bus report

by George Arthur

Bus workers at Stagecoach in South Yorkshire walked out on Monday of this week—their eighth strike day. The strike followed a decision last week to reject a management offer in their pay dispute.

The workers, members of the Unite union, voted 206 to 89 against the offer. They want to fight for a top pay rate of £9 an hour plus back pay. Stagecoach had offered them £9.05 an hour but no back pay.

The picket lines were significantly larger on Monday with some 70 pickets at Barnsley depot and 20 at Rawmarsh. The mood was positive.

The workers will hold a mass meeting on Sunday this week to decide their next step. There is a strong mood for more strikes.

Management unsuccessfully tried to stop union reps from arguing against their offer.

And Stagecoach managers from across Britain are being shipped in to Barnsley to drive scab buses.

But the drivers need financial support. Unite’s regional officials have written to Sheffield trades council appealing for support.

Last week a local GMB branch donated £200 and an NUJ chapel gave £50 to the strikers’ hardship fund.