BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may/june 2025 :: RMTnews 10 RMT’s annual national organising conference of bus workers discussed the government’s current Bus Services Bill and amendments which the union has put forward. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey reported that the union had been campaigning on employment protections, collective bargaining across the industry and the creation of a National Bus Forum comprising government, operators and unions. “We need to develop an industry wide approach to pay and conditions,” he said. The union used the progress of the Bill through Parliament to raise issues such as working hours and rest breaks and health and safety issues. RMT also worked with the TUC to produce a joint union position statement on employment protection matters submitted to the government. A range of amendments were tabled by Labour Peer Lord Tony Woodley when the Bill was introduced in the House of Lords. The union is also campaigning to bring rules governing driving hours in line with HGV drivers, with no loss of pay. RMT is pushing for legal requirements for bus drivers to take a break after a maximum of 5.5 hours on duty and the creation of an independent bus accident investigation branch. As a result of the issues raised in the Lords, the government has made commitments to address employment protections for the workforce and the Department of Transport (DfT) has confirmed that the unions will be consulted on the development of this guidance. Regarding anti-social behaviour (ASB), the union has written to the Bus Minister Simon Lightwood MP to express disappointment that the union had not been consulted prior to the introduction of the Bill and the need for trade unions to be consulted. The government has tabled an amendment to clarify that it does not expect bus workers to intervene in dangerous situations. The DfT has also confirmed that it will consult the unions in the development of its guidance on ASB training. Speaking for the national executive committee, Lee Rundle reported that the government had not yet agreed to establish a National Bus Forum, but it did commit to using its convening powers to ‘bring stakeholders together’. “The union will continue to pursue this matter with the government,” he said. In the final stage in the Lords, amendments addressing staff assaults were passed as they gained crossbench support. The union has also written to the Bus Minister to set out the issues which the union will be taking to the Commons and is seeking supportive MPs to raise amendments that were not debated in the Lords due to lack of time. The union will continue to work with the government and the DfT to follow up on commitments around developing guidance in several areas. Steve Wilson, Truro said that there had been several catastrophic bus fires in the South West alone and called on the union to campaign to highlight the issue. “It is clear that we are driving clapped out buses and we need investigate the underlying causes of bus fires to understand how they can be stopped. “We need new industry standards and legislation for design, construction, and furnishings to significantly reduce the likelihood of DEFENDING BUS WORKERS Bus workers conference looks at campaigning around the government’s Bus Services Bill