“Toad, that is generally true though. The suburban railways of Auckland only started being properly run when it was under Tranz Rail, for instance.”

Commuter trains in London are private – and the service is bloody awful. Only place I’ve ever known a train to take a wrong turn and miss my station (and about 150 other peoples’).

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“So when something is badly run he just assumes it’s public.”

Toad, that is generally true though. The suburban railways of Auckland only started being properly run when it was under Tranz Rail, for instance.

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“I wouldn’t be happy if I wasn’t free to change jobs. I wouldn’t be happy if i had no way of accessing opportunities to access better skills or a higher position – I think that’s the other way of looking at this. Would that be better than legislating the minimum wage?”

I don’t see why it has to be either/or, StephenR. And at any rate, we’ll always need bus drivers and other similar roles. I have no problem that not everyone gets paid the same, but a living wage is a matter of basic dignity.

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StephenR Says:
September 25th, 2008 at 3:32 pm

> Striking for one hour does not equate to holding a city to ransom.

true, but I had to use the phrase ‘holding the city to ransom for one hour’ to make the contrast with today.

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# Sam Buchanan Says:
September 25th, 2008 at 3:29 pm

> Eight percent of $12.72 per hour doesn’t go a long way if you have to live in Wellington. Falafels have gone up 17 percent here.

Yeah, but walnuts have gone down.

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Well, the lockout is over, i’m sure wellyville will be happier for it.

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I wouldn’t be happy if I wasn’t free to change jobs. I wouldn’t be happy if i had no way of accessing opportunities to access better skills or a higher position – I think that’s the other way of looking at this. Would that be better than legislating the minimum wage?

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Yeah, why can’t the working poor just be happy with their lot.

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Sam

If they are not happy earning $12.72 an hour then perhaps they should look for another job where their “skills” will be better rewarded.

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Striking for one hour does not equate to holding a city to ransom. The company bosses locking out workers does, as far as I can see.

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“Bring back the trams, I say. Trams are cool.”

Best thing you’ve said all day – yay for trams!

“What % pay increase are they demanding? What % pay increase has everyone else got?”

Eight percent of $12.72 per hour doesn’t go a long way if you have to live in Wellington. Falafels have gone up 17 percent here.

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These drivers are not happy with a 7% pay rise?

Most employees would be over the moon with a 7% pay rise, meanwhile the union bosses are holding the city to ransom.

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“What % pay increase are they demanding? What % pay increase has everyone else got?”

7%, to partially make up for the 19% cuts caused by changes to their shifts.

Does anyone know if they’re on insidious split shifts, where they work the rush hours and are without work in the centre of the day? I know they were being used in Auckland not so long ago…

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>>Their bosses holding city to ransom all day today

What % pay increase are they demanding? What % pay increase has everyone else got?

Doesn’t bother me, I work from home. And I dislike buses, so it’s nice not to have them polluting the roadway. Bring back the trams, I say. Trams are cool.

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>>No union members in my car

Take me for a ride in your car car? (As Mary Travers asked: – I’m going back a bit!)

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BluePeter Says:
September 25th, 2008 at 1:43 pm

> Whatever. Big group of union members holding the city to ransom.

Big group of union members held city to ransom for ONE HOUR yesterday. Their bosses holding city to ransom all day today.

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Whatever. Big group of union members holding the city to ransom.

No union members in my car

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It’s the BluePeter Animal Farm reaction Kevyn. Private good, public bad. So when something is badly run he just assumes it’s public.

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“If anything, this is, once again, a reminder of the downside of public sector provision.” Infratil’s private sector

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…not that it’d be cheap.

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