Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/598/8266
From The Socialist newspaper, 21 October 2009
First bus drivers give bosses a 'fright'
South Yorkshire First bus drivers, members of Unite, held a one day strike back in July against the company's national pay-freeze. Further action was suspended on union legal advice after a court ruling.
Alistair Tice
However, even more drivers voted for strike action in the re-ballot, in fact in three ballots for industrial action. 82% voted to strike over pay and 91% of drivers at the Sheffield Olive Grove garage voted to strike against bullying management. Strike dates were set which forced management into new talks and into making supposedly 'new offers' (which still involve a pay freeze this year despite £130 million profit last year).
Despite a negotiating committee recommendation to accept the pay offer, it was rejected in a workplace ballot by 514-379. Olive Grove drivers supported their committee's recommendation to reject the offer on disciplinary issues by 437-39.
So new South Yorkshire strike dates have been set over pay for 23 and 26 October, plus in Sheffield on 25 and 31 October. This has incensed First bosses who sponsor the city's Fright Night in the run-up to Halloween, both of which will be hit by strikes.
Strike action is being co-ordinated with First drivers in Bury, Bolton and Wigan. With Essex drivers voting 95% for action, and ballots in London and West Yorkshire at an advanced stage, around 8,000 First workers could soon be taking simultaneous strike action against the company pay-freeze.
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 21 October 2009:
Post - a battle that mass strike action can win
War and occupation
Afghanistan - end the bloody occupation
Anti-racism
Protests at the BBC: No to the far-right, racist BNP
WDL racists chased out of town
International socialist news and analysis
Sri Lanka protest: Shut down the prison camps!
Chinaworker.info journalist refused entry into China
Socialist Party news and analysis
Tommy Sheridan - a socialist fighter on a worker's wage
Laughing all the way to the bank
Socialist Party workplace news
FBU strike to defend fire service
Giant energy company hounds unemployed electrician
First bus drivers give bosses a 'fright'
400 jobs under threat at Leeds
Striking at London Metropolitan
Education
Primary education: Report slams government policy
Political representation
Union activists discuss pulling the plug on Labour
Conference on political representation
Socialist Party reviews
The Greatest Show on Earth: The evidence for Evolution
Hard Times by Charles Dickens, reviewed by Linda Taaffe
Marxist analysis: history
When Britain's spies backed Mussolini
Home | The Socialist 21 October 2009 | Join the Socialist Party
Join us today!
Printable version
email to friend
