Bus picketing workers say more strikes are planned in Cornwall

More disruption to Cornwall’s bus network could be expected after a union boss said more industrial action was on the cards – during Cornwall’s biggest music festival. Hundreds of bus drivers and other staff took to picket lines in Cornwall and Somerset today (Tuesday 23 July) as part of two days of planned industrial action in response to the breakdown of talks with First Bus.

Picket lines are currently secured at Summercourt, Falmouth, Truro, Camborne and Penzance in Cornwall, as well as Taunton and Yeovil, with claims of support for strikers “being overwhelming”.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has said most of its members will not go to work today and that all bus depots have a well-equipped picket line. RMT Cornwall representative Barry West said Eddie Dempsey, the union’s senior deputy general secretary, would also tour the picket lines in Cornwall tomorrow on day two of industrial action if the strike is not called off in in which negotiations between the bus company and the union will resume.

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“Our industrial action is going extremely well,” said Mr West, from Cornwall, speaking from the picket line in Somerset. “We have had overwhelming support from members of the public and other unions. Morale is very low. People are busy looking for other jobs. Wages here have not kept up with local conditions. First Bus really is the worst employer for South West bus drivers.

“We know that in Cornwall we have a significant number of buses that break down and are unreliable. We also had some catastrophic fires.” He added: “Our members are reasonable people, they are not militant people. They are here to run a service, they love working with the public and they are loyal, committed and dedicated staff.”

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An RMT spokesman added: “The strike is robust and the door is always open to negotiations.”

The union said it had kept the door open to the bargaining table and said its members would be available throughout the weekend until midnight on Sunday to call off industrial action if First Bus came back with a significant pay offer. Mr West 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.

He added: “They refused to release any representatives and did not make themselves available when we were ready to speak. They slammed the door in our face. We’re just at a loss as to why he wouldn’t meet with us.”

He said the RMT is not only campaigning for better pay for bus drivers and other staff, but is also concerned about what they say is an aging bus fleet and what they say is a lack of investment in the region.

Mr Dempsey has now said further industrial action will be considered in August if pay talks still go nowhere. Dates have already been set for such industrial action to take place on August 9 and 12, which would coincide with thousands of people heading to Cornwall’s Boardmasters Festival.

As a result of today’s strike, First Bus said its buses in Somerset, Cornwall by Kernow and Adventures by Bus will be affected.

On Friday, the company said: “Extensive negotiations took place last week and two further improved offers were presented. The latest offer from First Bus South West was made on Friday 19 July and it was the offer that RMT refused to share. with its members.

“Throughout the negotiations, we felt that there was finally an acknowledgment from the RMT that in order for pay rates to match our competitors, changes would need to be made to the terms and conditions for drivers. These include items that our competitors don’t pay for or offer, which is why they can offer a higher payout rate.

“Our revised offer to members not only provided a backdated pay rise but also clarified the value of these terms and conditions and how parity could be achieved through negotiation. Unfortunately, RMT has chosen not to commit to their membership and make this offer. for them, taking industrial action instead’.

However, this did not ease the problem with the union, with Mr Dempsey saying: “The offer that was made to us on Friday did not propose any new money in the contract, there was no increase in investment in the wage bill. Instead, they proposed for us. members to sell their terms and conditions to pay for their own pay rise, which is essentially moving money around.”

On plans for more industrial action, he added: “We will continue to intensify the strike until we receive a sensible offer from the employer.”

A spokesman for First Bus said: “Unfortunately, despite First South West (which operates Cornwall with Kernow buses) making an improved offer last Friday, the RMT refused to make this offer to their members and instead , went on 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 they still work, but simply on “work to rule” and do not do overtime. The members who voted for this were not even considered as the RMT went. straight to strike RMT were invited to continue to engage with us this week but took industrial action instead.

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