Oldham's MPs in show of support for striking bus drivers

Senior politicians in Oldham, including all the local MPs and the Leader of Oldham Council, have attended an event to support striking bus drivers.

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon and Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams were joined by Ashton and Failsworth MP and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner, along with Oldham Council Leader, Arooj Shah, outside the Oldham Firstbus depot on Wallshaw Street on Friday.

Members of the Unite union are taking industrial action in a dispute over pay.

From Monday, drivers will strike for three days every week until the end of February, with little or no services running on the 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 15, 17, 18, 21, 23 and 25th.

Jim McMahon - a former Shadow Transport Secretary said: "It’s vital FirstBus moves to resolve the pay dispute at the Oldham depot.

"These frontline workers supported us through the past two years, working around the clock and doing all that was asked. They want and deserve fair pay."

Unite regional officer Dave Roberts says First Group are turning substantial profits but are refusing to make a fair offer: "Strike action has already caused considerable disruption for bus passengers throughout Greater Manchester. This was directly a result of First Manchester’s refusal to make an offer which meets our members’ expectations.

"First Manchester can afford to make our members a fair pay offer but it has chosen not to. Further strikes can be avoided but it requires the company to put forward an improved offer and to return to the negotiating table."

Ian Humphreys, Managing Director of First Manchester, said: "The Company has offered a substantial increase to £13 per hour which meets the trade union’s request for parity with another large bus company in Greater Manchester and we were advised met their aspirations.

"We are eager to see this offer agreed so that colleagues can begin to benefit as quickly as possible from the new rate of pay and an additional lump sum.

"This will help them to manage the economic challenges everyone is facing at this time.  

"Prolonging industrial action and the possibility of further dates in February is not the way forward to finding a resolution."

The company’s depot is in Oldham but it operates services across the Greater Manchester area. Since strike action began there has been severe disruption to the company’s services.

The next planned day of action is on Monday.

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