Labour deputy leader , other local MPs and local
government leaders will attend a demonstration this Friday (28
January) in support of striking First Manchester bus drivers.
WHEN: Friday 28 January at 15:30
WHERE: First Manchester bus depot, Wallshaw Street, Oldham OL1 3
TR
will be joined by local
Oldham MP , , Labour’s shadow transport
spokesperson , MP for Stockport, Arooj Shah,
leader of Oldham council, Cllr Vimal Choksi of Tameside council
and other local councillors.
The 300 bus drivers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading
union, have already taken six days of strike action in the
dispute over low rates of pay. The dispute is set to intensify
next week as the workers will be taking three days of strike
action a week until the end of February.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The support by
and local politicians is
warmly welcome. They will have the opportunity to speak directly
to drivers who can explain the effect that low pay is having on
them and their families and how the cost of living crisis is
making their lives ever more difficult.
“Unite always puts the jobs, pay and conditions of its members
first and our drivers at First Manchester will receive the
union’s unwavering support until this dispute is resolved.”
Despite the planned escalation in strike action Unite remains
committed to seeking a negotiated settlement to the dispute and
fresh talks are scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday 27 January).
Although the company’s depot is located in Oldham it operates
services across the Greater Manchester area. Since strike action
began there has been severe disruption to the company’s services
The drivers have made it clear that they are no longer prepared
to accept unacceptably low rates of pay for their highly
demanding and responsible role. The workers currently receive a
basic rate of £12.40 an hour. One of the major issues in the
dispute is First Manchester’s refusal to honour the anniversary
date (when a pay rise becomes due). The workers believe that any
pay increase should be backdated to 1 August 2021.
Unite regional officer Dave Roberts said: “Our members are taking
industrial action as a last resort due to the failure of First
Manchester to make its bus drivers a fair offer.
“Unite has made it clear that if the company comes forward with
an appropriate offer we will swiftly meet with them in order to
seek to resolve this dispute.”
First Manchester is part of First Group which is the second
largest bus operator in the UK. The company is extremely wealthy,
it recorded an operating profit of £224.3 million in 2021 and it
has accessible cash reserves of £776 million.
A recent UK wide survey of Unite
bus activists has revealed that bus driver shortages are far
higher than had previously been claimed and that 79 per cent
said that vacancies at their depot had increased since the
pandemic began. The most common explanation for drivers leaving
was low rates of pay.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
First Manchester bus drivers
announce fresh strikes in pay dispute
