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Drivers threaten no service, as GWU insists agreement with Arriva 'satisfactory'
Bus drivers have refuted an agreement reached between the General Workers’ Union and Arriva over rosters, and have threatened not to drive the buses as the new company takes over as from tomorrow morning.
2 July 2011, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
2 min read
18:56 In a statement, the General Workers’ Union however later reiterated that it is “satisfied” with the agreement reached on Friday with Arriva, adding that this was “acceptable and beneficial given the circumstances.”
The GWU insisted that it was “practically impossible for the roster to be changed by Sunday 3 July, and this was why the GWU obtained a compensation of €35 euros for those who are given a split-shift of 12 hours or more in a single day.”
Aside from this, the GWU said, it also obtained assurances that the roster will change in two weeks’ time, while also having been guaranteed that the changes “would, at no time, be socially harmful.”
The GWU added also that there was agreement over how the new shift would be fashioned in direct consultation with the GWU.
The Union appealed to workers to report for work normally on Sunday morning while however letting nobody threaten their unity or their employment with Arriva.
The GWU also vowed to take action should any anomalies in working hours emerge by meeting with Arriva management to see to it that the agreement is respected.
18:15 Angry bus drivers stressed that they will not accept any threats from Arriva management over their rosters that impose a 12 hour daily shift to earn €35 rather than the previously agreed eight hour daily shift.
The drivers reacted very angrily to the agreement and stressed that they have been threatened by Arriva that should they not like the terms, then they hand over their uniforms.
“We have absolutely no problem in handing over our uniforms, and we are united in this. Tomorrow there will be no bus service. We will come here and not touch a single bus, and they can do what they like, but we will not be subjected to these conditions,” an angry driver said.
The drivers agreed that it is impossible to work such long hours for six days in a week to earn €35 a day. “If we clock 11 hours and 50 mins, we won’t be paid the €35” they added.
They said that they signed a contract with Arriva because they were bus drivers under the old system, “but if we find something better elsewhere, we will quit,” another driver said.
duncan abela •
The usual bunch of irredeemable partisan commentators are it again. Nothing initiated by this government can ever been seen in good light. The point is that we had the worst bus service in the world but the fact that at last the government has taken action forking out millions to remedy an untenable situation cannot be fathomed . Only failure will satisfy them in misguidedly thinking that problems will increase the chance of their party being elected or perhaps of putting down a notch or two minister AG their bete noire The few who are agitating and provoking the rest are probably the ones who have milked the taxpayer of tens of thousands of pounds in selling their junk of a bus at an outrageous price to a compliant government at taxpayers expense . Perhaps they also have a string of other transport partime jobs as owners of taxis and minibuses. I am sure the overall majority of new recruits not the old recalcitrant drivers see this as an opportunity for a secure job with long term prospects. One has to admit that the current wage is not something to write home about but if the drivers together with management strive to make this venture a success then profits will flow and it is at that stage that the employees should demand and be supported by their Union in getting an increased wage or a share of the profits.
Thank God their Union in this case appears to be assuming the right measure of responsibility.
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Arriva will soon learn that it was not the old buses that needed to be scrapped but.....
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I don't think I like to travel on a bus ,when the driver been driving for 12 hours.
Joseph Sant •
What no one has questioned yet are the terms of agreement between Arriva and the government. If hypothetically Arriva does not get the level of business it was led to expect (and from the comments I see here no one seems overjoyed about using the buses in place of their car) will Arriva demand compensation from the government?
That is what happened in Italy when electricity was privatized. People economised and used less electricity and the private companies turned on the local councils to make up for the shortfall.
Government has already compensated Arriva for a change of route... is there more to come?
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Oh Joy!!! Thought we've finally got rid of the old drivers. Seems not! How disappointing.
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ray li split shift GHAMLITU l-ARRIVA bis SOMMA FLUS li hadet lil poplu Malti talli ser tghaddi bil karozzi taghha min TIGNE kieku Tony Zarb ghamlilkom bhal ma ghamlet l-ARRIVA lil gvern u gabitilkom somma flus nghidu ahna 100.000 u QASMITU BEJNITKOM id drivers mhux ahjar mil MISERJA ta 35 ewro li GABITILKOM
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Was I thinking of garaging my car? Wow! A clear case of "plus ça change et plus c’est la même chose" or, in more pedestrian language, minn gol-mizieb ghal gol-qattara. The adverts show drivers in business-suit uniforms...ehm... with missing routes, ill-tempered drivers and higher prices, it will be some time before anyone will divorce his beloved car to mount an arriva bus!
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Ha nghinek naqa JGPEM:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_shift
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Split shift is what we work in hotels, meaning we do breakfast, sometimes lunch, and dinner servings. A 12 hour split shift does not mean that we work 12 hours!!! in the case of these people, they are just not used to a new system. They work 4 hours, have a 4 hour break, in which they can do what they like, and then work another 4. That way they do not drive for 8 hours straight. They are acting like spoilt brats. I ve been a hotel waiter for 22 years, and that is how i always worked.
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JGPEM mhux ahjar titghallem x inhu 'split shift' qabel tigi haw taqa ghan nejk?
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Dear ARRIVA & Co
You decided to take over the transport in Malta. What you have also done was you carried along with the contract, the Maltese mentality (don't try to f...k with me cause I will f...k you up). The Monoploy is not in your hands anymore but the driver's.
Welcome to Malta ARRIVA.
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Sur TONY ZARV jekk id drivers fil kuntratt li iffirmaw ma ARRIVA ghandhom MIKTUB ISWED FUQ L-ABJAD LI XOGHOLHOM HUWA TA 8 SIGHAT kif tigi INT titkellem fisem il haddiema u TACCETTA li ild DRIVERS JAHDMU 12 il siegha u aktar Sur Tony Zarb ha INFAKKREK din ghax ARRIVA ser JGHADDU min TIGNE u mhux min BISAZZA street l-ARRIVA MHUX 35 ewros ser jiehdu imma SOMMA FLUS MHUX HAZIN tant li AGOSTINO GATT u TONIO FENECH il ministri STHAW ghidu kemm ser ikun il kumpens mela INT sur Tony Zarb MISSEK LID DRIVERS GIBTILHOM KUMPENS MIN GHAND l-ARRIVA TALLI SER JAHDMU SIEGHAT ZEJDA mBHAL MA l-ARRIVA ser JIEHDU minghand il GVERN MELA GEJT ACCETTATJT MISERJA TA 35 Ewro INT TGHID LI INT sur TONY ZArb DIFFENSUR tal HADDIEMA MISSEK TISTHI
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Il GWU ma tafx li bligi HADD mhu sippost jahdem izjed min 8 sighat XOGHOL imbad fis SEWQAN daqs dak TRAFFIKU li ikun hemm ghalhekk jien nghidlek SUR TONY ZARB ILALA QED TIKSER IR REGOLAMENTI TA UE ma TISTHIX IGGIB KUMPENS TA 35 EWRO minnhom JOHODLOK 3/4 DR TONIO FENECH TAXXI IL VERU IL HADDIEM MA GHAD BQALU LIL HADD!!! MA JAQBEZ GHALIH!!!
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"compensation of €35 euros for those who are given a split-shift of 12 hours or more in a single day.”
Is this over and above their wages?
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Another headache Gonz!
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I bet the headache pill producing people are getting richer by the day eh?
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This is what happens when the only intension is revenge and not progress!
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Well well, a few more months and the people will get rid of the arrogance once and for all.
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12 hour shift - too much
Eur 35 for 12 hours - too little
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How's that for a start with a bang?!!
I guess that on Monday I will have to use my own transport to go to work.
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Trallala Agostno Pio Gatt trallala...Trallala Agostno Pio Gatt trallala....Trallala Agostno Pio Gatt trallala.....
