SIPTU bus workers to support NRBU strike

dublin | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Thursday July 08, 2004 16:46 by Dave Lordan - swp

Cross union solidarity among bus workers adds impetus to anti privatisation struggle

SIPTU and NRBU rank and file to unite on pickets against privatisation on July 20th

In a move which will greatly strengthen the upcoming anti privatisation strike on Dublin Bus (July 20th) SIPTU bus workers have announced they are to join the strike originally called by the NRBU. This will confound management and right wing media commentators who hope to use inter-union rivalry as a way to break the strike.
Bill McCamley of SIPTU bus workers said earlier today after a meeting of SIPTU bus workers committee that "The Dublin Bus Branch Committee met today at which the forthcoming national transportation strike was debated. The committee welcomed the NBRU decision and unanimously decided to support and man pickets on the various Dublin Bus depots on the days of the stoppages. It was the opinion of the committee that the NBRU's decision to strike totally vindicates the views of SIPTU's National Strike Committee on 17th March 2004 when their stoppage was cancelled by the Union's General Officers. The issues are now - even though the SIPTU and NBRU leadership disputed it at the time - the crucial questions related to measuring Dublin Bus in the form of bus kilometres rather than routes and the continuous issuing of licences by The Department of Transport.
The committee has decided that they will not ballot their members in Dublin Bus as the branch believes it still has a valid mandate.
Secondly, the committee has no intention of seeking permission from SIPTU's General Officers as it believes it has the primary responsibility to look after the working conditions of the union's members in Dublin Bus. The committee urges its bus drivers not only to respect the NBRU pickets but to turn out in large numbers at the gates"

If the governemnts privatisation agenda suffers a setback due to workers resistance on the buses it would be a major step forward for the anti-privatisation struggle in all areas. Activists should send text messages of support to Bill McCamley at 087 9066461
and call by the pickets on July 20th to show support to the drivers.