Pouring petrol on the fire

Thousands of Unite First Bus members across the country are considering industrial action against the company’s attacks on pay and working conditions.

First Bus is facing pending industrial action in Glasgow, Bradford, Doncaster, Halifax, Huddersfield, Rotherham, Sheffield and York due to bosses’ “bullish attitude” towards wage negotiations.

Around 4000 drivers, engineers, cleaners and maintenance staff in Yorkshire will be balloting for industrial action, including strike action, in the coming days. First Bus employees in Glasgow are also considering their options.

The Yorkshire ballot comes after a month of ongoing strikes at the company’s Weymouth and Bridport devision, as well as strikes by First Bus employees in Leeds and Manchester.

“The shop stewards have told their respective line managers that Unite would ballot its members imminently for industrial action at the aggressive stance that the company has recently adopted towards its dedicated workforce,” said Unite regional officer for Yorkshire, Steve Clark.

“There is a feeling that the uncertainty caused by last month’s Brexit vote has encouraged the management to take advantage of the current situation to roll-back on pay and conditions. The next thing will be reducing bus services, so they can squeeze the last ounce of profit from what should be a public service.”

Despite announcing profits of ÂŁ52m last month, First Group management are neglecting to settle wage claims, ignoring attempts to arrange meetings with reps and closing trade union offices where problems can be dealt with before they escalate.

In Weymouth bosses have suspended automatic deductions from member’s wage packets for Unite membership fees, in an attempt to punish the union for the dispute. Unite national officer for passenger transport Bobby Morton said the move “was like pouring petrol onto the fire.”

Speaking about the situation nationwide Morton said: “Across the country union officers are telling me that First are being particularly difficult over wage negotiations, which basically means they’re going after terms and conditions.

“The announcement of a £52m profit coincided with the company adopting a very bullish attitude towards First Bus members. I don’t know if they were expecting more money, but in my opinion they’re getting very very greedy and taking what they see as the soft option to increase profits – by going after their employees.”

Morton was clear that if First Bus continued in its attempts the company could expect a long hot summer.

He said: “Unite wishes to negotiate in the traditional fashion but if we’re provoked by an attack on terms and conditions then we will strike back.”