New talks bid after drivers' wildcat strike

The unannounced strike hit the city yesterday afternoon, taking buses off the roads for around three hours. More than 300 drivers were involved in the industrial action - around half the company's workforce at the time - and many turfed their passengers off buses and returned their vehicles to the depots.

The drivers gathered outside Lothian Buses' central garages in Annandale Street, and also in Seafield, and refused to go back to work. The strikers and trade union officials blamed company chairman Pilmar Smith for the action.

Mr Smith sent individual letters to every driver offering them a chance to vote on the company's latest pay deal - which the union has not put to a ballot.

The drivers initially refused to move until the letters were withdrawn, but the Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G) brought an end to the wildcat strike at around 3.30pm yesterday, warning workers it was illegal. The union condemned the action, but put the blame squarely on Lothian Buses. Shop stewards, who are holding out for a 6.15 per cent pay increase, were due to return to the negotiating table at 11am this morning after yesterday's meeting was postponed.

T&G branch chairman Peter Williamson said: "I didn't realise how far the drivers were prepared to take it. I can totally understand why they did what they did, but we have to ensure that industrial action is legal.

"This was entirely the fault of Lothian Buses, who issued a letter asking drivers to vote on the five per cent deal. They have no right to do that, when we have already held a ballot on strike action. I apologise for any disruption caused to passengers, but the public now knows how strongly everyone feels about this and the action drivers are prepared to take.

"Because this letter was sent out, people in the city have seen the disgraceful tactics of Lothian Buses, and if they are angry about what happened yesterday, they must take that up with the company. It is not the union's fault.

"Neil Renilson, the chief executive of Lothian Buses, refused to speak to the union until we got everybody back to work. He won't compromise on anything, and it was left to the shop stewards to get the drivers back in their buses so that negotiations could continue.

"I'm always hopeful that we will make a breakthrough in talks, but the company just won't budge."

Yesterday's shock strike happened just when talks between the T&G and the management of Lothian Buses were due to take place for the first time in two weeks. A scheduling mix-up meant the meeting was postponed until today.

The crisis engulfing the bus industry in Edinburgh started in May, when a ballot of T&G members rejected a "strings attached" five per cent pay rise. The union has since held three days of strikes, and an indefinite all-out strike is scheduled to start on Wednesday.

The T&G has knocked back the company's two latest offers - five per cent for 14 months with no strings attached, or 3.15 per cent until the end of the year, followed by 6.15 per cent. The latter deal would put drivers on an average hourly wage of 9-per-hour by January - the union's stated goal - but the T&G are unwilling to wait until the end of the year.

The two offers still on the table have not been put to a ballot, because the union believes they are too similar to previous offers.

This action prompted the company to issue its own ballot - contained in the letter from the chairman - which led to yesterday's wildcat strike.

The company has so far refused to withdraw its controversial letter, and insisted that if 50 per cent of drivers accept the deal in writing, the pay increase will be fixed and the dispute will be ended without further negotiations.

Mr Smith, the Lothian Buses chairman, said: "I utterly deplore the irresponsible wildcat walk-out today, which caused huge inconvenience to so many of our passengers, and commend the sensible attitude of the substantial number of drivers who continued to work normally."

Mr Renilson, Lothian Buses chief executive, added: "We hope positive progress can be made to reach a solution and avert the threatened all-out strike due to commence on Wednesday."

During yesterday's chaos, some drivers pulled their buses over to the side of the road and removed the display numbers on the vehicles. In some cases, they then ordered passengers to leave the vehicle and flagged down other buses to encourage them to join the strike. Other drivers finished their routes first and then returned to the depot, resulting in a steady stream of buses arriving at Annandale Street.

A number of passengers were left stranded on city streets. But bus drivers blamed the company for the disruption and said they had been forced to take action after Lothian Buses issued their controversial letter.

Driver James Johnston said: "I'm not happy about letters being sent out - it seems the company is trying to ensure their offer is accepted through the back door."

John Kerhaw, from Restalrig, said: "We told the union not to come back to us unless the company offers something close to what we want - Lothian Buses haven't done that, so there's no need for another ballot.

"The fact that Lothian Buses have decided to hold their own ballot is disgraceful, and they are just trying to split the union up."

ANOTHER driver, who asked not to be named, said: "This strike is not about the money anymore, as we have lost more than we would gain in wages. This is about what Neil Renilson is doing to the company. I cannot see any way now that the strike next week will not go ahead unless the company agree to the 6.15 per cent over the 12 months. That is all we will accept."

But one driver, who has worked on the buses for 30 years, said: "There are a lot of people who don't want to strike and I think the union will be surprised at how many people respond to the letter and accept the pay deal.

"A lot of the drivers I saw at the depot today I'd never seen before - they've only worked for the company for five minutes and they want to strike - they're just like a load of sheep."