Gautrain bus drivers on strike

DreamKing

DreamKing

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Gautrain bus drivers on strike
2011-08-08 12:10

Johannesburg - Drivers operating feeder buses to the Gautrain went on strike Monday, only six days after a new link between Johannesburg and Pretoria opened, an official said.

"We don't have any buses running this morning but the trains are operating as normal," Errol Braithwaite, a spokesperson for the Bombela Operating Company, which runs the service, told AFP.

The drivers are demanding a wage increase from R4 600 to R5 000 a month, a transport allowance and medical aid.

The drivers have complained that, in comparison to their wages, train drivers earn about 21,000 rand per month.

"We hope it will only be a one-day strike. We hope it will be sorted today," said Braithwaite.

The Gautrain link between the country's commercial hub Johannesburg and Pretoria was opened on August 2.

The first route was opened on June 8 2010, just in time for the Fifa World Cup, between Sandton, north of Johannesburg, and OR Tambo International Airport.
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http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Gautrain-bus-drivers-on-strike-20110808

I love strike. :love:

:D
 
I am not sure what driving an empty bus around all day is worth. At least the bus driver is doing something whereas the train driver is there to make passengers oblivious to the fact that computers run the trains. I'd also have a hissy if there really was such a pay disparity.

Maybe this is time for business to hit back - the strike is unprotected so fire the lot. It isn't like people really use the buses.
 
Albereth said:
Maybe this is time for business to hit back - the strike is unprotected so fire the lot. It isn't like people really use the buses.
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No, we need even more buses to expand the feeder network. If anything, more bus drivers should be hired, and more bus stations built.
 
given the number of people that use the buses, will anybody actually notice?
 
Albereth said:
More buses driving around with no passengers?
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There are no passengers because there is no easy way for people to access them in the first place. Most people figure that they may as well just drive straight to the Gautrain station because there is no convenient way of taking the bus there.
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
There are no passengers because there is no easy way for people to access them in the first place. Most people figure that they may as well just drive straight to the Gautrain station because there is no convenient way of taking the bus there.
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So a badly thought out plan should be fixed by adding more of the same?

Get rid of the buses and you've lost nothing
 
Albereth said:
So a badly thought out plan should be fixed by adding more of the same?

Get rid of the buses and you've lost nothing
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Yes I can see the logic now. We don't need more roads - cancel all construction work and we've lost nothing. :/

How do you suppose people are meant to get around after arriving at their destination? Take a minibus taxi?
 
Toll road fees MUST come down dramatically when the construction loans are all paid back.
Unions MUST be disbanded once Labour protection is guaranteed by law.
Politicians must be shot. ALWAYS.
 
DreamKing said:
why we have to consder R/ppl*km? :confused:
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You brought in the airline pilots to a discussion about buses. If anyone wants to argue that aircraft are really buses with wings (ask SANTACO) then it should be pointed out that an airline pilot is probably being paid at the rate of around 3c per pax km. The Gaubus driver is probably getting around R9 per pax km.
 
July and August historically used to be strike season in SA, now it's bloody all year round!!! Ridiculous!!!
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
Yes I can see the logic now. We don't need more roads - cancel all construction work and we've lost nothing. :/

How do you suppose people are meant to get around after arriving at their destination? Take a minibus taxi?
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Why do you want to stop road construction? You've said people are using their cars.

And if you take a look at where the stations are - they serve a certain group of people, most of whom could walk to their destinations. And the ones that are a little too far? Well they're not using the buses now.
 
Albereth said:
You brought in the airline pilots to a discussion about buses. If anyone wants to argue that aircraft are really buses with wings (ask SANTACO) then it should be pointed out that an airline pilot is probably being paid at the rate of around 3c per pax km. The Gaubus driver is probably getting around R9 per pax km.
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so if you sit in the office and not dealing with people, then you earn a lot, right? :D
(Rx / 0 = inf.)
 
When the tolls kick in you'll see people using those buses. If the drivers were smart, they would wait till the tolls before striking - it'll be resolved quicker then and less pay would be taken.
 
Albereth said:
So a badly thought out plan should be fixed by adding more of the same?

Get rid of the buses and you've lost nothing
Click to expand...

I wanted to take the Gautrain today to test it out, its busstop (to hatfield) is 2km from home and then the busstop is right in front of work in midrand. I would certainly save using it about R400, doubling my saving (R800) once the tollgates become active.

It would be pointless for me to drive to the hatfield station since it would take me almsot the same time to drive to work and then from midrand station I wouldn't be able to get to work if there is no gaubus.
 
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