RMT strike action, First South West, Summer 2024.

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

In an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions, staff at First South West's Buses of Somerset and Cornwall by Kernow have voted to strike on Tuesday 23rd & Wednesday 24th July 2024.

From First Bus:

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) has advised that their members plan 48-hour strike action on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 July 2024. Negotiations continue to try to avert industrial action, but if the strike goes ahead, passengers may be without many Buses of Somerset and Cornwall by Kernow services.

We will provide updates over the coming days on which services will be affected. For the latest information, customers should go to:

Website: https://www.firstbus.co.uk/somerset, https://www.firstbus.co.uk/cornwall and https://www.firstbus.co.uk/adventures-bus

Social media: X.com @busesofsomerset, @by_Kernow and @adventuresbybus

Phone: First Bus National Contact Centre 0345 646 0707

We would like to apologise sincerely to all our customers for the inconvenience this may cause.

From the RMT:

10th July 2024

RMT Press Office:

Bus union, RMT have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over pay on First South West.

Over 300 RMT members took part after extensive negotiations with the company, failed to yield an acceptable offer.
 
As a result,  First South West members will take strike action for 48 hours from Tuesday 23 July.
 
Despite numerous meetings, including sessions facilitated by ACAS, First South West's proposals were overwhelmingly rejected in a member referendum.
 
The company's latest offer was deemed insufficient, particularly in light of First Group's recent profit announcements.
 
Welcoming the ballot result, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch, said: “Our members have sent a clear message to First South West; they will not accept being amongst the lowest paid transport workers in the region.
 
"The company's offer to hard-working staff is particularly insulting given the huge payouts given to First Group boss Graham Sutherland.
 
"If First Group can find £800k in bonuses for top management, they can find money for bus workers."
 
RMT has expressed frustration with First South West's approach throughout and will now seek to set strike dates if a negotiated settlement cannot be found in the meantime.
 
Mr Lynch added: "We call on First South West to return to the negotiating table with a meaningful offer that reflects the dedication and hard work of our members."

[GBM]

Late talks scheduled for Friday 19th July I hear.

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) Union members in Somerset are taking strike action over the next 48 hours over what it says are wages and working conditions at First South West Buses. The company has apologised for the disruption and said "no services are guaranteed".

Barry West, RMT's regional organiser, said that he's "very sorry" for the disruption but said First Bus employees are "the lowest paid with the worst conditions in the south west".

First said its drivers are paid "well above the national minimum wage" and that it is "continually improving working conditions".

Mr West told BBC Somerset that ahead of the planned strikes, he had asked for a meeting over the weekend or on Monday but says that the company "shut the door".

He said: "We're very sorry but we are just asking for a fair deal. The company have put us in this situation. We'd like to see the company invest in its people, its fleet, and its welfare facilities - a lot of the buses that are running are clapped out and breaking down" he added.

First Bus said that it is "entirely false" to say that money is not being invested in Somerset. The company said: "In March, we announced a major investment from First Bus South of £12.5m in 26 brand new electric buses, as well as the electrification of our Taunton and Minehead depots. This major investment will transform the depots, and bring state-of-the-art electric vehicles to Somerset.”

'Members were furious'

On Friday, RMT Union's Assistant General Secretary, Mr Dempsey, said the company made an offer which he said "proposed no new money into the contract". He said they "instead suggested members sell their terms and conditions to pay for their own pay rise, which is essentially moving money around. Members were only given until 6PM on Saturday to accept or reject otherwise they said they'd remove the offer entirely" he added.

Mr Dempsey said: "We consulted our members who were furious - not just about the offer but the conduct of the employer."He added that First had put the offers to staff via a workplace app, which the union says goes against collective bargaining rules. "It's an inducement to get workers to break away from collective bargaining agreements in their union," Mr Dempsey said.

In response to this claim, First South Bus said: “No collective bargaining agreements have been broken, and we are free to communicate with our staff in any way we choose.”

Bus strikes will continue to take place across Somerset and Cornwall on Tuesday and Wednesday - with further action planned for 9 and 12 August. Union members have said there will also be an overtime ban in the intervening time between now and the next planned strikes in August until they get "a sensible offer".

[GBM]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) Union members in Somerset are taking strike action over the next 48 hours over what it says are wages and working conditions at First South West Buses. The company has apologised for the disruption and said "no services are guaranteed".
......snip...........

From the RMT
All First South West members to take strike action and NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts that commence between:
 
•      00:01 hours on Tuesday 23rd July 2024 until 23:59 hours on Wednesday 24th July 2024
 
The National Executive Committee has also called further strike action as follows:
 
All First South West members to take strike action and NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts that commence between:
 
•      00:01 hours to 23:59 hours on Friday 9th August 2024
•      00:01 hours to 23:59 hours on Monday 12th August 2024
 
Also NOT TO WORK ANY OVERTIME OR REST DAYS between:
 
•         00:01 hours on Saturday 10th August until 23:59 hours on Sunday 11th August 2024

[TaplowGreen]

Along similar lines, a bus strike which would have affected Plymouth and Cornwall has been averted.

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/bus-chaos-averted-plymouth-drivers-9438210?utm_source=linkCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

[JayMac]

There is further RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) strike action at First South West on Friday 9th and Monday 12th August 2024. With an overtime ban on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th.

First's response to the industrial action and details of the likely disruption can be read here:
https://news-ssandsw.firstbus.co.uk/news/first-bus-south-west-industrial-action-in-cornwall-somerset

[infoman]

Just in time for the board masters,

the train is an option,

just hope all the taxi drivers in the area are available for work over the weekend.

[JayMac]

Just in time for the board masters,

In the link I provided First give details stating Boardmasters bus services will not be affected as they are being provided by a different First Bus subsidiary, not First South West.

[bobm]

Even if they run, there will be disruption.
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/shuttle-bus-traffic-chaos-people-9468952

Lengthy queues wreaked havoc on festivalgoers trying to get to Boardmasters in Newquay on the first day of the festival - and on others going about their daily lives and holidays in the area.

People reported being stuck in traffic for more than two hours with thousands waiting hours on end for the Boardmasters shuttlebus service to get them to the site on Wednesday (August 7). It came as an estimated 58,000 festivalgoers are descending on the area for the five-day music and surf festival