Treated like shit

Solidarity!

From Thursday 25th Wellington bus drivers will be locked out of their jobs, after hopes to raise some of their wages from a mere $12.72 an hour was denied by their employers, Go Wellington. This means there will be no buses running for an indefinite time in the city of Wellington.

Of course, you'll hear the mainstream media discuss this issue with regard to how the strike will affect traffic in Wellington — already Channel 3 have ended their news story with 'parent's will have to take their kids to school themselves', or 'get to work yourselves', side-stepping the real issues such as the shamful rate of pay for these workers. By focusing on the distruption of city traffic the media help the company's cause, getting the public to call for a return to normality — which is in short, a return to wage slavery and a defeat for the bus drivers. The fact that this kind of distruption may occur shows how the valuable a service the bus driver performes, and should be rewarded accordingly.

As workers ourselves, we should support the Wellington bus drivers and their requests. By showing solidarity, contributing to the strike fund, or even striking in sympathy in our own unions or workplaces, we realise the fact that the dispute is not just a local one — that industrial issues relate across the board to all of our working lives: in our own jobs and in our own workplaces. Such is the nature of 'the beast'.

Garage Collective calls for solidarity with the Wellington bus drivers, their unions, and any unions, groups or individuals who
stands in support. An injury to one is an injury to all!

Cheers

Jared D

Its interesting that the enlightened anonymous poster declines to say who he is. Since he refuses to even take a nom de plum I will take the liberty of calling him Mr Rickards.

Mr Rickards, rather than criticise the drivers for what you see as erratic driving, why dont you look into how the number of hours a week at 12 bucks an hour it would take to raise the 350 dollars a week it costs to rent a semi-reaasonable place in Wellington? Most of 40 hours it would seem. Some simple calculations based on what you and your prospective lawyer buddies consider to be food suitable for the working class - no pork included Im sure - would give us a reasonable estimate of 120 a week to feed a family on the potatoes and onion diet you prescribe for the working class. There are only seven days in one week so one would assume that these 50 hours, plus maybe another 2 dollars a week that the workers need to spend on soap, water, electricity and shaving gear to reach your standards of hygiene, quickly adds up to about 51 hours.
Do the maths. These guys are driving at least 7 hours a day just to have somewhere to sleep. A more realistic number of hours from talking to drivers is 12. I know that you and your buddies are allowed to break road rules by virtue of your employment, but bus drivers aren't, Mr Rickards. These guys are driving long hours. If you are so concerned about the standard of their driving, then you should support them getting a wage thats high enough that they are able to live on a 40 hour - or a 24 hour working week.
Yours truly,

Sam, the Fat Controller

the capitalists get stinky from frequently showering themselves in filthy cash

well dear ,if you dont want to be treated like shit as you so eloquently (and uncouthlly)put it then i suggest you get yourself some skills

oh I say I say I say! Why dont they eat cake?
The last time there was a strike on it really made a mess of the traffic. I havent had such a migraine since the commoners were complaining about the poll tax!
Never ind, I must hurry along now. Its past 8 o'clock and I must catch mother before she goes to bed so I can breastfeed.
Tally Ho old chaps!
John Key.