Aircoach workers win union recognition

dublin | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Wednesday August 23, 2006 13:59 by Paul Hardy - SIPTU Organising Dept phardy at siptu dot ie

Coach drivers working for Aircoach, the private bus operator, have won recognition of their union after a 20-month organizing campaign.

The union began recruiting Aircoach drivers in January 2005. The company was initially resistant to unionisation, despite the fact that its parent company, First Group, recognises trade unions throughout Britain. The company agreed to accept SIPTU as the representative body of its drivers following an 90% vote in favour of the union this May.

“We’re delighted to have finally concluded this recognition agreement”, said Paul Hardy, the organiser responsible for co-ordinating the campaign. “The hard work and dedication of our activists at Aircoach has finally paid off. Our members now hope to build on the recognition agreement and the improved industrial relations atmosphere at the company to make real improvements in terms and conditions.”

"We also acknowledge the help of the TGWU union in Britain for the use of its good offices in building bridges with First Group. In our turn, we will be doing whatever we can to assist the SEIU and Teamster unions in the United States organise drivers in First Group companies.”

As well as an important success in a strategic area of the economy, this recognition win is being seen as a significant success for US-style 'organizing' techniques centering around one-to-one contact with workers and getting members directly involved in building their own organisation. The deal at Aircoach provides neither for a 'closed shop' nor a no-strike arrangement.