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London drivers still

need pay justice
O

n Friday 17 April Unite reps

from across London will meet
to discuss the result of the talks
on 9 April with the employers and
Transport for London.
The fact that the big players sat
round the table after months of point
blank refusal was a result of the hard
work put in by Unite and union activists
in the capitals garages.
Most importantly the meeting came
about because of the two solid strikes
that Unite members delivered and the
threat of more action to come if no talks
were held.

Serious

The action was always aimed at getting

the employers to enter into serious
discussions about the disgraceful
injustice of bus workers pay in London.
Fridays reps meeting will discuss just
how serious the employers are about
moving towards one rate for the job.
The fact that the union has identified
hundreds of different rates for the job
across the capital shows why the action
was so important.
New starter rates for years on end and
a two-tier pay structure that means new
drivers never catch up with senior drivers
simply cannot be allowed to continue.
Whatever the inflation figures say
everyone knows that its harder and
harder to make ends meet in London.

Vote for a
fightback
In the general election all the mainstream
parties have the same message more
austerity, more cuts, more scapegoating.
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
is standing candidates across Britain that
will stand up for working people.
They deserve our support.
Find out more at www.tusc.org.uk

Unite has shown that the employers are

still making big profits. Drivers deserve
decent pay and they need it now!
There was a real danger that the
suspension of action in February could
see the campaign lose momentum.

Undermine

Its been really positive that in some

areas Drive up pay meetings have
been held to explain the issues of
the campaign to more drivers and to
undermine management lies about
what the union is fighting for. The myth
that senior drivers would lose out if the
campaign won has been taken on.
But at the end of the day drivers have
to know that after two days of strikes
they have achieved something real.
Of course if real progress has been
made in the talks then that is great. Every
driver needs to know what progress has
been made as soon as possible.
But if the employers arent serious
then the union has to call further hard
hitting strike action to make the bosses
listen.
Strikes over the next few weeks
with the general election campaign
underway would put the politicians on
the spot.
Any action would pressure the Tories
to explain the injustice on Londons
buses and could push Labour to show
whose side they are on.

Protesting against UKIP

Photo: Guy Smallman

Stand up to UKIP
Dont let the racists
divide us
Nigel Farage and UKIP have spent months
scapegoating migrants and trying to divide
working class people.
Stand up to UKIP have organised a day
of action on Saturday 2 May. We want to
show that we will not be divided.
Join the Stand up to UKIP battle bus
taking activists from London to campaign
against Farage in South Thanet. If youd
like to come email info@standuptoukip.org
or phone 07540 976 050.

Drivers strike against

privatisation in Ireland
Bus drivers are set to strike across
Southern Ireland against the planned
privatisation of 10 percent of bus services
after workers on Dublin Bus and Bus
Eireann voted overwhelmingly for strikes.
The action will take place on 1 May and
bus workers are set to march on the Irish
parliament on the day.

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Buses 26/03/15

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