Do You Support The Bus Drivers - Yes Or No

[La_Dolce_Vita]

Yes, but...no

[GD4ELI]

It's important to show that the government is in charge, and for once is actually governing.

Even if it's both incompetent and wrong?

 

Government is elected to govern; if they can't do that then there's no hope.

 

My yardstick is curbing the excesses at Ronaldsway, the bus drivers is something they must also address.

 

Unions, lawyers, advocates, general riff-raff have run rings around Manx politicians for decades.

[Albert Tatlock]

It's important to show that the government is in charge, and for once is actually governing.

Even if it's both incompetent and wrong?

 

Government is elected to govern; if they can't do that then there's no hope.

 

My yardstick is curbing the excesses at Ronaldsway, the bus drivers is something they must also address.

 

Unions, lawyers, advocates, general riff-raff have run rings around Manx politicians for decades.

Getting involved with employees providing services that government should not be providing in the first place is not governing.

[thebees]

Absolutely 100%. It is not about the price it is the principal - they had a contract to demand they take another is wrong, that is it, plain and simple. Arse to their bosses, pay no poll tax, solidarity!

[alibaba]

While I had sympathy with their plight they can just fuck off now. Strike strike strike. Wankers.

[Beelzebub3]

This dispute is a smokescreen to what is really happening behind the scenes at Bus Vannin, IMO the management want to privatise, come in Mr Longworth, who has has a wealth of experience in this field looks at the books and knows there is no way a private company can afford to pay the T&Cs of the drivers and make a profit, come in Mr Black, the management try to do away with the existing T&Cs and re-employ the drivers with more favourable T&Cs. The management know that 75% of the drivers will not accept this so the drivers are given 90 days notice to comply with new contracts (cheaper than reduncancies) which have been signed under duress by the majority of drivers, come in Mr Union, Our members will not accept the new T&Cs we want to go to arbitration come in Mr Cregeen "but we have no money to pay the drivers existing T&Cs" getting the public behind the management and letting on that they want to save taxpayers money. In reality this is a no win situation for any side other than a private company who will come in and save the day by taking over the transport system Mr Longworth will keep his job as will Mr Black as the private company still need managed on the Government side and bus services which are not profitable will be dropped in favour of the profitable routes. This has happened on the adjacent Islands and the only people to suffer are the travelling public and the taxpayer.

[carbon selector]

Much as it pains me to go against my ever growing slightly socialist principles and much as it pains me to agree with LDV, I use his quote:

 

Yes, but...no

[thebees]

Longworth is a c word.

[Shake me up Judy]

Good post Beelzebub. Pretty much on the money I'd say.

[mollag]

Yes, for the same reasons as Homarus, plus the fact that Government can seemingly rip up a Contract of Employment and start again as and when it suits them.

Yes for me also, as with the above, never could be doing with the manx crab habit of deciding what others are entitled to earn or not.

[Chinahand]

All contracts have a notice period - there is nothing wrong with a company giving notice on a contract that is no longer in its interests.

 

Having a union outsider come in and pretend they can identify how a company can most effectively make savings without access to the management accounts etc is laughable, and sorry I don't have much truck with attempts to make this a class struggle - if someone is looking for savings they'll do a pareto analysis or similar and identify the largest area where the greatest savings can be made. Knocking 20% off senior managements salary makes great politics, but is insignificant compared to costs of direct labour.

 

I would hope the total renumeration of the senior management is variable with them liable to loose over 20% of it if they don't perform.

 

If an organization wishes to reorganize itself, give notice on its contracts and renegotiate new ones it can.

 

The bus services are massively subsidized - I'm pretty sure no private company would be interested in running them even after the reforms. The only issue is saving money for tax payer by reducing the subsidy as costs are reduced.

[Fossils]

Good post Beelzebub. Pretty much on the money I'd say.

 

+1

[manxman1980]

Interesting to see the comments that one party should not be able to ignore the contracts of employment of the bus drivers but then going on to say that action should be taken in relation to the contracts of employment given to management.

 

The law around contracts of employment is clear and has been well established over a number of years and subjected to challenge in the Courts. Employers can force a change if needed and those affected by such enforced changes have a right to take the matter before the Employment Tribunals. The Employment Tribunal will consider whether the Employer has attempted to consult about the changes with a view to reaching an agreement. If they have and they have complied with required notice periods then they will win.

[IOMRS97]

Good post Beelzebub. Pretty much on the money I'd say.

 

+1

+ 1

[EORH]

As Sir Humpy says,"In principle yes,but not in practice"