From personal experience… I depended on the buses to get to work every morning, after work, to get groceries and so on… I know this strike stuff is old news… but it’s current news as well. Most of you bus drivers shouldn’t be on the road. If you are fighting for overtime so you can work 70 hours a week you’re insane!! I wouldn’t trust you with my life as a passenger. All the accidents I see and abuse to your customers is ridiculous! A lot of you think that you are “helping” us with transportation, no! It’s your job! You’re not volunteering or giving to charity. You get paid $24/hr and overtime take us to our destination safely. But no! A lot of you shut the doors on our faces. Step on the gas when we are trying to find a seat making us fall on our faces. No wonder there is no respect from the commuters… maybe it’s because what goes around comes around. A lot of you are getting paid way to much for being an asshole… of course there are exceptions. But I bet those exceptions aren’t working crazy overtime shifts. They are probably getting the right amount of sleep and time off to function like a normal human being. —Will Not Take the Abuse Next Time
This article appears in Mar 8-14, 2012.
The $150/wk dole changed their minds fast enough …. spend the next 5 years digging themselves out of the personal debt they incurred…….. and the back support payments to their children …… yeah, was it worth it?
The bus strike ain’t over yet, folks. We’ve gotten this far before, with a deal that both negotiating parties agreed upon in principle, only to have it voted down by the union membership. This latest offer still has to be voted on by the union and ratified by city council. Not to mention, we still don’t know the terms of this agreement. What’s the give and take? What is different over the last 3 rejected offers? (We may never know the full terms)Don’t go claiming that this mess is over yet because it’s not. And I dare say that if any more burden is placed on the taxpayer as a result of this bullshit, the union and the city will have more than just each other to worry about.
The last deal wasn’t agreed upon by the union reps by any stretch of the imagination, vastie. They brought it to the membership because HRM said they wanted it taken directly to the membership for voting.
This is an agreement the union is endorsing.
And we know how ass-hat-ed Wilson’s been.
A ‘tentative’ agreement is *usually* a very very good sign.
It’s probably as Tim Bousqet has suggested a cap on overtime….I read that to mean…guaranteed overtime. So the taxpayers lose again.
My thoughts exactly, OP
I’d like to know the terms of the offer.. which side caved, etc…
One thing is for sure, I’m not smiling and saying “Hi” when I get on the bus anymore, nor will I say “thank you” when I get off (that’s right, I’m pulling out the big guns).
fares will increase, the last hike was in 2009
Buses coming back? Makes no diff to me cuz I got my caahhhr, my best buddy to get me around. Ahhh
Want some cheese to go with that whine? And when did you guys ever get on the bus with a smile and a hi to the operator? Yeah right! You are of course delusional and crazy Nav.
grow up everyone, be polite. don’t spit and cuss, sit down and enjoy the scenery
Wheels, I always give a quick smile and say hello/hi. I’ve noticed other people doing so as well, and also saying thank you when I get off the bus. Kind of like when you go to the store and say hello to the cashier, and thank you when he/she hands you your change/receipt.. Maybe you don’t have manners but us delusional and crazy people do *eye roll*
paingirl, I was mostly kidding. I’m sure I’ll still say thank you.
don’t worry o.p., bus ridership will be down by about 50 %. i would love to see 100, but we will laugh when they get fuck all passengers from now on. and i heard from someone today, that wilson might be looking for a new job soon. seeing as he set the unions back about 50 years. looks good on you, you fucking asshole, if true.
An empty bus is a happy bus. 🙂
i know naveed, i was just throwing that out there
“An empty bus is a happy bus. :)”
Wheels, with that comment, you just single handedly confirmed what every non-transit employee thinks ATU 508’s attitude is toward the general public. “Fuck em! What do I care? I’m still getting paid. And now, for doing even less than I was before.” So good to finally see what the drivers REALLY think of their customers. You guys just keep shooting yourselves in the foot, don’t you? I think your fearless union prez was doing quite well all by himself, without help from the likes of you. THINK before you start spewing shit in a public forum, you dolt! You’re a MT employee and as such, whether you like it or not, you’re a representitive of MT and it’s union. With the absolute bullshit you and your union have caused this city for the past 6 weeks, you’d do well to keep your ignorant comments to yourself.
An empty bus is eventually a laid-off transit employee, dumbass. We’re your customers. With out us, you potentially don’t have a job.
Glad to see the drivers are sooooo anxious to get back to work. Lots of respect for the customers in that comment.
You guys just don’t know when to shut the fuck up, do you?
Dear Avasto, want a little cheese to go with that whhhiiinnnne? No it’s you who don’t know when to shut up. The busses will continue to roll empty or no. 100% would be nice for a few months….
That’s it. Keep it coming, chuckles. I love it! Let your true colours come out for all to see. Keep publicly telling everyone just EXACTLY how ATU 508 drivers feel about the riders and other tax payers that pay their salaries. How you wish there were no riders at all, did I get that right? Be careful what you wish for, wheels. It’s not just us bitchers that read these posts.
Blah, blah blah.