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Tue 15 Oct 2002 14:46
London's Public Transport Latest - CM
It seems that the bus drivers are getting very upset that they are being paid £18k compared to the tube drivers (at present - depending if Ken back dates their pay increase etc) £31k.

Expect more strikes.

If public transport keeps getting shut down, albeit for a day or so at a time, how can you expect people to choose PT
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Tue 15 Oct 2002 14:50
London's Public Transport Latest - Thommo
Or alternatively if the only way you can get around London is by public transport then the Unions have got you by the short and curlies and you have to pay up, and in six months time you have to pay up again. Back to the 70's...
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Tue 15 Oct 2002 14:53
London's Public Transport Latest - BrianW
On the other hand:

Bus drivers are responsible for a maximum of about 60 lives.

Tube drivers may be responsible for 600.
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Tue 15 Oct 2002 14:58
London's Public Transport Latest - CM
Also heard that tube fares will probably face a hike to cover the cost. A great way to get cars off the road. I suppose bus fares would have to go up if the drivers got £31k. I don't begrudge a (wo)man earning a decent wage but if they think that they are being under-paid they can also try a different job.

Funniest and most ironic thing about the whole problem was Ken saying that London pays out £20bn more than it receives and if we had all that money then there would be no problems. Me thinks he has changed his politics a bit since he has become Mayor!
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Tue 15 Oct 2002 22:04
London's Public Transport Latest - cockle {P}
I don't begrudge a (wo)man earning a
decent wage but if they think that they are being under-paid
they can also try a different job.


As I understand it that is one of the main problems, they are. Apparently there are over 1000 driver vacancies on LT buses at the moment and frankly who the hell would really want to drive a bus in London at God-awful times of the day or night while wondering whether the next passenger is going to abuse you or try to stab you, all for £18K a year. Plus on top of that you haven't a hope in hell of living anywhere near where you work due to the price of housing in London and your inability to get a meaningful mortgage on that sort of wage.
Basically it will come down to the political will at the top to make the really difficult decision to break the loop by spending a realistic amount of money to update public transport before trying to force people on to it. As has been aired here many times, people will only use PT when it is clean, safe, convenient, and competitively priced. Part of that is a workforce that is happy to provide the service because they are being paid properly to do so, not because they have no other choice.


Cockle
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Tue 15 Oct 2002 23:15
London's Public Transport Latest - PLS
I suspect in London driving 'overground' is more dangerous than 'underground'. It is more difficult to attack the driver of an underground train. My brother drives a bus in London and seems to have to suffer road rage and abusive passengers on a daily basis. He certainly deserves a pay rise.
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Tue 15 Oct 2002 23:24
London's Public Transport Latest - The Watcher
Funny how these 'essential' services should be paid a mickey mouse wage or be told to like it or lump it!

Everyone wants the OTHER person off the road except themselves, so it seems.
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