Dundee bus bosses have been told to restore driver overtime payments as service cancellations hit the city once again.
Passengers had enjoyed a more reliable level of service in the previous few months, but Xplore Dundee has again been forced to cancel scores of daily buses.
Managers have blamed increasing sickness levels.
But it has also emerged that the company is no longer paying a higher rate for overtime.
Dundee resident Maria Patullo, 75, gets an Xplore bus at least once a week.
“Drivers should always be getting an enhanced rate for overtime, without a doubt,” she said.
“If you do extra, you should definitely be compensated for it.”
Mrs Greenway, 81, has lived in Broughty Ferry for 50 years.
She said: “If they want drivers to work more, they have to pay them for it.
“Otherwise it is unfair.”
There is ‘no incentive’ for bus drivers to work overtime
The company offered a temporary “enhanced rate” between August and the end of December.
Drivers now receive their standard rate of £13.50 for any additional hours they work. It is understood that is one of the highest rates outside of London.
Dougie Maguire is trade union Unite’s regional co-ordinating officer.
“I do know that people are doing less overtime than they were,” he told The Courier.
“Once you’ve introduced an overtime rate and given people an incentive to work more hours than necessary, then you stop it, (drivers) will decide that they won’t do it anymore.”
Dougie continued: “There’s no incentive there.”
“At the end of the day, they’re supposed to be providing a public service and that includes making sure that people can travel and go about their daily business.”
Winter sickness behind cancellations
A spokesperson for Xplore Dundee said: “As across many workplaces, we have experienced an increase in absenteeism due to winter viruses and sickness.
“Following an extensive recruitment campaign during 2022, we successfully recruited experienced PCV drivers and new starts who have entered our driver training programme, returning our driver numbers to full complement.
“Whilst driver recruitment was taking place in the autumn, we offered a temporary higher rate for existing drivers who chose to work overtime in the lead-up to Christmas and New Year.
“This rate has now concluded in accordance with the date outlined at the start of arrangement and we continue to have drivers working overtime where required.”
