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From The Socialist newspaper, 8 December 2021
Yorkshire Stagecoach bus workers complete week-long strike and prepare for more in pay rise pursuit
Sheffield Ecclesfield depot Photo: Alistair Tice (Click to enlarge)
Alistair Tice, Yorkshire Socialist Party
560 Stagecoach bus workers across South Yorkshire, members of Unite, have completed a week of strike action in pursuit of an above-inflation pay rise. The strike at four garages in Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield was absolutely solid, with big turnouts at all the picket lines and big support from the public. In fact, more than one driver has said that they've had more support from the public while they've been on strike than they usually get when driving buses!
Apart from school buses, which the union gave dispensation to, Stagecoach has hardly been able to run any services with the handful of non-union drivers still working. The strike has now been suspended for a week to allow the bosses to make an improved offer. But if that doesn't happen, the bus workers will be back on strike for another week from the weekend of 11-12 December. While the union has made a public undertaking not to strike over Christmas, to allow passengers to visit family and friends, they will start an indefinite strike from 1 January if their pay claim is not met.
While the Barnsley and Rotherham depots had a strike ten years ago, as far as anyone can remember, going back at least 27 years, there has never been a strike at the Sheffield depots. One driver at the Ecclesfield garage told me: "I've worked here eleven years and my pay has only gone up by £1.61 an hour!" It's this low pay, combined with rising prices, work overload, poor conditions and bullying management that has led to the strike and a determination and confidence to stick it out till they win.
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In The Socialist 8 December 2021:
News
Unite to fight for pay and NHS we deserve
Government social care plans: Where is the money?
Uni staff and students must unite to end marketisation and for free education
What we think
Workers' politics needed to exploit Tory scandal and splits
People's Budgets
Building People's Budgets: An alternative to Tory and Labour cuts
International news
Chile presidential election - stop the far-right candidate
Unprecedented floods in British Columbia
Wider working-class and union struggle needed to win St Vincent nurses' strike
Defending abortion rights in the US
Workplace news
Universities strike - build the action and stand united to win
Thousands of Tesco warehouse workers to strike
Sandwell bin workers beat Serco and win pay rise
Panasonic workers break company pay freeze
Clarks strikers defeat 'fire and rehire'
Organise to win the NEU's 8% pay demand
Yorkshire Stagecoach bus workers' week-long strike
Worksop Wincanton logistics workers on strike
Newham Sixth Form College begins strike against academisation
Sheffield Just East couriers picket and march for pay rise
Napo ballots for trade dispute
Campaigns news
Challenge cutters and evictors in Waltham Forest Council
Fighting Fund: Help us reach over £50,000
Defying unjust laws - a rich history of struggle
Mail attacks tube strikers by stealing socialist's image
Review
Film review: The Harder They Fall
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2021