Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/546/6368
From The Socialist newspaper, 3 September 2008
London buses: Strikers pack picket lines
I went to Westbourne Park bus garage in west London, during their strike over pay on 29 August. There are nearly 1,000 drivers at the garage and the strike there was solid. I was told that only 20 buses out of 900 were on the road. Indeed there were fleets of red double deckers lined up, parked, not going anywhere.
Holly Eaton
The strike started at 3am that morning. I arrived at 6.45pm and there were still around 40 people there.
I was told by one driver that he normally does a late shift and he had arrived at the picket line for 2pm. He estimated that there were 300 people on the picket line at that point.
They didn't have much in the way of material - no leaflets, no posters, no placards, just a couple of A3 size signs saying 'equal pay'.
However the mood was strong and it did seem that around half of all drivers at that garage had actually come to the picket line, rather than just stay off work.
Strikers were saying that they were the worst paid of all London bus drivers. Their pay was generally £1.50 an hour lower than that of other drivers.
They also said that it was the norm to get a lower rate of pay until you had passed your probationary period (6-12 months) but at Westbourne Park it was three years on the lower grade of pay. Also you have to work five years before qualifying for paid sick leave!
Workers were talking about the blow to management and profits that the strike would deal and also spoke about the next planned strike day on 12 September.
They said when the tube goes on strike, the buses take the strain. However, the tube would not be able to take the strain of all the buses going strike.
They were making clear links with RMT workers on the tube.
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In The Socialist 3 September 2008:
'Them and us' economy hits the rocks
Inequality - the world's deadliest disease!
Socialist Party editorial
Russia / Georgia war exposes limits of West
Socialist Party workplace news
Trades Union Congress: Building a real leadership against the bosses
John Mc Donnell MP protests at Unison witch-hunt
London buses: Strikers pack picket lines
Fight threat to Ford Transit plant jobs
Coastguards strike over bank holiday in pay protest
Socialist Party feature
Building a new workers' party: trade unionist initiative needed
International socialist news and analysis
Poland: Biggest workers' demo since the 1990s
Socialist Party campaigns
Arrested for selling The Socialist
Winners and losers at the Beijing Olympics
Water quality threat to health
Adding colour to The Socialist
Socialist Students
School and college students fighting back!
Socialist Party review
Inside Egypt: the land of the Pharaohs on the brink of a revolution
Socialist Party NHS campaign
Swollen profits, suffering patients
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