South Yorkshire bus workers agreed to return to work on 10th August after being on all-out strike for 21 days for better pay and conditions. This strike is been the longest bus workers strike on the UK for 30 years. The first strike web site has an article about the victory on day 21 and a bus worker posted a comment here:
First and foremost we stuck together and won the good fight. We are back to work without conceding benefits to pay for the rise...
thank you to all the passengers of first buses who are polite and decent to drivers and thank you to all who have supported us through the strike.
The hype in the local media about the economic impact of the strike, which was mentioned in the newswire post, industrial collapse in Sheffield resulted in a response from the Chief Exec of the Sheffield Chamber of Trade(!).
Previous bus strike feature | Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 Photos: 1 | 2
Sheffield Busworkers
UPDATE - 2 Aug 2004: The ballot result on the last offer from First has just come in and union members have rejected it, there is some background on this ballot on LabourNet.
They need support and solidarity!
Please send messages of support to Martin Mayer, TGWU Branch Secretary, 8/9-10 Branch, Sheffield, martin@tgw910.fsnet.co.uk.
Please send donations to First South Yorkshire Strike Fund and make cheques payable to TGWU. the address is:
Steve ClarkRegional Industrial Organiser
TGWU Regional Office
55, Call Lane
Leeds LS1
e-mail:
Comments
Hide the following 5 comments
Mainstream reports
29.07.2004 13:45
"SHOPS, cafes and small businesses today warned they could go under if the South Yorkshire bus strike continues."
"Retail giant Marks & Spencer lost out on £40,000 during the first four days of the First bus strike..."
walker
Coverage in the lefty media
29.07.2004 16:55
And also one on the World Socialist Web Site has a lot of background info in it:
trainspotter
Reports about settlement
10.08.2004 14:06
It has emerged that drivers have been offered 30p an hour backdated to April of this year, and a further 30p an hour from April next year.
The Star has a story also, but it doesn't have much info:
Chris
Victory for the bus drivers
11.08.2004 11:45
* 30p on all rates backdated to April 1st 2004
* 30p on all rates April 1st 2005
* No strings - and I mean no strings!
* Improved scheduling parameters to be phased in over the lifetime of the deal as follows:
* 8hrs 30 mins maximum duty
* 4hrs 30 mins maximum duty spell (there are some locally agreed exceptions where we accept on certain routes this can be breached)
* Much-needed improvements to our scheduled duty lengths, which will be phased in as schedules are changed over the lifetime of the deal (2 years)
While this has not yet been publicised, it appears to be a victory for the workers and a vindication of their strike action. Hopefully it will encourage other employers to offer decent wage increases and conditions.
Sheffielder
Victory is Sweet
11.08.2004 17:27
more coverage here:
A Bus User