RENATIONALISE!

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2013 :: RMTnews 18 Take the bus industry back into public ownership in order to create a service that the public can be proud of, RMT’s annual bus conference agreed in Skegness last month. Skegness mayor Mark Anderson opened conference by backing the bus renationalisation call. As a long-standing RMT member and bus worker Mr Anderson made a passionate speech recalling the disaster of bus privatisation in 1987. “We fought privatisation and we picketed 10 Downing Street because we knew the threat to the industry,” the former RMT rep said. He outlined how privatisation had hit Lincolnshire hard as the bus industry was unsustainable in such a rural area. “Following privatisation we had pay cuts and ‘bus wars’ where local and national companies fought each other to get passengers by racing from one stop to the next,” he said. Jim Ide, Poole and District Bus branch called upon the union to mount a campaign for re-nationalisation. “Much good work has been done to campaign against cuts to funding of bus services and to improve pay and conditions. “Just like the railways, we have seen companies bleed the system while cutting services to those that need them most. “It is time to make the case for re-nationalisation,” he said. EC member Sean Hoyle said that under privatisation bus services were being cut while were fares were going up. “We have Action for Rail, we need action for buses,” he said. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that bus workers were under attack from the Tory/Lib Dem government. He outlined how the union was expanding the education centre in Doncaster to take 1,000 members each year. “We need to organise, agitate and educate workers to fight back. “We need to fight in the workplace and fight for a better society and I’ll be supporting a general strike,” he said. Gerry Hitchins of the organising unit pointed out that 123,000 workers were operating in the bus industry and they needed trade unions more than ever. “We need to organise workers to give them the power to protect themselves,” he said. HANDBOOK Conference called on the union to produce a bus workers handbook. South Devon Bus said that such a handbook covering laws, health and safety, good working practices, policies and procedures. Dave Gilbey, South Devon Bus branch said that many bus workers did not know their rights, the laws that affect them or the dangers they face at work. “We need to outline our rights concerning any number of issues from driving hours, tachographs, health and safety and legal requirements. “This can be published alongside the benefits of RMT membership including the fines pool, the credit union and the legal benefits provided. “A handbook can be an educational tool and a recruitment tool,” he said. Paul Rossiter said that a handbook had to be interesting and have the ability to be updated as laws change. RENATIONALISE! Bus workers meeting in Skegness call for renationalisation of the bus industry