First Bus drivers strike

Furious bus drivers at privateer First Bus have staged their third day of strike action in Greater Manchester over a pay freeze.

More than 800 workers, all members of the Unite union, walked out in Bury, Bolton and Wigan for their third 24-hour stoppage this month.

Members have said they are angry at a pay freeze imposed by the firm. First Bus said it had offered a 2 per cent pay increase from April 2010.

Almost 200 workers at the privateer in Leicester, including drivers, cleaners, supervisors and engineers, will also hold a ballot on industrial action.

Unite members in Leicester voted 182 to 16 in favour of holding a formal ballot.

If strikes were to go ahead, they could cause major problems for thousands of the city's bus passengers.

The ballot is expected to be held within the next few weeks.

Unite regional industrial organiser Harish Patel said that First workers nationwide had been told there would be no pay rises for a year.

"First Bus has always held local discussions with unions about pay levels so decisions are made at a local level," he said.

"But the national company has now ordered a 12-month pay freeze which does not respect that agreement.

"There was an expectation that there would be negotiations at least."

The action will also deal with other problems Unite says it has been having with the privateer.

Mr Patel added: "There are separate concerns about the wording of disciplinary procedures and the fact that drivers can have their licences endorsed by the police if they have a defective vehicle.

"Even when drivers take over buses from other drivers on the street and can't check a vehicle properly, the company makes them pay police fines."

He said no decision had been made on what form industrial action might take.

It could be strikes lasting anything from just hours to days, or simply "working to rule" - that is, employees refusing to work any overtime to make things difficult for the company.

The union has accused First Bus of taking advantage of the recession to make more cash by refusing staff pay increases.

Morning Star - 21.09.09