Campaigners hit the streets of Carmarthenshire to gather support for UK bus drivers

Campaigners will be in Carmarthen today to call on Carmarthenshire County Council to use its influence to gather support for bus drivers who are facing fire and rehire.

Activists will leaflet and demonstrate outside County Hall in Carmarthen on 23^rd April at 12pm

Over 400 drivers in Manchester have been on all out strike since Sunday 28 February. Go North West’s fire and rehire plans mean bus drivers will be forced to work longer for no additional pay. Go North West is also intent on tearing up the existing sick pay policy, which will result in a 67 per cent cut in sick pay for workers with over five years’ service.

Blackrock is the 4th largest shareholder at Go Ahead the parent company of Go North West. Blackrock also manages Welsh local government pension funds. Campaigners are calling on Carmarthenshire Councillor and chair of the Dyfed Pension Fund Committee Elwyn Williams to call on Blackrock and David Brown the Go Ahead Chief Executive to remove the fire & rehire threat.

Unite executive officer Sharon Graham said: “Go North West’s behaviour is disgraceful and unethical. This company is in profit. There is no excuse for fire and rehire. We hope that Glyn Caron will use his influence as chair of the Welsh Pension Partnership to call on Blackrock which is a Go Ahead shareholder and manages Welsh local government pensions to call out this unethical behaviour.”