Bus drivers are on strike! Trip interruption as the action continues into the second day

Travel disruption continues today as bus workers go on strike for the second consecutive day. Bus workers in Cornwall continue to picket in protest at what they say is a poor pay offer from First Bus.

Dozens of National Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union members are on picket lines in Truro, Camborne and Penzance for the second day of two days of industrial action for better pay and working conditions.

The strike action was announced last Friday after pay talks with First Bus broke down, with the RMT saying it was available for talks until the last minute when First Bus never accepted their offer of meaningful negotiations. RMT Senior Deputy General Secretary Eddie Dempsey visited picket lines across the county today, first starting at Truro Bus Station before heading west to Camborne and Penzance. From Truro Bus Station, he said the industrial action had come because First Bus had refused to make any “reasonable payment offer”.

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He added: “This is a company that refuses to make a sensible offer on the pay of its workers. They made a profit of £204m in March this year. This year they paid out £800,000 in bonuses to senior management.

“They’ve increased their stock dividend payments by 45%, but they don’t have the money to pay these workers a decent wage increase. They managed to find money to try to get people to come down and settle the dispute.

“Although what this employer continues to tell the media is that we will not allow these workers to see the wage offer. We always consult with our members in this RMT union. We are a member-driven organization. All these workers have seen the offer. They all know what they want to do and that’s why they’re standing in this picket line.”

The RMT said it kept the door open to the negotiating table and said its members would be available throughout the weekend until Sunday to call off industrial action if First Bus came back with a significant pay offer. It said the bus company had not taken the union up on its offer, leading to further industrial action and disruption to bus services in Cornwall.

The union said it is not only campaigning for better pay for bus drivers and other staff, but is also concerned about what it says is an aging bus fleet and what it says is a lack of investment in the region.

If the pay talks are not satisfactory to both sides, the RMT has announced it will also go on strike for two days on August 9 and 12, which would coincide with thousands heading to the Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall.

Yesterday, First Bus said: “Unfortunately, despite First South West (who operate Cornwall with Kernow buses) making an improved offer last Friday, RMT refused to make this offer to their members and instead took strike.

“This is extremely disappointing as the RMT’s refusal to work with us not only affects our colleagues but causes unnecessary disruption to our passengers who rely on the bus for work, education and important meetings.

“In Somerset and Cornwall, 171 members voted for pre-strike action. This means still working, but simply “work to rule” and no overtime. Members who voted for it were not even taken into account as the RMT went straight. for the RMT strike they were invited to continue to engage with us this week but took industrial action instead.

“We will be liaising with the RMT on next steps and would like to apologize to our customers for the disruption the strike is causing.”