Location Transport

london bus drivers on strike over pay: fair or unfair for the passengers?

i want to ask whether you think the majority of london bus drivers are allowed to go on strike because of pay, considering that certain bus services are not running because of this? today, i with many other people were standing out in the cold, waited ages for our bus routes to turn up, only to look at the small poster which said something like t'he following bus routes will not be running from 20- 26 november'. hence, i had to take an alternative bus route and eventually walk home. the bus routes that weren't running were 98 and 113 to name but a couple. i was pissed off that i was standing at the bus stop for two hours- only to realise they were not running. were you one of the many people having to endure a long wait for a bus to turn up? what do you make of the actions of the bus drivers who refused to drive the buses and instead chose to strike? do you believe that when they go on strike they put themselves first over the passengers needs? what is your view on public transport? i wholeheartedly agree that their pay should be increased. but why should they allow their dilemma affect other passengers in the process? yes, they should be allowed to protest- but only at times when they are not on duty, not when they're supposed to be driving the buses and getting people to their destinations

Public Comments

1. go to work on a egg..........
2. My buses were not affected by the strike - & considering there was more than enough publicity about the strike, you have only yourself to blame for waiting around for a non-existent bus. You should've had the day off, or arranged a lift in to work.
3. Surely it was publicised that there would be a strike. Of course these strikes are unfair to the passengers what would be the point otherwise? Its also unfair when firefighters and teachers strike, not to mention nurses, although the RCN has a no strike policy. Nurses tend to show thier support of strikes on thier days off. Thats why they are still so poorly paid. Maybe if all nurses around the country walked out all at the same time maybe the pay would be increased, ( I know this will never happen, but it would certainly have a massive effect). What is wrong with the bus drivers putting themselves first. Most people go to work to pay the bills, to do that you need enough money.
4. I am probably one of the only bus drivers who will answer this honestly. The Trade Union (TGWU) tend to sell out their members for their own gain and are out dated and superseeded by European Legislation. Much more can be gained by negotiation. With a strike, there is only one winner, the bus company. For every day the drivers strike, the company need not pay their drivers, they are also insured against any loss of revenue due to strike. I know, I broke a strike.
5. When i was working i very rarely took the bus, i cycled everywhere. I also have a fold up bike so if i had to cycle part way and take transport it became handy.
6. Don't get me started on strike action. I didn't even read the question in full - my answer is always the same. I detest any public service which holds the public to ransom, particularly emergency services. If the pay is crap and conditions are crap then quit or don't join. I couldn't give a teeny tiny rats árse about someone getting fired who I've never met. They don't go on strike for me and life can be miserable enough with long commutes to work to pay ever rising council taxes. To then find out that your commute to work will take twice as long because Fred the Tea boy on the buses was fired for habitually turning up for late each day so the buses are on strike and then finding out your house has burnt down because the firefighters are only getting 4 hours of sleep per night on duty rather than 5 is downright ludicrous and unfair.
7. well, that is the only chance the driver will voice out their concern towards company. it sounds weird for me to say it cause it happened to us here in los angeles many years ago. we already paid the monthly passes but no bus, however the company arrange other means to pick the passenger in a specific and/or allotted time different from the regular bus routine. we did get by and mind you, its a rough time in the beginning but we get used to it as long as we are on time on the given schedule. from what i have heard, the driver need increase on their pay, that makes the company increase the fee. that way, the passenger will agree to the hike cause of the situation, they do not want to endure the same scenario, it was a chaos and i can tell you it's not a good sight especially if the weather is contributing worst to the fact . . since then, my husband decided to do the deed of taking me to work in the morning and pick me up from work at night once he get off work, he don't want me to drive so he insist. no hassle for us anymore...
8. How much do they get paid now? I wouldnt go back driving them not even for £20ph too many nutters about. Good luck to them
9. I agree that it is inconvenient and unfair on the travelling public but withdrawal of labour is is the only effective and legal way to protest. OK, they could strike when they were off duty but who would take any notice of that? The sad fact is that most managers, particularly in the private sector, are only concerned with their own bonuses and so will always try to get away with paying the minimum they can get away with unless they are bullied into paying more. Same applies to just about all sectors (apart from MP's who are lucky enough to decide their own salary increases).