RMT strikes: Limited service to operate across Somerset
Bus drivers are calling for "better pay and conditions"
Last updated 21st Oct 2022
Members of The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) working on buses in Somerset and Cornwall are taking strike action today (Friday 21 October).
Around 400 staff are walking out for 24-hours in a row over pay and job conditions.
This is the second time members are striking, having already walked out on October 10. Two further days of strike action are planned for November 4 and 11.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Our members have no choice but to take strike action following an insulting and paltry pay offer.
"First Group is swimming in money and could easily pay bus workers a decent rise that goes some way to dealing with the escalating cost of living crisis.
"The public in Cornwall and Somerset who our members faithfully serve need a service that pays workers properly, so they do not leave the industry, creating chronic bus shortages.
"We are determined to win for our members, and we urge First Group to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT."
First Bus have issued a statement on the Buses of Somerset website: "We would like to apologise sincerely to all our customers for the inconvenience this will cause.
"We are doing everything possible to operate what services we can. However, there is likely to be a very limited-service operating, with no guaranteed journeys. We advise our customers to seek alternatives where possible."
What services will be running?
The Taunton Park & Ride is expected to be the only registered bus service to operate a full timetable.
It's hoped many of the private school and college buses will run.
The First Group say they plan for any available staff to be deployed on the 21 & 22 Taunton services, and the 51 in Yeovil.
You can keep updated on the Buses of Somerset Twitter.
Statements from the RMT and First Group
Barry West Regional Organiser for the RMT said: "The RMT and our members were extremely disappointed that on Sunday 9th October 2022, that First Bus were unwilling to change their position and enter into a meaningful negotiation.
"This year's pay offer is only worth 5% at a time when both RPI and CPI it is now 10.1%. Soaring prices for food and drink were the biggest driver behind the increase, with an annual rise of almost 15%, the fastest annual jump for more than 42 years and RPI is higher.
"Our members are suffering as food prices rose at the fastest pace since 1980 last month and are at a 40-year high with an increase of 14.6% in the year through September, led by the soaring cost of staples such as meat, bread, milk and eggs, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday.
"In terms of ability to pay, our members are outraged that the company is still able to find significant amounts of money to pay its shareholders.
"Whilst our members cannot afford to heat their homes, feed their families and struggle to pay the rising energy, fuel, utility bills and housing costs, Mortgages and rents have risen significantly and are causing hardship to many.
"Reports tell us the the company’s finances, in the year to March 2021, First South West made a profit after tax of £3.2m.
"In 2021/22, parent company First Group generated income of £790m from its UK bus operations and made an operating profit of £45m from its bus operations.
"We had previously requested formally that they make available for us the accounts so that we can better see and understand the financial status of the company.
"Disappointingly that has not been forthcoming, so I again made that formal request on Thursday 20 October 2022.
"Despite that we actively encourage and remain open for the meaningful negotiations.
"We had hoped for at the last meetings but disappointedly First Bus were unable or unwilling to participate in that manner, leaving us disappointed and frustrated as we have done all we can to avert any industrial action whilst the employer has in fact sought only to create division and fed those prepared to listen a narrative that is inaccurate and unhelpful.
"Whilst they seem more interested in conflict than keeping the buses on the road and serving the public.
"We remain open for negotiations and resolving this situation we find ourselves in through the dogged and determined manner in which the Company has spent more effort on fighting, resisting and unnecessary delaying of using the available time to work with us to find a solutions-based outcome.
"We have written to them seeking a proposal for a date for meaningful negotiations to meet so that we can collectively find a resolution."
Simon Goff, Managing Director for First South West, said: "The RMT has advised us that that their members will continue with their planned second 24-hour strike action this coming Friday, 21st October 2022. As a result, we regret that the travelling public will be without many Buses of Somerset and Cornwall by Kernow services.
"We would like to apologise sincerely to all our customers for the inconvenience this will cause. We are doing everything possible to operate what services we can. However, there is likely to be a very limited-service operating, with no guaranteed journeys. We advise our customers to look at our website and social media feeds for the latest information on services that will still be running and seek alternatives where necessary.
"We are very disappointed that the RMT has taken the decision to continue with industrial action across the South West following our offer to increase staff pay by 17.4% over the next two years.
"The pandemic has had a severe impact on our industry and consequently travel patterns have changed and we have yet to recover pre-COVID levels of customers using our services. Despite this, and in recognition of the cost-of-living crisis, we are still prepared to put this significant offer to our staff.
"The door remains very much open for the RMT to meet with us to find a settlement. It is very clear that the vast majority of our staff want to accept this deal and move on.
"We respect the rights of colleagues to take action, but in order to allow the business to recover from the pandemic, we need to work together, keep the wheels turning and make sure people can go about their daily lives without disruption."