Back in September last year, the Salford Star reported on a protest outside Salford Red Devils' AJ Bell Stadium by Unite the Union. The site was targeted as Go Ahead, the parent company of Go North West bus company, had signed a contract to run buses for supporters of Salford Red Devils and Sale Sharks, when fans go back to stadiums (see previous article – click here)
At that point, the union was raising awareness of Go North West's attempts to 'fire and re-hire' drivers on worse terms and conditions, using notorious Section 188 methods. Six months on, and the dispute has developed into an all out strike at Queen's Road bus depot which began yesterday and is set to last.
"The company issued a Section 188 last year to say they couldn't go any further with the terms and conditions that the drivers had and it's one of the most aggressive ways of dealing with your employees" explains Dave Roberts, Regional Officer for Unite the Union North West.
"From the off we said that we wanted to sit down and negotiate terms and conditions with them but the company was quite standoffish about that and has been obstructive all the way through" he adds.
The company decided that there were practices in the garage that dated from the 1980s and didn't work anymore, and the union negotiated on these last August but Go North West wanted to go further...
"The Managing Director, Nigel Featham, reckons it's 'my way or no way' and he pulled out of negotiations that we felt were going the right way" says Dave "But in January he stopped pausing the 188s, said there would be one on one consultations with the drivers and they would have seven days to sign a new contract or would be dismissed. For me, this is a despicable way of treating your employees."
Recently, Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, has got involved, there is mediation with ACAS and the union is pushing for a settlement... "But" Dave explains "the terms and conditions that the company wanted was to work longer hours for no more money, and to virtually rip up the sick pay scheme and create one that's totally inferior to the one we have now – in the middle of a pandemic."
The company has had seventy positive cases of COVID-19, and one union member has died as a result, with bus drivers officially the worst hit occupation after chefs and health workers.
Buses are going out of the depot, driven by un-unionised scabs from other depots and companies who might not know the routes and haven't the same health and safety concerns for the public, Dave adds.
"This is how far the Managing Director will go to try and break a strike, and break his employees, but he won't sit down to put the garage on the right track" he says "What he wants to do is rip up the terms and conditions, bring them back on unfairer ones and take control when he doesn't need to. We offered him terms to get to where he needs to be but that is not good enough for him. He also wants to make changes that are just about control of the workforce and to undermine the union."
The picket lines at Queen's Road are running from 5am to 5pm and Unite is inviting everyone to turn up with banners and placards and show support.
There is also a petition with almost 3,000 signatures – click here to sign
Photos by Louise Garman
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