Following the day of strike action, on Saturday 27th May by the TGWU, resulting in no NCT bus services other than Pathfinder operating for the entire day, the Management at NCT confirm that the TGWU have now requested a meeting to discuss this situation further, this will take place Thursday 1st June 2006.
Mark Fowles MD for NCT stated:
“We are anxious on behalf of our passengers, to resolve this dispute as soon as possible and are pleased that the TGWU have requested this meeting. NCT will approach these discussions with an open mind, but maintain that any additional payments must be fully funded by productivity efficiencies, we do not believe that we should ask our passengers to pay higher fares to fund above inflationary increases for staff.”
NCT hope that these discussions will be successful in preventing a further day of strike action on Saturday 3rd June and will continue to keep passengers fully informed about this situation as it develops.
Strike facts:
- This strike action has been called by the TGWU following unsuccessful pay negotiations which have been ongoing since December 2005.
- Nottingham City Transport offered and implemented a 2.4% rise to drivers, this equates to an increase of 20p per hour.
- This was rejected by the TGWU members.
- To date no desired pay figure has ever been given to NCT by the TGWU, the response to the Company's offer was “20p is not enough, we want more”. No efficiency or productivity savings have been offered by the TGWU.
- NCT drivers have enjoyed an above inflation increase for the past 7 years, and currently receive one of best salary packages on offer to bus drivers outside of London.
- The average drivers' salary last year was £19,788. (By definition, half of drivers earned more than that). They also enjoy a final salary pension scheme, paid meal breaks, company profit related bonus, an occupational sick pay scheme, a non contributory health scheme, five weeks paid holiday and free travel across the network for themselves and a nominated partner.
- NCT's maximum big bus driver rate is now £8.77 per hour plus £1 extra for unsocial hours, worked after 9pm and Sundays.
- NCT Full Shift Cycle drivers since have seen their wages rise by 37.5% in four years.
- NCT driver starter rates have increased by 33% in the last 4 years from £5.63 to £7.50 per hour.
- In an attempt to minimise the duration of the strike activity and resolve this matter quickly, NCT have withdrawn the opportunity for drivers to make up their wages having taken strike action by working non scheduled overtime. Drivers can still work their scheduled overtime as normal. NCT has not implemented an “overtime ban”, as has been reported in some media. NCT believe this is a reasonable response and that it will shorten the action.
- Regrettably, some weekday services will be disrupted or cancelled as a result of this decision. This decision has only been made in response to the industrial action.
- NCT believe that we should not ask our passengers to incur additional travel costs the year round to fund a higher than affordable wage settlement for drivers.
- NCT will continue to discuss outstanding claims with the TGWU, but maintains that any additional payments must be fully funded by productivity efficiencies and the door remains open to discuss these at any time. To date, this offer has not been taken up by the TGWU.
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