Workers Revolutionary Party
Some of the Manchester busworkers heading for their rally marking five weeks on indefinite strike
DRIVERS employed by the bus privateer Go North West, marked five weeks on indefinite strike against £2,500 per annum pay cuts with a powerful 1,000-strong cavalcade, rally and march in Manchester on Saturday afternoon.
Unite union branch chair and strike leader Colin Hayden told the rally ahead of the march: âThis is day 35 and weâre stronger than ever.
âWe went on indefinite strike against the fire and rehire of 500 drivers. The company has tried to impose worse sick pay, worse pay and conditions. But weâre solid. Weâre out and weâre staying out, itâs as simple as that.
UK: Workers must adopt new strategy to defeat union’s isolation of Go North West bus strike
The indefinite strike by almost 500 bus workers at Go North West in Manchester has entered its sixth week.
The company is seeking to impose an inferior fire and hire contact that will see huge cuts in pay and wipe out long-established terms and conditions. Workers face cuts in pay of up to £2,500 a year, with Unite the union stating that the firm plans to also impose a 67 percent cut in sick pay for workers with over five years’ service.
As it stands, the company will sack hundreds of striking Go North West strikers in just over a month’s time, having set a deadline of May 8 for workers to sign new contracts or be fired.
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UK: Go North West launches strike busting operation to enforce fire and rehire contracts against bus drivers
Go North West has launched a major strike breaking operation to force bus drivers at the Queens Road depot in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, to accept a new inferior contract.
The company, which operates 130 buses on 30 routes in Greater Manchester and Warrington, plans to fire the nearly 500 workers and rehire them on inferior terms and conditions including a 10 percent pay cut, the tearing up of the sick pay policy. Their £24,000 annual average wage would be reduced by £2,500. A £5,000 one off payment has been offered in exchange, which would be soon eaten up and isn’t available to all due to exclusion clauses.