‘Can’t run without us’

Unite bus worker James Mitchell, speaking on the Transport report at the Labour Party Conference today (September 26), highlighted key measures in the government’s Bus Services Bill which Labour must stand firm against and oppose.

Mitchell noted why these issues were of utmost importance — simply put, nearly everyone uses buses.

“Buses are the most frequently used and democratic form of public transport,” he told conference. “They are depended upon by all parts of society including the young and the elderly. They are the lifelines of our communities.”

He welcomed the fact that there is much to be lauded in the Bus Services Bill such as the Bill’s attempt to “reregulate the bus market”.

“Franchising would allow some local transport authorities to determine, for example, the frequency and standard of service and fares,” Mitchell noted.

But chief among bus workers’ concerns over the Bill is a clause that, he said, “would ban councils in England from setting up new municipal bus companies.

“That clause should be removed and we welcome Labour’s commitment to oppose it,” he argued.

Mitchell noted that he knows “first-hand” as a bus worker the “disaster of privatisation and the deregulation of bus industry”.

“Polls show a majority of the British public think local authorities should be allowed to set up new public bus companies,” he said.

“Research finds we could save £506m a year by bringing buses outside London into public ownership.”

Which is why, Mitchell argued, the clause banning local authorities from setting up their own bus companies should be removed.

“If the government is genuinely interested in local authorities being able to meet local needs, municipalisation needs to be available to all local authorities,” he said.

Mitchell outlined other concerns bus workers had about the Bill, including the fact that trade unions are not included as statutory consulters as worker representatives.

“Union density in the bus industry is among the highest in the economy,” he said. “Bus workers deserve to be represented as well as the bus passengers who have already been given statutory consultee status.”

Mitchell also decried the fact that the Bill doesn’t appear to offer protection for new employees who are not covered by the TUPE and pension protections in the Bill.

“This could lead to operators bidding for contracts driving down costs by cutting terms and conditions for future employees, with risks to future service delivery,” he explained.

“Unite members – and we represent 90,000 bus workers – have been in the forefront of trying to repair the damage caused by bus deregulation,” Mitchell noted.

“We need Labour to be at the forefront of challenging any threats to bus services in the Buses Services Bill.

“And we need a Labour Government to deliver a strong, integrated and sustainable transport strategy that recognises the importance of transport – and the value of transport workers – to society, to the economy and to the environment.

“Because – let’s make one thing clear,” Mitchell concluded. “This country can’t run without us!”

Watch Mitchell’s full speech below: