The Socialist 11 November 2009

Fight for real jobs and free education

End the war in Afghanistan: Bring the troops back now!

Socialism 2009: An excellent weekend!

Postal workers force management back

Unison witch-hunt: Defend the Four campaign gets a boost

RMT conference on political representation

20 years after fall of Berlin Wall, capitalist triumphalism turns rotten

General Motors - no to 'divide and rule' in Germany

Ireland: 90,000 march against government cuts

United Socialist Party congress delegates defy difficult conditions in Sri Lanka

Leeds bin strike - week ten

London bus strike

Strikes force concessions

Steelworkers get organised and score a victory over bonus payments

Fujitsu

College strike

Big business fights for fees: Students must fight back

Internationally young people fight for their rights

Reclaim the game by John Reid

Anti-fascists tactics - What happened in Newport?

Previous issues, etc

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London bus strike

East London Bus Group workers, organised by Unite, held a 24-hour strike on 9 November. East London Bus Group (ELBG) bosses are trying to implement a pay freeze and attack pensions and holiday entitlement.

Matt Dobson

Talks between the union and management have been going on since April, with the greedy company refusing to cough up a better deal for bus workers who work long hours on low pay. ELBG is owned by the Macquarie Group, an Australian investment bank worth £133 billion. This has forced workers to take their first industrial action in 18 years. The response to the union's call was enthusiastic.

At Leyton bus garage the picket swelled to up to 100 strikers as the morning went on. Pickets held placards with the slogans "we want respect" and "don't throw us on the scrapheap". The mood was militant with younger workers on their first picket line and older workers pleased to be finally taking action against bullying management. Pickets drove around the neighbouring streets flying Unite flags out of car windows making the strike visible to all on their way to work.

Management were only able to run one bus, out of 58 routes, out of another garage. Every time a bus driven by a scab came past the garage it was met with the loud anger of the pickets. Eventually the bus route was diverted by watching managers.

Passing support came from cab drivers, council workers, postal workers and even passengers who walked over from nearby bus stops after realising there was a strike. Passing bus drivers from other companies also discussed with the pickets. Many workers agreed that an all-London bus workers' strike would be effective in forcing all the companies to pay attention.

Support from the Socialist Party was well received with two pickets buying The Socialist and many taking leaflets for the Youth Fight for Jobs demonstration on 28 November.

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Fight for real jobs and free education