Bus drivers in Manchester who are protesting against controversial ‘hire and fire’ plans at Go North West joined the march as a long-running strike entered its 35th day.
Peace talks between the trade union Unite and management at the firm failed on Thursday, April 1, with Unite claiming bus drivers who had worked through the pandemic ‘deserved better’.
Unite says the dispute “Is a result of the company deciding to fire and rehire its bus drivers and attempt to force them to accept vastly inferior contracts.”
More than 400 drivers who are members of Unite have been on strike since Sunday February 28.
On Saturday more than 40 vehicles, organised by Manchester People’s Assembly, wound from the city centre to the depot where strikers and supporters lined the street to welcome them, applauding and waving flags of the bus workers’ union Unite.
After the cavalcade arrived a rally took place on a school field near the depot.
The strikers believe that if Go North West succeeds in the scheme — including a pay cut of £2,500 a year — the company will roll out the tactic across its operations in Britain.
Header photo courtesy of “Neil Terry Photography”