chookyargyll

Cancelling the annual drydock/tie up that has always been the case with P&O and Northlink has come back to bite serco in the ass. These periods when the ships are out of service are used to do general maintenance in all departments on all the vessels. The time is used to check out the engines for any wear and tear that has occurred in the previous year and to rectify minor problems before they become major problems. The ships are getting on for 11 years old now, and need to be treated as such, particularly the speeds these ships are subjected to,not to mention the north sea winters. Again, in the race for profit serco do not give a flying fig about the Islanders needs as the Orcadians will tell you, and it is only a matter of time before something similar happens to the Hjaltland or Hrossey. This comes down to the sheer GREED of serco by refusing to carry out general maintenance during what was a pretty hectic tie up period for all departments. What is soundbite lavish saying about this ??

If you hadn't put across such an aggressive attitude when you started slagging off Shetlanders on here you might have got a different response, ya t*ss*r There speaks Shetlands finest. If in doubt resort to some rather crude and abusive language to get your point across. Very erudite. Iwill not resort to your level of personal attack on me as I happen to believe that everyone is entitled to their opinions, especially on an open forum. However I would like to remind "Shoogler" that opinions are like a*seholes- everyone has one. Shetlandpeat--- Yes,ok,you got me on this one it is all my fault !!

Now now now, Serco Northlink are the best company for the job. Remember the new £18 a night seats, (blanket not included) and the lovely showers (tokens available from reception), the upgraded menu with no Shetland lamb,the excellent two class seperation in the magnus lounge, the relocation of those really comfy "recliner" seats and the seperation boards between the seats around the ship to stop all those pesky islanders who cannot get a cabin stretching out because 3 bus loads of pensioners from deepest Surrey have decided to descend on the Northern Isles. Not to mention the 36 staff they are without now with the busy time fast approaching. All this and the crews got no support from the Islanders, so I cant help but think you got the company running this route you deserved. This mob are going to get worse. You were informed from the start what they were like,but it did not concern you then until now when it starts to hit your pocket. Serco are only interested in the pursuit of profit, and they do not care where this money comes from and it is far too late to start greeting now when things dont go your way. Karma

So you work 22 weeks a year then, not 21. That will make a big difference to those in the real world working ~46 weeks a year. There was me thinking teachers had it good! Can you clear up what is possibly an Urban Myth doing the rounds up here, in that the ferry cannot be tied up at midnight so that the crews on the NorthLink boats qualify not to pay UK tax on their substantial earnings? I think you will find the whole point of the original poster was to clarify the actual HOURS worked onboard the ferries are around the same and in most cases MORE than worked shoreside for the comparable weeks. I.E. A ferry worker does more than twice the average hours in 1 week and more than twice the hours in 2 weeks which equates to more hours worked onboard in 2 weeks than the average person ashore works in 1 month.Again all NEGOTIATED with employers and unions. And, yes we do work "in the real working world". Get a life. Pay no tax ???? I wish. (then again I wish I only paid 40% of the total cost for a journey south every time I leave my house)

Ah, finally a voice of reason in the ether ! Just a minor correction, the ferry crew only get 4 weeks holiday per annum, not 5, and as payment is classed as consolodated, overtime is not paid for xmas, new year or any other holidays be they bank or otherwise. I am waiting with bated breath for a post from the local scaffies so I can rip apart and pontificate on THEIR renumeration package. Oh, wait a minute-that has nothing to do with me

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

mmm think what a public owned company are offering its staff is our concern. if the scottish goverment give even 1 pence in support then it becomes public business; lets get this straight your getting 1.5 plus 4.5 plus 4.5 or 10.5 over 3 years. were every other public sector worker got 1% over the same 3 years. ever thought that may be a reason that they need to cut staff you have priced the jobs out of existence. Do people begrudge working men and women a pay rise ??? yes if its out of step with reality. As was pointed out to us umpteen times by bill davidson,we are not "public sector" workers. We do not have all the the massive benefits afforded to them such as final salary pensions, massive expenses claims and anything elese that goes with a cushy number in said"public sector" So you think we have "priced our jobs out of existence" ? The government agreed our 3 year pay deal.They then paid serco millions to provide a service based on the existing manning levels at the agreed renumeration for each person. Serco then decide that there is too many crew and proceed to cut 36 jobs. serco have pocketed all the money from MY taxes to provide YOU with a "lifeline service" and then you have the temerity to say I am out of touch with reality ??You really,really beggar belief !! Where do you think the money serco save from this decimation of experienced seafarers,working in sometimes very difficult conditions is going to ?? STRAIGHT INTO SERCO SHAREHOLDERS POCKETS Jelousy is a terrible thing, just because you never got a pay rise dont criticise ordinary working men and women for trying to squeeze every penny out of any employer,whether they are your "public sector" or not. Again your post is serco pr. As stated previously this has nothing to do with the current dispute. This is ancient history as far as the crews are are concerned and only dredged up for serco trying to drum up support/sympathy. If you had taken the the time to read my post properly, you would have seen that 3 years pay rise at year 1- 1.5% year 2-4.25% and year 3-4.25% which equals 10% over three years, but hey, dont let the truth get in the way of a good rant!!

Passengers have already been left on the quayside. Albeit this was down to the "exciting refurb" being carried out at the time,but with the minimum manning level being reduced this is just the tip of the iceberg. Stuart Garrett seems to think that that crew will sit at home on no wages on the off chance that they will get a phone call to go aboard when the passenger figures go over 300.I dont know what planet he is from but this will not work on mine!! What is he going to do ?open a box ? As ruidh has already stated, the pay rise was negotiated nearly 18 months ago with the then employer, Northlink. Not that this has anything to do with anyone on here but the agreement was 1.5% pay rise last year, 4.25% this year and the same again next year. This was NEGOTIATED and agreed with both employers and scottish government, and was part of the agreement that whoever took over the contract would honour this deal. The pay rise kicked in on Oct 1st, so any statements from Serco regarding a pay rise is purely inflammatory and just to muddy the waters and divert attention away from the real issues. As has been mentioned before, this is STILL below the rate of inflation. Do people begrudge working men and women a pay rise ???

I may have got this wrong, but my understanding is that the overall reduction in staffing level amounts to 2 per vessel per shift. This is not a large number in the grand scheme of things, and has already been achieved by voluntary redunacy offers. I agree that the changes that may be coming on extra costs of a non cabin passage on the boats are at odds with lifeline service criteria. However, the answer to anyone either trying to 'sell' extra services or tell you not to sleep on the floor is to politely say 'no thanks, i'm fine where i am' Correct. You have got this wrong. The vessels run with a crew and a back-to back crew. Therefore your understanding is 3 ships x 2 shifts x 2 crew = 12 crew reduction ? What happened to the other 24 ? In the great scheme of things this is no big deal,but 36 redundancys (whether compulsary or voluntary makes no difference) from ONE department is unsustainable. This amounts to one complete shift, including the back-to-back shift. The workload of these guys who no longer wish to be a part of this money making exercise called serco, is now spread over the remaining crew. This amounts to substantial changes of terms and conditions which have been negotiated over the past 20+ years. Why should we accept these changes which serco are trying to bulldoze through without any negotiation or discussion with the people at the sharp end ? Stuart Garrett then trying to take the pi** out of the people of Orkney and Shetland by dressing this up as "an improved service". Aye, right. With higher charges all round and less crew to deliver said "improved service"

Here's a challenge,once you get home to your own planet keep taking your medication!! Faith in this Scottish Goverment,Serco play by the rules....as I said keep taking the medication. Serco representatives refused to respond to the RMT’s proposal that this issue be referred to ACAS. In fact, the company did not even have the courtesy to respond to register their disagreement with this reasonable proposal but simply ignored it. Totally agree with your post "Ruidh" They dont like it up them !!

Why dont you go and lie down in a dark room and do not open your eyes until you are back in the real world ? Strike action is always a last resort and not taken lightly. This action is timed to cause maximum disruption in the hope we can get that clown Garrett round the table and stop peddling lies in the hope we can get a speedy settlement. As for the scottish government ??LMFAO. P.S Are you related to him ? Or are you just doing a bit of PR on the side for Serco?

Not all those working on the boats are employed by Serco. All officers and crew onboard are employed by Serco

My Source (code name ocres )tells me ,pay deal was a 3 year agreement made with the previous operator. Correct, second year of a three year deal

Okaydokay, lets have a look at at serco's "offer". First off, 36 catering staff made redundant. The vast majority go back to the good old days of P&O and are very experienced seamen who cannot stomach the new serco regime who are refusing to accept the terms and conditions carried forward from both P&O and Northlink which were negotiated and carried out in good faith by both employers and employees. This will lead to undermanning of the ships on both the Aberdeen-Shetland, Scrabster-Stromness route. This means that the passenger carrying certificate on both the Hjaltland and Hrossey will be reduced to a maximum of 350 passengers. Almost every weekend both boats carry more than what will now be allowed. When this was pointed out to Stuart Garett that there was always a possibility of fog, snow or any other unexpected occurance (ash cloud ?) which would close the airports in Sumburgh and Scatsta, and which would mean more passengers trying to travel by boat than the passenger certificate will allow his reply was, and I quote "We will leave them on the quayside" When this contract was awarded to serco it is no longer a lifeline service but is now a business driven to make profit for the serco shareholders. Next their much vaunted and screamed from the rooftops "exciting" new refurb and Gastropub experience.(Nandos will not be amused to find they are being quoted in the same breath as this bunch of cowboys!) Mr Garett has stated that the refurb for both boats has cost £ 1 million, but to put that into perspective the company were quoted £ 1 million to chip and paint the CAR DECK on each boat at the last dry dock. The refurb is nothing more than a cosmetic makeover that re-uses the recliner seats and relocates them in another area. For instance in the cafe area the carpets and seating which is now almost 11 years old are not being replaced and this is one of the busiest areas on the ship. They are doing away with the very popular A la Carte restaurant and replacing it with an "airport" style lounge. All very good as long as you can afford to pay the £18.50 admission charge, then your meals will be charged seperatley. They are limiting the number in there to 50,but as there is only around 30 comfy seats I would get in there early!! The drive for profit clearly comes at the price of comfort. The reclining chairs which have been relocated to the forward bar and outside the shop should come with a health warning, as well as 4 point seatbelts to keep the passengers in the seat. The new "sleep pods" which have been fitted are all well and good as long as you can afford them. They are £18, £20 and £22 dependant on the season you travel,per crossing. The cafe will only serve breakfast on production of a £10 breakfast voucher.Anyone that just wants a cup of tea and a bacon roll will have to go to the bar for this. (oh I forgot to mention, tea-that will be £1.95 please,bacon roll? sausage roll?egg roll? that will be £3.40 each please!) The whole new "gastropub" experience also comes at a price. All meals onboard are going up in price by between 15 and 20 % Coffee starts at £2.20 per cup. Fancy a pint to while away a couple of hours on your journey? That will be £ 3.80. A bottle of Magners? £4.80 please. The seats in the cafe and both bars are being fitted with dividers every second cushion to stop people from stretching out and sleeping on them.Serco have stated that every person travelling will have a numbered seat, berth or cabin so there will be no "camping out" allowed. The new wifi they have stated they will have is not possible to fit aboard the ships at this time. Meanwhile they are looking into the possibillity of charging for what is at present free. The showers which they are shouting about are being charged at £5 for 5 mins. If you need a towel you pay a £3 deposit which is returned when the towel is returned P&O and Northlink rightly prided themselves on the fact that they did not charge for amendments or cancellations to your travel arrangements as Islanders needs to travel can change with the weather. Serco on the other hand, are introducing an amendment charge. This is £10 for changes made six months to two weeks before travel. Two weeks to one day before travel, this rises to 50% of the TOTAL booking charge, PLUS £10 charge. No travel forfeit all payment. In conclusion, how can serco state they will be having an improved service when they have cut 36 front line jobs,cut 2 freight boats to 1,do away with a popular restaurant, cut the dry dock/maintainance schedule,shuffle about a few chairs and are in the process of cutting shoreside/terminal jobs ??This is all about the bottom line---MONEY

Northlink,Serco Northlink ???? Anyone??