Drivers of the bus company Hermes may not take additional days off from August 27 to October 15. This is a consequence of the staff shortage. Requests for vacation days that were previously approved will stand.
The company’s works council (OR) says the decision not to allow additional leave was made without consultation. That is why the OR filed summary proceedings for Monday. Hermes operates buses in Eindhoven and part of Southeast Brabant. A spokesman for the company would not comment substantively while the case is sub judice.
Refusal OR
According to the company, there are no other ways to solve the problems in the short term. The OR believes the decision cannot be taken lightly. Meanwhile, the OR does not agree to a plan to change vacation and leave arrangements.
Last week it was announced that Hermes is having great difficulty in getting the timetable right. Buses are plentiful, and so are passengers, but there are not enough drivers. “Here in the region there is a huge staff shortage and a lot of drivers are also retiring,” the Hermes spokesperson said at the time. Especially on weekends, the bus company has great difficulty in keeping rosters and schedules ongoing due to vacations that overlap.
Sunday, thirty driver shifts could not be filled. Many rides had to be cancelled. Drivers who do drive get a lot of complaints from travellers, one of them said.
Modified schedule
Due to the ongoing staff shortage, Hermes is using a modified vacation schedule starting Aug. 28. The changes will apply until the autumn vacations, in mid-October. As a result of this measure, rides will be cancelled and there will be fewer buses on a number of routes. Among other things, a number of extra early rides will be removed from the bus timetable.
Extra buses will be used where they expect many travellers. Despite the announced changes, travellers may experience cancelled or delayed buses. Hermes recommends checking the bus company’s site or app before each trip.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta. She also gives online INBURGERING classes.
