moped and watch the sun set across the bay. At the end of the day I have a mortgage, a pension, bills and family to plan for, same as most people.

If I was struggling I'd be looking for work elsewhere, and if my co-workers were struggling we'd be agitating for better pay. So I support anyone looking for better wages, especially in an industry that's struggling to hire.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230818#Comment_120230818

Meaning the family's spendings doesn't align with the income. Either income has to be increased (gain a qualification and change job) or cut the expenses and stop spoiling the kids.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230845#Comment_120230845

If they want a better pay, they need to proof they're worth it. What can they offer more/better in exchange of a better pay? How did they improve during the period within the company? Is the increased salary adequate to their value brought to the company?

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120230826#Comment_120230826

I understand your position. You expect others to endure reduced wages but you are not willing to do the same.

I also agree with your statement that inflation is nothing to do with an isolated employer. Any increase the drivers at Go-Ahead get won't further fuel inflation.