Over the last few weeks we have posted reports on strike actions
involving bus workers in Northumberland, Manchester and Essex. Now
action has arrived in the capital city itself. Bus workers in East
London are out today in a dispute over wages and conditions – and the
red flags are flying in Romford!
The action involves workers organised by Unite and employed by East London buses, which used to be owned by Stagecoach but is now part of ELBC Ltd together with Selkent and Thameside buses. 58 routes are affected by the strike with workers coming out at garages in Barking, Bow, Leyton, Upton Park, West Ham… and Romford.
People walking down North Street in Romford, wondering what had happened to the buses, were more than a little surprised to see red union flags flying around the bus garage. Outside the main entrance, and the two side entrances where buses go in and out, were massed the pickets. The company has said that the issue is about the imposition of a wage freeze "under the current economic conditions." But workers on the Romford picket line made it clear to us that it was about much more than that.
One striker summed it up: "We don’t want to be on strike but we have been talking to these people (the bosses) since last year and have got nowhere… this is about pay and conditions… they have come forward time and again to attack our rosters, remove overtime, attack our pensions… the lot!" Another striker added that they were down to lose £100 per week which is a lot to workers already on poor pay despite what the bosses have said.
When they were told about the strikes which had taken place elsewhere they were interested – they had heard nothing about these – but not surprised. It’s the same game the companies are playing all around the country. Bus workers are being used to help boost the profits of the bus companies, all of whom have done well out of privatisation (in this case the old London Transport) over the years.
This is just a one-day strike but the workers are determined to see this fight through and are prepared to support what ever action is needed to win the day.
