Bus strike bites
Socialist Press1978 1978-05-19Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 10 →
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.£1.10 .£2.20 .£5.50 {10.00 Separate management and union discussions with the sell-out specialists in ACAS are continuing in a desperate bid to end the 6-week long official Leeds bus strike.
The strike, over management's breach of a written mutuality agreement, 1S having • a marked effect on local business.
Pubs in Leeds are closing early, shop trade has been cut by 20% to 40%, and local employers are faced with costs of up to £5,000 a week to ferry in their workers.
The bus workers clearly recognise their strong position, and on Sunday • 7 May voted by 1,200 to 2 to continue the action.
Management however are standing firm and relying on union officials to crumble.
Passenger Transport Executive spokesman lan Smith told the Yorkshire Evening Post:
66 ... it is coming down to the fact that the union simply wants to win this strikethere is no room for compromise on their part.
We are talking about management's right to manage. I cannot possibly risk going to arbitration on that point"
Any "arbitration" would therefore be under conditions of a retreat by union officials on the basic issue of the strike-the attempt by management to impose new schedules without union sweeping cuts throughout the public sector in Leeds.
The bus workers, who have now endured six weeks on to.J0 strike pay, must insist that the TGWU Regional Committee increases strike pay to sustain this crucial strike.
And the call must go out to other public sector unions in the area to rally to the aid of this struggle. Already one-day strikes by bus workers in Caldersdale, Bradford and Kirklees have indicated the widespread support for the Leeds strikers.
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