GHA Coaches driver tells of disgust as firm collapsed on his FIRST DAY at work
A coach driver who worked for a bus company that was plunged into administration the same day he started working for the firm today criticised their "awful" treatment of staff.
Andrew Nicholls was interviewed for the job on Monday, hired on Tuesday and started working for GHA Coaches on Wednesday – before being let go on Thursday.
Mr Nicholls, 34, who was based at the firm's Shrewsbury depot, claims he was given no indication there were any problems during his interview.
He said: "It's a shameful way of employing someone. You can't tell me that on Monday, someone didn't know that something of this nature was coming."
Mr Nicholls, of Shrewsbury, also voiced his disgust that many of the 300-plus employees were told the firm was closing by text message.
"It's not the way to treat staff at all, it's awful, and not all members of staff even got the message. Some had to find out through Facebook which is disgusting," he said.
In the text message, staff were told to attend the company's depot the next day where they were told the firm had been placed in administration.
The company operated 11 routes for Shropshire Council, made up of six public transport and five school contracts.
It made the shock announcement that it would cease trading only days after apologising for issues with its service.
The decision to place the company in administration followed a winding up petition from HMRC for unpaid taxes.
The firm, which employed 320 workers and operated 230 vehicles from five depots in Shropshire, North Wales and Cheshire, attempted to secure an emergency funding package but was unsuccessful.
Mr Nicholls said although it was a frustrating time for staff, having a bus licence made drivers employable and less than a day after being made redundant, he has found coach touring work.
Shropshire Council managed to secure replacement buses for a number of routes on Thursday, and some firms have taken over operating some GHA routes. However, the authority is currently in discussions with operators to re-commence the route to Severndale School, which caters for children with special needs.
