M803UYA
Member
The Stagecoach opco I worked at bought a former municipal operation some years ago. They imposed their normal terms and conditions for anyone joining from that date onwards, and the inheirited staff retained their municipal terms and conditions.
Given the rate of staff turnover, it took 18 months for the 'new terms and conditions' to apply to 60% of the staff.
I don't see why GNW wouldn't apply the same principle here. Other parts of Go Ahead have done so and they have also withstood strike action.
If GNW is doing well at upsetting it's staff (they seem to be doing well with the union) it won't take too long for said 'new' terms to apply to most of the operation. I'd be interested to know what enhanced terms First were paying staff compared to lower cost operations - is it something like a pension scheme, or just a higher rate of pay, or fixed hours which mean a lot of make up pay in duties and rosters? What is the rate of staff turnover at GNW, compared to other operations? Can't say Manchester would be a lovely peaceful place in which to drive buses, so one imagines it's the traditional set up where people get trained by the company, work their training bond and bale through the most convenient time of exit onto coaches/lorries etc.
Given the rate of staff turnover, it took 18 months for the 'new terms and conditions' to apply to 60% of the staff.
I don't see why GNW wouldn't apply the same principle here. Other parts of Go Ahead have done so and they have also withstood strike action.
If GNW is doing well at upsetting it's staff (they seem to be doing well with the union) it won't take too long for said 'new' terms to apply to most of the operation. I'd be interested to know what enhanced terms First were paying staff compared to lower cost operations - is it something like a pension scheme, or just a higher rate of pay, or fixed hours which mean a lot of make up pay in duties and rosters? What is the rate of staff turnover at GNW, compared to other operations? Can't say Manchester would be a lovely peaceful place in which to drive buses, so one imagines it's the traditional set up where people get trained by the company, work their training bond and bale through the most convenient time of exit onto coaches/lorries etc.
As for the buy out of conditions.... I've no idea what Terms and Conditions those drivers are on and what the average take home is like, in comparison to the market rate? Are Go Ahead trying to get somewhere near the going rate so that they might be better placed if/when franchising comes to Manchester, less they be undercut by someone else? The union are making their play about the £5k bung being wiped out in 2.5 years by the £2k p.a. cut in pay (so their maths works out). The firm want to buy out the terms and conditions and they're not going to give money for nothing, and it will need a reasonable payback period. I'm sure the union know that and it's part of their positioning.