Bus staff 'very sorry' as strikes disrupt services

RMT Union members were on the picket line at the bus depot on Hamilton Road in Taunton on Tuesday morning

RMT Union members in Somerset are taking strike action over the next 48 hours over over pay and 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".

Eddie Dempsey (left) and Barry West were amongst those on the Taunton picket line at the Hamilton Road bus depot

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.

RMT members are taking industrial action on Tuesday and Wednesday

In response to this, First South Bus said that 83% of its staff crossed the picket line and that the RMT did not fully consult its members about the new offer - something which the union strongly denies.

The company also added: “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".