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From The Socialist newspaper, 20 October 2021
Gwent valleys Stagecoach bus drivers strike for fair pay
Cwmbran picket line 19 October. Photo: SP Wales (Click to enlarge)
Dave Reid, Socialist Party Wales
It was pouring with rain but pickets had been out since 4am this morning at Blackwood, Cwmbran and Brynmawr Stagecoach depots fighting for a decent pay rise.
Over 250 bus drivers, members of Unite the Union at the three Stagecoach depots in the Gwent valleys, have started 16 days of strike action to fight for a basic pay rise.
Bus services across the area have ground to a halt as drivers walked out at all three depots. They are demanding a rise to £10.50 an hour with no strings. Stagecoach is offering £10.10 but even that low wage would have to be funded by cuts in sick pay and breaks.
The drivers, who have kept services running throughout the pandemic, are paid just £9.50 and hour and have not had a pay rise for three years - in effect a 10% pay cut after inflation. Stagecoach was full of warm words for the efforts of the drivers through the pandemic and admit they deserve a rise but those words have proved to be empty while it has continued to give seven-figure payouts to company owners.
About half the workforce at Cwmbran depot turned out to support picket lines on the first day of the strike and the mood was absolutely determined to fight for as long as is necessary to win what is a basic wage demand.
Blackwood pickets reported that they have set up a WhatsApp group in which they're sharing memes and stories of passengers and 'bus spotters' supporting them.
As Russell Edwards, shop steward at Cwmbran depot, explained: "Some drivers in the south west of England have won well over £11 an hour".
Public support has been solid too with passengers wishing the drivers good luck the day before the strike and car drivers hooting their support.
A victory here would be a step towards fighting for a real living minimum wage of £15 an hour.
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In The Socialist 20 October 2021:
News
Fight for a socialist recovery
Container delay carnage makes the case for socialist planning
Socialist nationalisation not bailouts for the bosses
Workplace news
University workers ballot for strike action
Unite and fight for 30,000 permanent DWP jobs
Gwent valleys Stagecoach bus drivers strike for fair pay
Reinstate Gary Evans! Llanelli postal workers strike
Napo AGM 2021: Union placed on war footing
Scunthorpe scaffs strike for pay
People's budgets
People's Budgets - a socialist answer to cruel cuts
Brighton bin workers' victory in sight
Fight to defend homelessness services
Ealing People's Budget - cuts can be resisted
Northampton People's Budget - cuts and privatisation is a failed strategy
Fighting the cuts at the ballot box in Liverpool
Fall of apartheid
The fall of Apartheid in South Africa
Climate change
COP26: Trade unions must fight for a socialist transition to renewables
Save the planet from capitalist climate catastrophe
International
Austria: Chancellor Kurz resigns amid allegations of corruption
Obituary
Obituary - Tony Davison: "I work for Militant, but Laing's pay my wages"
Campaigns
"Are you the socialist cabby?"
Housing crisis: Tories and Labour are not on our side
Liverpool arms fair: Hundreds of protesters defy police 'dispersal zone'
Hackney children's centres - more education cuts are devastating
Biggest protest yet to save Stratford Circus
Doncaster: Vigil condemns violence against women
Readers' opinion
I'm unemployed: For me vacancy crisis is a lie
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2021