THis from a local Kent newspaper. (KM Group)

Drivers vote on bus strike.

Stagecoach south bus drivers are to vote on strike action over pay and conditions.

Drivers at Ashford,Folkestone,Canterbury,Dover,Herne Bay and Thanet will take part in
a postal ballot over the next 3 weeks and if they vote for industrial action the TGWU
will have 28 days to organise a strike.

But legislation states they have to give a week's notice before thaey can be any
disruption to bus services.

The dispute centres on different Stagecoach South-imposed pay,holiday entitlement and
sick pay conditions that are in force across the south of england,stretching from
Hampshire to Herne Bay.

Management have been accused of using divide and rule tactics,plugging the gaps in
their workforce with 'loan' drivers. Transport Union regional organiser Sharon Wentworth
said "The current sitaution is not fair and,quite frankly,is inefficient".
"We are determined to get back to one rate of pay for the job and have one set of
negociations for all ".
The union has admitted differences in pay and conditions have been allowed to drift in
unchallenged,but now say its representation on the buses is refreshed,robust and
revitalised.

More than a thousand bus drivers were asked tif they wanted to return to one set of pay
talks and more than 700 agreed. Only 76 members wanted the status quo to remain.

Ms WEntworth added "The workforce has had enough of divide and rule.We want a modern,
commons sense way of dealing with pay and conditions."

Stagecoach South's managing director Paul Southgate said the company would be making
a statement on the issue soon.
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I hope they do vote for strike action- not only for an improvement in pay and conditions
but for a modern bus service with modern busses. They've only just begun to intro
modern mini buses- most of the larger ones are clapped out. Meanwhile Stagecoach
boss- the bigoted Brian Souter gets millions put into his bank account from shareholding
earlier this year....

Stagecoach's HQ in East Kent at-- Bus Station,St George's Lane,CANTERBURY,Kent,CT1 2SY
(sorry, dont have any phone nrs etc to hand)