Serco Ferry

[shetlandpeat]

I do not pray Paul, not something I need to do, as a member of the Labour Party and Co-Operative Party, I am not gifted with how much any of the parties have given away over the years, it also has nothing to do with this argument. My interest is local as far as that is concerned. Therefore, to you, I do not have to justify anything. Could you justify why the council you elected over the years have wasted so much money on things that have not appeared? I doubt it really.

The one thing I do know is that whenever a certain party is in control(?), there are strikes and riots, marches and protests.

 

I am not fond of giving private companies contracts to run services then to make a profit at the loss of service available. I never have been. The only way Paul, as you know is to try and change it the best way you can as well as making sure all is done to stop it and to make folk think of other ways. I do not quite get your obsession with the work force of the ferry company. I would be more worried about what will happen to the Health Board and how that is slowly being hammered, to be honest.

 

Alas, we have this situation where a lifeline service is being corrupted for a profit. This mindset that companies have to make profit is not fitting with a service such as this, or any other service that forms the substance of island life. to be honest again, more effort seems to be put into debating this than the failure of the Ambulance service or council to provide funds to allow a standby ferry crew.

 

As for passenger safety, that of course is always a worry. Though, if the numbers are cut to match the crewing levels, then the question is, are you still getting a "lifeline" service?

If the crew is made up of "temps", I wonder how they get them? I know with the MN, crews fly around meeting up with vessels, not really practical I would think in a daily service. I also look back and wonder why Serco have not thought about providing a service similar to what P&O did, sailings every other day or so.

 

As for the pay rise, really, it is a matter between the private company Serco and its employees. BP get quite a bit of public money yet little is mentioned on any rise their staff gets.

 

As for the bids Paul, I wonder if you are aware how bidding is done, the cheapest will not always be best value. This we have seen with the West Coast Rail. What has happened in that case is a large chunk of public money will pay for the mistakes and it gives Virgin the edge on any future bids. I wonder if you looked at the bids, I know I didn't, not really qualified to do that, nor you.

[owre-weel]

In the name of the wee man Pete, what a lot of tosh!

 

If only I had the energy to start replying to each point, but life's to short.

[ll]

With the ferries out of sequence due to only a single days strike being taken instead of the planned two, what are the odds that we will see another cancellation pre-Xmas so as the 'masters decision' will permit them to have Xmas din dins in their planned port?

 

Anyone fancy a bet!!

[shetlandpeat]

£1

[ruidh]

£1[/quote

 

I'll have some of that £10 on Sunday

[chookyargyll]

£1[/quote

 

I'll have some of that £10 on Sunday

 

Haw, thats no allowed, insider information !!!!!!

[ruidh]

£1[/quote

 

I'll have some of that £10 on Sunday

 

Haw, thats no allowed, insider information !!!!!!

 

Suppose your right Chook ...anyways could do with a few bob win to pay for my new Hoose!!!!

 

 

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All roads lead to Govan.

[Stirrer]

UK inflation rate remains at 2.7%.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20766392

 

With a 4.25% pay increase, I fail to see where any public sympathy can come from.

 

These are crews who i am told are on 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, and in addition get 5 weeks holiday. They therefore work 21 weeks a year! Seems more like a well paid hobby to me.

[ruidh]

UK inflation rate remains at 2.7%.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20766392

 

With a 4.25% pay increase, I fail to see where any public sympathy can come from.

 

These are crews who i am told are on 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, and in addition get 5 weeks holiday. They therefore work 21 weeks a year! Seems more like a well paid hobby to me.

 

You fancy doing this for a hobby.

 

[Stirrer]

UK inflation rate remains at 2.7%.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20766392

 

With a 4.25% pay increase, I fail to see where any public sympathy can come from.

 

These are crews who i am told are on 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, and in addition get 5 weeks holiday. They therefore work 21 weeks a year! Seems more like a well paid hobby to me.

 

You fancy doing this for a hobby.

 

 

I, personally, would have no problem with a job on the ferry. Indeed, when planning what to do when leaving school, tried for the merchant navy, but unfotrtunatley in the mid 80's opportunities were few and far between.

 

I assume you were aware of the likely conditions encountered on the North Sea before applying for a job with P&O / NorthLink, so you must be happy to work in the on the ship. If not, take the generous voluntary redundancy offer and move on.

 

Continually complaining about the possible conditions you face will not cut it with the majority of people in the islands. Many many people face horrid conditions aty work - nurses, policemen at RTA's, even construction workers on a bad day, but none of them have been handed a 10% pay rise in the last 3 years. Most of them also have the 'endure' their conditions for more than 21 weeks a year as well.

[ruidh]

UK inflation rate remains at 2.7%.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20766392

 

With a 4.25% pay increase, I fail to see where any public sympathy can come from.

 

These are crews who i am told are on 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, and in addition get 5 weeks holiday. They therefore work 21 weeks a year! Seems more like a well paid hobby to me.

 

You fancy doing this for a hobby.

 

 

I, personally, would have no problem with a job on the ferry. Indeed, when planning what to do when leaving school, tried for the merchant navy, but unfotrtunatley in the mid 80's opportunities were few and far between.

 

I assume you were aware of the likely conditions encountered on the North Sea before applying for a job with P&O / NorthLink, so you must be happy to work in the on the ship. If not, take the generous voluntary redundancy offer and move on.

Continually complaining about the possible conditions you face will not cut it with the majority of people in the islands. Many many people face horrid conditions aty work - nurses, policemen at RTA's, even construction workers on a bad day, but none of them have been handed a 10% pay rise in the last 3 years. Most of them also have the 'endure' their conditions for more than 21 weeks a year as well.

 

1.Some of us joined the Merchant Navy when trips were spoken of in 6,8,9, months even 1 year trips weren't unusual. To come from that to two week on two weeks of was a long hard fight,it wasnt handed to us on a plate,That's why we're trying to protect what we have,and if you'd had been successful in gaining a career in the MN you may have been fighting for the same things.unless of course your one of these people who just roll over and take what's given to you.

2. I was in bad weather long before I came to the North Sea.

3.Not everyone was accepted for redundancy,and not every department was offered iit. You should check your facts.

4.We are not complaining we are merely replying to some of the misinformed on here....

If you want better conditions in your employment join a Union ,fight for it,,instead of moaning about what other people have.

5.Not once have we asked for the Islanders to" cut it" as you put it,but

We appreciate any backing we get and are gratefully for it.

 

 

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[Stirrer]

I strongly suspect that the outlandish demands of Bob Crow and his comrades will mean we have to learn Polish so we can order our fish and chips or ask for a pint on the ferry shortly.

 

Time for some of his followers to wake up and smell the coffee.

[ruidh]

I strongly suspect that the outlandish demands of Bob Crow and his comrades will mean we have to learn Polish so we can order our fish and chips or ask for a pint on the ferry shortly.

 

Time for some of his followers to wake up and smell the coffee.

 

Mate,once you see the new prices you won't be able to afford fish and chips let alone a pint.As for coffee we will use the smell of it to bring you round!!!

[shetlandpeat]

I would think spending 2 weeks away from home at a time similar to doing 4 weeks of 12 hour shifts, so although, if I am right, they are only doing "21" weeks, they are away 48 shifts, weekends as well. So. if your sums are right, they then are paid for 53 weeks a year, if you then equate it to an average 40 hour week, that works out at 88.2 weeks a year.

 

boggling....

[beachcaster]

^WTF are you on about SP, does that really make sense in your head.