Boss' not so happy Christmas message to laid off staff

The closure has cost 23 jobs.

Staff who lost their jobs at a collapsed UK bus firm were shocked when their boss told them he hoped they all found work at another company that "treats them like s***".

The outburst from Gary Jones, who ran D Jones and Son, left the former employees stunned, the MailOnline reported.

One recorded Jones' rant, which came as he told them all they'd be facing Christmas and New Year out of work.

In the 15-minute tirade, Jones told the shell-shocked workers he was looking forward to a relaxing holiday, but his wishes for his employees were far less festive.

He said: "I have had enough of it because I have got pains in my arms, I've got pains in my chest. For what?

"To keep people in work that really don't want to be here with us.

"That's not what I want. So I wish everybody good luck and I hope that you go to a company that will treat you all like s***, because if the drivers are treating me like s*** that's what you are going to get elsewhere."

Jones added he was fed up of drivers changing shifts and their rota positions and was finding it increasingly difficult to find drivers to cover shifts.

Chris Palmer, who drove for the company since being laid off by now-collapsed GHA Coaches 18 months ago, disputed Jones's claims about drivers' attitudes.

He heard of the closure - which has cost 23 jobs - last Saturday morning via social media.

He said: "One of the guys looked at Denbighshire council's website and it said the company was closing on Saturday

"[Jones] criticises the drivers but every single one of them completed their shift on Saturday, even though they knew they were losing their jobs.

'We had been dropped in it but all the passengers got to where they wanted to go.'

Palmer said he finally got to speak to Jones with other drivers at around 4.20pm and couldn't believe what he heard.

He said: "None of us deserved that. I feel very bitter about the way we have been treated. I went in on my day off during the snow to help him out.

"I feel let down that I have given Mr Jones 18 months and I have worked at very short notice.

"Yet he has tarnished all the drivers with the same brush.

"From my understanding before all the GHA work came in the company ran itself and I think he was kind of hoping he could run the company in the way he always used to.

"I can understand it if he wanted to end the company but there was no need to do it without notice.

"He actually said he was going to enjoy a stress-free Christmas which is a bit insulting when you've just put 23 people out of work."

The Daily Post contacted Jones he said he had wanted to make a statement but the situation had "got out of hand" and he needed time to "come to terms with everything".

He also blamed Denbighshire council - for whom the firm ran school transport contracts - for leaking the news a day early, before he had chance to speak to his drivers.

A spokesman for Denbighshire council said: "Once we were made aware of the position, we had to act quickly to find alternative transport and we needed to communicate this to parents and pupils as quickly as possible."