True grit
Nov 4 2009 by Andrew Jackson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
THE ink was barely dry on yesterday’s paper when this topic hit the forum.
markmyword49 sparked off the talk: “The council write a tender for providing gritting and ploughing that they know private contractors cannot fulfil.
“The contractors don’t bid. The council then makes a complete hash of the job. Council, through presentations at the Area Committees, promises to learn from the experience and talk to the public and local councillors.
“They come up with a plan that looks reasonable. Everybody cheers.
“However, horror of horrors, they forgot to get the agreement of the workforce. Even worse, when they finally get round to it they come up with a penny-pinching offer that invites the workforce to reject it out of hand.
“What did Kirklees management think the workforce would do?”
despondent responded: “We should be counting our blessings that our wise council has only
ordered five events when gritters will be required this entire winter. Regarding the new pay plan put forward by the wise-owls, it is very controversial in the extreme. The gritting team should be paid for being on ‘stand by’ and should be paid as soon as they climb into their wagons at the depot. I do not agree to travel expenses between home and the depot though.
“The council still has time to put out fair contracts to the people who did an admirable job in previous years.”
Mowdiwarp quipped: “Let’s face it, this little episode is quite worthy of The Fawlty Towers Award.
As I understand it they are only holding five days salt/grit supply anyway so by the time they do get out (judging by last year’s ‘efforts’ in the Colne Valley) the snow might well have melted anyway!
No KMC. Stick to pink paving and black granite urinals and leave the highways to people who know how to do it.
“Whoops! – sorry, of course, you made sure they would not tender didn’t you?”
phil3 knew what the plans were: “The council will look for cutbacks any way it can to avoid an increase in Council Tax as they know this is the main reason most people complain. If we have a mild winter, nobody will remember this episode.”
