Dundee bus strike begins

Wayne Scott, Unite member, Dundee

Socialist Party Scotland give our full support and solidarity to all striking workers at Xplore Dundee.

200 bus drivers and other staff at Xplore Dundee have started an all out 12-week strike. Unite members at the company have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action in a dispute over pay. In a ballot with a 89% turnout, the pay offer from the company of 7% was rejected overwhelmingly by 93% of staff.

A system of wage rates is in place which means that pay can span from £12.50 to £14 an hour, with those on higher grades being entitled to no sick pay and reduced annual leave.

Xplore bosses claim that pay rises which reflect the rising the cost of living are unaffordable. However the sales have risen over 10.4% from 2017 to 2022. We have also seen large price rises for passengers in recent months. Despite this, pay for drivers has dropped massively, by 14% in real terms.

Xplore Dundee is owned by McGill Buses, fronted by the billionaire Easdale brothers, who sit comfortably on the Sunday Times rich list. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said;

“If Xplore Dundee want to avoid strike action they can do so by significantly improving their pay offer. Surely it’s recognised that the union members’ vote for industrial action is an indication of their determination to get a better deal. Xplore Dundee can pay more and so they have the means by which to resolve this dispute. Unite will always back our members in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

anti-union bosses

The bosses of Xplore have exposed themselves as a vicious anti-union outfit since the dispute over pay arose. Unite officials have been issued with an eviction notice for their office at the company depot, as a step towards de-recognition.

Some drivers have had their contracts transferred to a company called Flix, on a zero hours contract basis. By operating under four or more names, a clear attempt is being made by Xplore bosses to undermine existing employment law in advance of the strike.

The company have also targeted individual workers to pressure them into accepting the 7% offer. Xplore have even threatened to take the same route as P&O with threats of fire and rehire and the possible closure of the business. Bosses have taunted workers with threats of job losses by references to the spectre of the former Timex and Levis factories.

They are also expected to bring in drivers from other areas to break the strike, including pressuring the council to give routes to the notorious scab outfit Moffat & Williamson, who have already been given contracts from the SNP-run council for various routes over the last few years.

For decades, various companies have been allowed to run down the bus service in Dundee ever since the council outsourced the service to private profiteers. Privatisation of this vital public service has only led to rising prices, rising profits, falling wages, staff shortages, long hours and cancelled buses.

Despite the SNP-run council being committed on paper to the fair work agenda, they are clearly happy to do business with union-busting profit hungry firms like McGill.

In spite of these vicious attacks from the employer, these workers have heroically refused to be intimidated. Determined strike action and mass picketing can win inflation proofed pay rises.

public ownership

Whilst this strike is in the first instance over pay, it reflects a wider battle for the future of a viable bus service in the city. Are Dundonians to have a profit driven, understaffed, union-busting service? Or are we to have a fully funded, properly resourced service which respects trade union rights?

The latter option is possible if the political will is shown to kick out the bosses and bring the service back in-house under the democratic control of workers and service users. Socialist Party Scotland members stood as part of the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in last years council elections campaigning for this policy, which we continue to fight for.

build a workers’ party

Unite members and trade unionists generally don’t have a party that fights for us. Both the SNP and Labour have failed workers. Keir Starmer is dragging Labour to the right and will govern in the interests of big business. Socialist Party Scotland stands for the building of a new workers’ party. Trade unions like Unite could play a vital role in launching such a party. In the meantime we stand in elections as part of the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.