Archive for September 15th, 2006

Samuel’s Footy Tips

The finals continue this weekend, and I am pleased to be able to announce that 2CA will be doing something they rarely ever do, broadcasting night-time AFL matches…it’s just as well really, all the matches are at night, although I must say it is very unusual (good, but unusual) for them to not have their live “Jukebox Saturday Night” request show.

NRL Finals Week 2
Dragons V Sea Eagles
Knights V Broncos

AFL Finals Week 2
Dockers V Demons
Eagles V Bulldogs

Samuel

September 15th, 2006 at 12:45pm

Bus Jokes

Well it’s Friday Funnies time again, and I could just say that the joke is “ACTION management comittee”, but I doubt many people would find it funny, so instead I’ll provide you with some bus flavoured jokes.

A good and kindly bishop pops his clogs and finds himself at heavens gates behind a newly deceased bus driver. Saint Peter is describing the five hundred room marble palace that will be the eternal home of the bus driver.
Saint Peter gets to the bishop and tells him to go round to the back gate of the mansion and prepare to be the bus drivers gardner. The bishop is outraged – “That idiot bus driver drove like a maniac – what do you think you are doing!!??” Saint Peter replies: “That bus driver is highly favoured in the heavenly realms; he put the fear of God up more people than all the churches in England!”

Did you hear about the magic bus?
– It went along the road, then turned into a side street.

Customer: “Can I have a return ticket please?”
Driver: “Where to?”
Customer: “Back here of course!”

A passenger who was slightly late in rising from her seat said to the driver, “I wanted that stop.” The driver turned around and replied ” I’m sorry madam, the company don’t sell them”

Do you have something you would like to contribute to Friday Funnies? If so, email it to smoothwallsamuel@gmail.com. All contributions welcome!

Samuel

September 15th, 2006 at 10:47am

Back to the drawing board for ACTION

ACTION management have decided to go back to the drawing board over their proposed driver shift changes. The move comes amidst credible rumours of sudden and surprise strike action being planned by the Transport Workers Union.

ACTION management had proposed a system based mainly on split shifts, which would have seen a large reduction in the number of middle-of-the-day bus services, and a drastic increase in the number of hours bus drivers spend at work. The shifts were rejected by drivers at a recent stop-work meeting, but ACTION management stubbornly refused to accept no for an answer, and subsequently offered the same shifts on a non-negotiable basis.

The Transport Workers Union and ACTION bus drivers were understandably annoyed at this, and credible sources inside ACTION claim that the Transport Workers Union were planning a surprise and sudden strike, to take place this morning. This would have involved TWU officials blocking the depot gates, and turning drivers away as they arrive for work, effectively stopping all bus services for the day. This plan is unconfirmable due to the very nature of the rumoured industrial action, which has previously been suggested publicly, and drivers subsequently threatened with fines equivalent to multiple days pay if they carried out the action.

It is believed that ACTION management got wind of the rumours, and decided to retract the shifts and negotiate with the TWU. At approximately 2:30pm yesterday, an announcement was broadcast to drivers via ACTION’s two-way radio system that the shifts had been withdrawn, and negotiations were continuing.

The proposed shifts would have seen the majority of drivers on split-shifts, where they would have been expected to be at work by 6 or 7am, drive busses until about 10am, then sit around at the depot for a couple hours just in case there was “special” work to be done, this would then be followed by an unpaid break of a couple hours, and then drivers would be expected to drive until about 6pm or later. This would have the effect of ruining ACTION’s family-friendly atmosphere, and pose a safety risk with drivers being required to be awake for more hours in the day. It would also have slashed middle-of-the-day services (ie. 9:30am-3pm) to the bone, stranding the people who rely on the bus services for transport, especially elderly people and shift workers.

Drivers may also have been alternated between day time split shifts, and night shifts, a move which may have resulted in even more driver fatigue as drivers may have struggled to adjust to constantly changing rosters.

Under the proposed changes, Flexibus (known here as Flexichaos) would have been replaced with normal route services, possibly the only sensible move in the proposed changes.

At this stage it is unclear what the 6 person ACTION management comittee (who have replaced former CEO Peter Wallace, and apparently have never been bus drivers) will come up with in their next offer.

Samuel

September 15th, 2006 at 09:49am

Naomi Robson

Good morning Stuart,

Just a thought about this Naomi Robson incident…perhaps Channel Seven just want a new ongoing storyline for Today Tonight, I can just see the promos now…"Behind bars, Today Tonight brings you life in a bali gaol, when Naomi Robson bravely walks in Schapelle’s footsteps" etc etc. The only problem I can see with this is the possibility that Naomi is just as popular as Yasmin who isn’t getting married!

Have a great weekend Stuart,

Samuel Gordon-Stewart
Canberra

6 comments September 15th, 2006 at 01:30am


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