Handheld users: view this page better on http://m.socialistparty.org.uk

Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/548/6401

From The Socialist newspaper, 17 September 2008

London bus strike: "Showing them our power"

London bus strike, photo Paul Mattsson

London bus strike, photo Paul Mattsson

The first round of London bus strikes on 29 August was confined to First bus company and mainly affected north London routes. By the time the dust had settled and round two began on 12 September, the strike had spread to Metro bus routes all the way south to Croydon.

Neil Cafferky

Despite the fact that the Metro depot is sandwiched between a sewage treatment plant and a rubbish tip, picketers from Unite branch 1/345 were in an optimistic mood.

Management looked on sullenly as every third or fourth car passing the gates honked their horn in support.

Workers from other companies gathered at the entrance to their workplaces and nodded with approval at the sight of a picket that included at least 30-40 workers at any time.

London bus strike, photo Paul Mattsson

London bus strike, photo Paul Mattsson

The picket was well organised with a barbecue almost blocking out the smell from the rest of the industrial estate. And the depot entrance was decorated with Unite banners and balloons.

Although the immediate issue in the strike was pay, a branch rep pointed out that the working conditions endured by the drivers was a big factor in pushing the branch to vote for industrial action.

Toilet and break facilities are completely inadequate, with the branch rep reporting that three drivers have actually soiled themselves while on duty.

The canteen, such as it is, has seating for ten people despite having 320 drivers.

London bus strike, photo Paul Mattsson

London bus strike, photo Paul Mattsson

The branch rep pointed out that the meanness of Metrobus towards its staff was allowing the company to pocket extra profits and win more contracts from Transport for London. "We would like to see all London buses back under the umbrella of Transport for London", he said.

There was also strong criticism of the Labour Party, with some strikers reacting with disbelief when they read Socialist Party leaflets headlining the fact that Unite gave £1.2 million to the Labour Party last year.

Many on the picket said they looked forward to an all-London strike of bus workers.

Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.


In The Socialist 17 September 2008:


Credit crunch

It's time to fight back!


Socialist Party editorial

Capitalist crisis - Karl Marx was right


Anti-racism

No to racism: Yes to decent jobs, homes & services!


Socialist Party campaigns

Socialist candidate gains 40% of vote, stuns Usdaw leaders

Conflict in Georgia - independent position needed

Brown's feeble fuel package


Labour Party conference protest

Protest at war and occupation

Welcome to the real Manchester

Fighting city needs a fighting party

Panicky MPs turn on Labour


Privatisation and closure

No to post office closures

Protesters tackle Metro privatisation


Socialist Party feature

Middle East: End imperialist aggression!


Socialist Party workplace news

London bus strike: "Showing them our power"

Pickets cheer in West London

Ford workers meet to defend jobs

Journalists win union recognition victory

2008 Trades Union Congress: Pressure from below begins to show

Swansea rail workers fighting for a living wage

fastnews


International socialist news and analysis

Interview with Cindy Sheehan: "Some kind of populist uprising needs to happen"

Scotland: Tactical questions for local government pay battle


Socialist Party review

'Bob Marley' reviewed by Jason Toynbee


 

Home   |   The Socialist 17 September 2008   |   Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe   |   Donate   |   Bookshop






Join the Socialist Party Join us today!

Printable version Printable version

email to friend email to friend

Facebook   Twitter

Related links:

Buses:

triangleWorkplace news in brief

triangleLondon bus workers fight cuts

triangleTekel workers brutally attacked by police

triangleBuses - privatisation means worse services

triangleSouth Yorkshire Buses Demonstration

triangleNo more fare rises, no more cutbacks!

London:

triangleNational Shop Stewards Network 6th Annual National Conference

triangleEast London Socialist Party: Our unions must fight for us!

triangleNext construction workers' protests: Wednesday 15th February

triangleEast London Socialist Party: Stephen Lawrence; fighting racism

Bus workers:

triangleBus workers force management climb-down

triangleAusterity and anger in Greece

triangleDevon Bus Workers Fight Low Pay

Reports and campaigns

Reports and campaigns

9/2/12

Unite

BBC report: Unite may hold new NHS pensions strike ballot

9/2/12

Rob Windsor

Funeral details for Rob Windsor, socialist councillor

9/2/12

Construction workers

Next construction workers' protests: Wednesday 15th February

9/2/12

Jet

Jet tanker drivers force employers to negotiate

8/2/12

Welfare

Scrap the Welfare Reform Bill

8/2/12

Salford

Salford campaign saves day care centres

8/2/12

Leeds

New society at Leeds College

8/2/12

NHS

Kingston Hospital: Save all NHS jobs

8/2/12

NHS

Prince Philip Hospital Llanelli: We can defeat cuts plans

8/2/12

Leeds

Leeds Trinity students fight canteen cuts

8/2/12

Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets: Save Rushmead one stop shop - fight all cuts

8/2/12

UCU

UCU special conference

8/2/12

Construction workers

Workplace news in brief

8/2/12

PCS

Reinstate sacked PCS steward, John Brookes!

8/2/12

Unilever

Unions cautiously welcome talks with Unilever

triangleMore Reports and campaigns articles...

 Latest Posts
N30 - Millions strike back at Con-Dem government on 30 November 2011, photo Paul Mattsson

triangle9 Feb NUT and PCS launch consultative surveys to build for ongoing pensions...

triangle9 Feb Jet tanker drivers force employers to negotiate

Hardest Hit Protest: Disabled people and their families protest in central London against government spending cuts, photo Paul Mattsson

triangle8 Feb London - a tale of two cities

triangle8 Feb Salford campaign saves day care centres

NHS demo London, May 2011 , photo Paul Mattsson

triangle8 Feb Save the NHS!

Picket line at Stagecoach,  Rotherham depot 8.2.12 , photo by Alistair Tice

triangle8 Feb Stagecoach South Yorkshire - management getting desperate

triangle7 Feb Tactics to stop racist EDL

More ...

 What's On

triangle11 Feb Socialist Party national youth meeting

triangle13 Feb Manchester Socialist Party: Lenin's State and Revolution

triangle13 Feb Leeds City & Bradford Socialist Party: The crisis of capitalism in the eurozone and Britain

triangle13 Feb Aylesbury Socialist Party: What is Marxism?

triangle13 Feb Birmingham Socialist Party: Socialism and religion

triangle14 Feb Derby Socialist Party: China - Will the economic boom continue?

triangle14 Feb Hatfield Socialist Party: Trade unionists and socialists standing against the cuts

triangle14 Feb Bristol Central Socialist Party: The 1917 February revolution in Russia

triangle14 Feb Hyde Park & Headingley Socialist Party: Perspectives for Britain

triangle15 Feb Wakefield & Pontefract Socialist Party: Fighting the cuts - What's socialism got to do with it?

More ...

Categories

1-9 

1-9 


Select articles from month:

February 2012

January 2012

December 2011

November 2011

October 2011

September 2011

August 2011

July 2011

June 2011

May 2011

April 2011

March 2011

February 2011

January 2011

December 2010

November 2010

October 2010

September 2010

August 2010

July 2010

June 2010

May 2010

April 2010

March 2010

February 2010

January 2010

December 2009

November 2009

October 2009

September 2009

August 2009

July 2009

June 2009

May 2009

April 2009

March 2009

February 2009

January 2009

December 2008

November 2008

October 2008

September 2008

August 2008

July 2008

June 2008

May 2008

April 2008

March 2008

February 2008

January 2008

December 2007

November 2007

October 2007

September 2007

August 2007

July 2007

June 2007

May 2007

April 2007

March 2007

February 2007

January 2007

December 2006

November 2006

October 2006

September 2006

August 2006

July 2006

June 2006

May 2006

April 2006

March 2006

February 2006

January 2006

December 2005

November 2005

October 2005

September 2005

August 2005

July 2005

June 2005

May 2005

April 2005

March 2005

February 2005

January 2005

December 2004

November 2004

October 2004

September 2004

August 2004

July 2004

June 2004

May 2004

April 2004

March 2004

February 2004

January 2004

December 2003

November 2003

October 2003

September 2003

August 2003

July 2003

December 2001

November 2001

October 2001

September 2001

August 2001

July 2001

June 2001

May 2001

April 2001

March 2001

February 2001

January 2001

December 2000

November 2000

October 2000

September 2000

August 2000

July 2000

June 2000

May 2000

April 2000

March 2000

February 2000

January 2000

December 1999