www.socialistworker.co.
uk
drivers challenge
tendering system
B
us workers at Upton Park
garage in East London have
voted overwhelmingly to
strike to defend drivers threatened
with transfer to other companies.
Unite members at East London
Bus Group’s (ELBG) garage in
Upton Park voted by 182 to 6 in an
indicative ballot to say they would
strike if drivers on two routes were
forced to move.
ELBG recently lost the contracts to
operate the two routes, currently run
from Upton Park, to operators Go-
Ahead and Arriva North.
ELBG bosses now want to transfer
more than 60 drivers with the routes,
which are due to transfer in March.
But the drivers are not taking this
lying down. They are prepared to
fight to defend every driver currently
employed by ELBG.
More than 60 drivers are affected
and it creates a lot of insecurity.
Many of them are drivers nearing
the top of their pay grade, so ELBG
will save money by sending them to
another company.
Drivers who are transferred are
supposed to keep their pay and
conditions for two years, but no one
really believes that. And they will be
forced to move to another workplace.
The dispute shows the damaging
logic of Transport for London’s
tendering system. Companies try to
hold down costs in a bid to maximise
profit and to win lucrative contracts
for bus routes.
Meanwhile bus workers are
expected to put up with worsening
pay and conditions and job insecurity
in a bid to help their employer win or
keep routes.
The Upton Park drivers are right to
challenge the destructive market logic
of the tendering system—and to stand
up for their colleagues. Olive Grove
Unite is currently running a
London-wide campaign for central
votes on
pay bargaining to try to stop the
“race to the bottom” of the tendering
discipline
First South Yorkshire drivers at the
system.
Olive Grove depot in Sheffield are
Strikes that challenge specific
being urged by Unite to accept a
transfers can make the union’s new deal on disciplinary terms and
campaign more concrete and conditions.
effective, and help to take its A ballot of drivers will be held next
demands forward . Friday, January 29.
Workers were unhappy about
Pay talks bogged down harsh disciplinary procedures being
meted out at the depot.
There are worrying signs that the
The dispute led to several days of
pay dispute at ELBG is becoming
strike action. Drivers need to be sure
bogged down in endless talks and
that any deal on the table is a real
negotiations. victory before voting yes.
More than 2,000 drivers at the
company held three days of lively
and effective strikes before Christmas Righttowork
against a pay freeze.
The workers then voted by a a conference
huge majority to reject a new offer of resistance
involving a one-off cash payment and & solidarity
a series of attacks on conditions. l Fight for every job
But drivers are still waiting to hear l Defend services & pensions
about future strike dates. l Organise to stop the cuts
The union needs to get the action Sat 30 Jan, 11.30am-5pm
back up and running or it risks losing Central Hall, Manchester
the momentum and spirit that clearly To book: www.righttowork.org.uk
still exists among drivers l
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Buses 20/01/10
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