Unite the Union members at Network Warrington bus company are striking against a pay freeze. They have announced a further three days of strike action after rejecting the ‘insulting’ offers of management.
On the company board sit several leading Labour councillors, whose main action seems to be to denigrate the union and help management enforce the pay freeze!
In contrast, suspended Labour councillor Kevin Bennett is speaking up for the workers.
Kevin says:
“On Monday 28th October, at a packed meeting of over 100 employees, the latest offer was emphatically rejected by the members.
A spokesperson for Unite the Union told me that there are untruths being put out by senior managers and board members that there were only 30 members at the meeting.
He said that this is a lie, Unite the Union and its members are playing strictly by the rules, which is more than can be said for the senior management.
The Unite spokesperson also said that although the Chief Executive and the board are saying there’s no money, another accountant has been appointed; Where are they getting the money to pay for this?
Unite members have agreed to further action that will result in three consecutive days of strike action on 13th, 14th and 15th November.”
Join the picket lines on 13-15 November, at the Network Warrington depot, Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington town centre.
This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 30 October 2013 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.
