by Pete Dickenson, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party and Tower Hamlets Unite Community
Drivers at the Bow bus garage in East London, members of Unite, have finished a solid four-day strike. According to the pickets, the nearly 500 workers at the garage are being made to work long shifts covering extremely busy routes through central London with insufficient breaks.
They told us they are driving up to 12-hour shifts. This is leading to high levels of fatigue, a danger to the drivers and the public.
The Stagecoach management have refused to act, leading to the first strike at the depot in decades, according to pickets. I have lived nearby for nearly 50 years and it is the first strike I can remember there, a sign of how high anger is against management.
The picket lines were very well supported throughout and the mood was militant. Support from local Socialist Party members was received warmly.
Apart from the fatigue issue, drivers are complaining about the high-handed attitude of Stagecoach. They told us that the company has cancelled leave days at short notice and forced staff to take leave when they don’t want to, for example in January.
A message of support from Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary was well received. There was also strong support for renationalisation of London buses. The drivers hoped that management would respond to the strike by making an offer, but are ready to take further action.
Samantha Erin, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party:
I joined Unite strikers at the Bow bus garage picket line. Bus drivers made a strong stand against poor working conditions. Drivers told us about long shifts, in some instances seven days a week, with short breaks each day of around 30 minutes if drivers are lucky. We also heard about recent surplus work drivers are asked to do by their bosses with no extra pay.
We stand with the Bow bus garage workers for fair and humane working conditions with decent breaks and pay.
The elections to Unite’s Executive Council are crucial: the industrial and political approach of the union is at stake, with its status as a militant union on the line.
Candidates to vote for to maintain and extend Sharon Graham’s manifesto include:
- Len Hockey – London and Eastern
- Tanis Belsham-Wray – Community, Youth Workers and Not for Profit
- Dave Walsh – Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians
- John Williams – LGBT+
- And the candidates on the Workers Unite slate: backtotheworkplace.org/executive-council-candidates/
- Suzanne Muna – standing for re-election to the South West regional seat has been elected unopposed
The election runs 23 March to 27 April