LIBERAL Vannin leader Peter Karran railed in Tynwald against the ‘black propaganda’ he claimed was being used by the government and ‘state sponsored media’ against the bus drivers.
Target of his ire was a front page report in the Manx Independent which revealed that the striking bus drivers were in line to receive a lump sum pay award of £400 in line with a deal agreed for public sector manual workers.
Community Culture and Leisure Minister Graham Cregeen MHK confirmed in Tynwald that the drivers have not as yet received the £400 one-off payment, and the department would negotiate the application of this lump sum.
Mr Karran claimed the general public had been purposefully misled which he said was ‘absolutely disgraceful’ and ‘shameful’.
He said: ‘This is part of the black propaganda of the state media service within this island. It is wrong to be giving the impression to the general public that they were getting this £400, and now we are told they are not getting the £400, which was supposed to be universally given to all Whitley workers. We live in the Isle of Man, not in Disney World.’
Fellow Lib Van MHK Kate Beecroft (Douglas South) said that if inaccurate information is ‘blasted’ on the papers as a headline, the Minister should take steps to correct it.
The department, however, confirmed that our story was in fact accurate.
In a statement, cheif executive officer Nick Black said: ‘The DCCL is of the view that the newspaper report of the Whitley Council negotiations was substantially accurate.
‘The department can confirm that bus drivers’ rates of pay are currently linked to Whitley Council rates.
‘In this case, a £400 lump sum was agreed for Whitley Council workers and drivers will be expecting their payment along with other manual workers. However, as this is not an increase in rate, it is not applied until formally ratified through the regular department/union negotiating forum.
‘The only inaccuracy as far as the department is concerned was that the lump sum would be paid to drivers in January. Due to the ongoing industrial dispute, it has not yet been possible to ratify the payment of the lump sum with drivers’ representatives.’
Mr Cregeen told Tynwald the union had chosen this afternoon, a day when hundreds of school pupils were taking exams, for the next strike to ‘cause the most disruption for the least loss of pay’.
Leonard Singer (Ramsey) asked if the department was taking legal advice over the possibility of bus drivers abandoning their vehicles at the side of the road when this afternoon’s half day strike begin at 1pm.
The department subsequently confirmed that arrangements had been put in place to ensure no passengers will be left stranded when the strike starts at 1pm. Mr Black said: ‘I can assure the public that no passengers will be left stranded as a result of a bus not completing a journey as any buses operating at 1pm will be driven by staff who are not taking industrial action.’
In Tynwald, Castletown MHK Richard Ronan criticised the construction of a temporary railway halt at School Hill for use by Castle Rushen High School students during the bus strike.
He suggested the existing Castletown railway station should have been used rather than building an ‘expensive white elephant’.
Mr Cregeen said the projected cost of the School Hill halt, including operational costs, was expected to be less than £10,000 and it would be used again if there is further industrial action.
He insisted the ‘walk is slightly shorter, the route simpler, the crossing points much fewer and the risks far less’ than if schoolchildren had used the town’s original station.
Once again, the trains and trams will be running as a contingency measure during this afternoon’s half day stoppage with the Steam Railway starting at 12.50pm and the MER timetable beginning at 1.10pm.
The first strike took place on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Christmas in a dispute over changes to terms and conditions including the loss of paid lunch breaks. The Unite union says its members stand to lose up to £3,000 in pay.
In addition to the temporary bus time timetables and rail services, extra parking is available on Douglas Promenades, Quarterbridge main car park on Peel Road and the overflow car park on New Castletown Road, the Bowl car park on Pulrose Road, Circus Beach and also Victoria Pier – although the public is advised to avoid parking there if weather forecast is poor.