ruidh Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 Now had the strike been affecting the Western isles, the Scottish Government would have been pretty vocal, but when it comes to the Northern isles they seem to show us the usual couldn't care less attitude I'm afraid I have to agree with you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 Sorry RMT guys but I am starting to wonder if your union masters are building up to a battle with Cameron's government. Serco may be a reasonable union target but I am left wondering if the Scotrail issue is really a decision between a little Hitler working for Scotrail and an awkward customer resorting to tears when she was losing and which should have been easy to sort out from the video footage. But I had a recent experience on a train. Completely by mistake I got on a train that did not stop at the station my ticket was valid for. Ticket inspector told me to get off at the next station and to tell any other ticket people that he had said I could just catch the next train back to where I wanted to go. Meanwhile I have nothing but praise for the crew on a Cross Country train that arrived too late in Birmingham for me to catch my connection. Not only did they advise me to stay on the train I was on but they made sure that all the other ticket inspectors were told that I was on their train due to a late arrival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidank Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 its all a complete joke! Serco will tick a few boxes and win a few islanders by making 'improvements' but I fear these improvements will do only one thing and that's make the boats more profitable!! they have no interest in the needs or wants of islanders all they want is money!!it was a sad day we lost P&O and northlink had big shoes to fill that they've achieved in many respects (troubles being there sub standard vessels more than there staff) but we can all say good bye to that and hello to the corporate monster the government has given our lifeline service too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 Now had the strike been affecting the Western isles, the Scottish Government would have been pretty vocal, but when it comes to the Northern isles they seem to show us the usual couldn't care less attitude I'm afraid I have to agree with you there. Indeed, the silence has been deafening and it's either a case of "oh beep, what have we done?" or they really don't care and they're washing their hands of it as punishment for us not voting for the SNP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suuusssiiieee Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 Kavi i think your spot on they obviously don't care or it would never have gone this far down the road. Serco say the RMT won't respond to their request to sort this out, and the RMT say exactly the same thing about Serco. So by my reckoning someone is telling porkies....who's got your vote people? Unfortunately Serco have dug their trench and have the helmets on so this could take a while to sort out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruidh Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2012/12/15/strike-is-about-union-leaders-ego-says-scott. Tavish,if you read this,your talking rubbish.The people on the ships just want their terms and conditions protected.Instead of making silly statements why don't you act as a go between and earn yourself some brownie points. If its true what Kieth brown said in the Scottish parliament the other day..."For example, as I understand it, there's a commitment from Serco that the terms and conditions which apply to staff will not be revisited again.". Then all Serco have to do is to convey this in writing to the Ships and your strikes over,and mind I said to the Ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 What does it say, for over 40 years, no problems that could not have been sorted, a few months into the Serco contract, problems that have ended with a vote by those involved to withdraw their labour under protest.I cannot believe that Scott can be so shallow as to think it is just about loosing a whole shift. Even so, the additional pressures that could be placed on the existing staff and crew because of such a loss is unmeasurable.Cutting T&Cs without consultation is quite wrong. Then, to roll over and get shafted because Scott sez what about Xmas. I then think on to next year when hundreds could be left on the harbour due to lack of capacity.You cannot get the best from folk by continually taking more and more from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owre-weel Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 I think we need to get some perspective on this. Was it not the case that the boats often sailed in the off peak season with more staff then passengers. So it seems reasonable that at these times a full compliment of staff is not required, hence Sercos desire to cut numbers. My concern is if they cut staff numbers, how will they ensure they can increase them at short notice when passenger numbers suddenly increase due to fog etc. I would think that if they fail in that, they are not meeting the contract! So you have to assume they can provide the service. Now I'm no lover of Serco, but I can understand why they feel the boats do not require the same level of staff when it's nearly empty!. They have the required number of voluntary redundancies, remaining staff are getting a 4+ % payrise, so perhaps the GMT can explain why they are still holding our lifeline services to ransom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peenk Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 So I can decide if my sympathy lies with the workers can someone please tell me what the actual proposed changes are.In short tell the people you are hurting what your terms are now and how they are going to change.I for one have cancelled my trip home for the holidays because my travel coincides with the strikes.I also have given up a lot due to the financial climate this year but just get on with it as the company survival is at stake.And Shetland Peat I find all your posts Irrelevant as you do not stay in Shetland. You really have no say in matters up here as you chose to leave and make no contribution to the place (Bit like selling the family home and thinking you can tell the new owners how they should run it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 The 4% rise, I may have missed it but was it 4% a year for 3 years or 4% over 3 years.In theory, if 4% per year, there has, in real terms been a cut as inflation was higher than 4%. Although the rise is a good thing, it acted as a partial buffer though I do not see it as a reason to be happy about loosing a complete shift and reducing capacity. owre-weel, you have hit it there really. This is also about a reduced capacity but also a bid perhaps to bring in cheaper labour, ferries seem to be at the nub of life at the moment with the problems in ambulance cover, a lack of standby ferry crews and a roll over and take it expectancy of those who set the contracts and remove funding..then to curtail a service that generally ids the only reliable form of leaving the island in cases of emergency or urgency. Getting a bit too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owre-weel Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 So let me get this right - we're about to suffer 9 days of strikes because Serco are going to honor a previous awarded 4+% pay rise this year and next. Quote JMc .......staff are to get a 4+ % rise this year and next how many other employees can hope for that? Now I'm not saying they are not worth it, as I don't know how much they are currently paid, but they are lucky to still be getting such a generous rise in this time of cuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 As I read the situation any pay rise is irrelevant due to the fact that a) the crews are yet to recieve official word on their T&Cs and the crew numbers are being slashed with no explanation of how the extra work this will incurr for the existing staff will be done. I wouldn't think the crews would strike without very genuine reasons and concerns. The fact is, Serco are trying to fix something that wasn't broken. The problem is, it's all in the name of greedy profit. I'd rather go on a ship with an extra couple of staff than an "under-manned" one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruidh Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 The 4% pay rise was over three years and was agreed with the previous Employer,and it was an agreement which both parties were happy with,and yes I think I'm worth it and,I think I'm worth it when I'm out in bad weather night after night,making sure you can get your fresh milk in Tesco's.The redundancies are done,no one can bring these people back and yes they received a reasonable package.THE PROBLEM IS WHAT'S HE GOING TO DO NEXT,THOSE OF US THAT ARE LEFT NEED TO PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE. Sorry about the capitals (Shouting) but I want people to understand what we are trying to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peenk Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 So as you are shouting then please do tell what is happening next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 ruidh, using phrases like "when I'm out in bad weather night after night,making sure you can get your fresh milk in Tesco's" isn't going to endear you to folk. I have to go out day after day just to earn a crust and buying milk from Tesco is the last thing on my mind!, and anyway I try to not buy from Tesco and I also only buy Shetland milk. Believe me, it is a serious hassle for the companies and haulage companies who export masses of seafood from Shetland every day. Shetland isn't some state-benefit basket case, the official figures show that our exports are worth more than what we recieve. But behind that, I would guess the folk who care about things probably support you because we don't want to see the service go down the pan nor the ships crewed by Poles and Latvians etc. Just don't bite the hand that's supporting(feeding) you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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