Arriva Strike

[Barney]

RE: Arriva Strike
It is completely erroneous to compare bus operators with supermarkets as one provides a service whilst the other provides a product even, though they are both driven by the profit motive. In my opinion, bus drivers have a very difficult and challenging job that requires them to be in constant interaction with the public.

Have you never heard supermarket staff complaining about their working conditions and rates of pay? I do. Constantly. The reason why we never hear of supermarket workers going on strike is because, in the main, the workforce is not unionised.

As for suggesting that a myriad of bus operators would mitigate the effect of strike action can I remind all members that this was part of the rationale when buses were deregulated in 1986. In the intervening years, these new start-up bus operators have morphed into the Big Four that exist now. In essence, in many parts of the UK we now have bus provision provided by a private monopoly or, as on Merseyside, a duopoly.

The resolution is simple: pay the staff what they want.