The new chairman of FirstGroup should pledge to halt the sell-off
of its bus operations in the UK, Unite, Britain and Ireland’s
largest union, said today (Wednesday 26 June).
Unite’s intervention came after FirstGroup chairman
Wolfhart Hauser resigned after beating off an investors’ coup
spearheaded by hedge fund Coast Capital yesterday (Tuesday 25
June).
Unite has 15,000 members working for First Bus, one of the UK’s
largest bus operators.
Unite national officer for passenger transport Bobby Morton
said: “We are glad that Coast Capital’s bid to take over the
company by appointing new directors to the board has
failed.
“We have had enough of hedge fund raiders making a quick buck
from UK businesses and industry at the expense of the employees.
“We are seeking a firm pledge from Wolfhart Hauser’s successor as
chairman that First Bus won’t be sold off piecemeal to potential
asset strippers. It should remain as part of parent company
FirstGroup.
“If any buyer for any of First Bus’ operations in the UK thinks
that there are rich and short-term easy pickings to be made at
the expense of our hardworking members, they will need to think
again.
“We regard bus services as a public service for the travelling
public and not a vehicle for heavyweight corporates to squeeze
the last ounce of profit from.”
Unite has already said that it ‘won’t tolerate a single job
loss’ at First Bus, following the announcement last month
that FirstGroup intended to sell-off its bus operations in the
UK.
At a meeting earlier this month of Unite’s First Bus reps from
across the UK, it was agreed that First Bus should remain as part
of FirstGroup and that Unite should strongly campaign to that
end.
