BUS DRIVERS CALL FOR KEY WORKER STATUS

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: june 2009 :: RMTnews 15 B us drivers should be recognised for the service that they provide to the community, Dave Gilby, South Devon bus branch, told delegates to the recent National Bus Workers Conference in Croyde Bay, Devon. “Most of our members find it difficult to get a mortgage,” Dave said, referring to the low levels of pay that many bus drivers receive. “Yet we move millions of people every morning and take them home every night,” Dave added, moving a motion calling for RMT to press government to give bus drivers the same key worker status that workers in the police, fire and health services receive, allowing them to be considered for subsidised housing. RMT general secretary Bob Crow gave a roundup of the union’s current activities. He explained how newly launched RMTV is harnessing the internet to get its message across. “We have launched RMTV with weekly news bulletins to start with. It’s our intention to eventually move on to daily broadcasts,” Bob said. After issuing a blistering attack on the bankers responsible for the recession Bob said that the economic situation presented the union with several options. “We could have cut back on staff, we could do nothing and wait and see, or we could turn the situation on its head and to our advantage. People are terrified, they need a union and we are going to recruit them,” Bob said. The poor pay and working conditions on the buses was a strong theme of the conference. Phil Bialyk, south west regional organiser, said that members were sometime sceptical about taking action to achieve a pay rise. “But by doing nothing you are guaranteed no pay rise,” he said. Phil went on to argue that individual negotiations were helping to keep pay low, referring to the situation of members at First Group. “We should submit a national pay claim to First Group,” he said. Pete Gale, Wessex organiser, described how companies are using the recession as an excuse to stop any wage increase even though companies are still making profits. “Stagecoach shareholders received a 33 per cent increase in their dividends. We all want to see the renationalisation of the industry, but short of that we need to put an end to the profiteering,” Pete said. RMT president John Leach said that in many ways the 80,000 strong union has never been in a better position. But he argued that the union needed to be in a strong position to fight for members’ rights in the face of bosses using the recession to make cutbacks in jobs, wages and conditions. “For the first time in more than living memory we are facing the prospect of compulsory redundancies across the industry. It will be difficult, but we must resist this. We have no option but to fight,” John said. BUS DRIVERS CALL FOR KEY WORKER STATUS Report from National Bus Workers’ Conference 2009 Bob Crow addresses the conference A webcast of this conference is available to view on-line at www.rmt.org.uk/members