This afternoon the Managing Director contacted the TGWU to inform us that he was now calling off the use of First Bus managers to run buses out of Sheffield Olive Grove garage on Monday - less than 24 hours after threatening to do so!

It appears that the local press coverage today (which I haven’t yet seen myself) was so scathing of First Group’s actions that they have pulled off the action. The local press instead carried an extremely favourable report based on the statements made by our TGWU Officer Steve Clark.

Management stated on Radio Sheffield as late as lunchtime today (Saturday) that they would be operating a number of free services in Sheffield from Monday and openly stated they would be driven by managers. Meanwhile a number of major stores in Sheffield have spoken out to get the strike settled. Marks and Spencers for instance which has a big store in the city centre told the press they were £400,000 down in their takings and a similar plea for the dispute to be settled came from the other big stores. This quickly led to questions why First was throwing money at running a free service rather than trying to settle the dispute!

I am sure that other considerations played a part. Trade union solidarity actions from First Bus union branches all around the country have definitely had an effect. Bradford T&G rep Taj Salaam warned their supervisors and managers no to go to Sheffield on Monday or they would suffer consequences there - and any of them who are in the T&G ACTS section could face expulsion from the union. Portsmouth T&G rep Lew May immediately posted a notice in his depot alerting all drivers and supervisors not to go to Sheffield - or else! Mick Dowds T&G Convenor Glasgow and Chair of the National T&G First threw his weight behind this strategy and urged T&G reps around the country to do likewise. For most of us, our experience is that our local managers would be most reluctant to be caught up in strike breaking activities elsewhere, even when ordered to so by First HQ based at Aberdeen. The threat of repercussions back home may have pulled managers out, leaving First with too few bodies to deliver the promised service.

Back at base our T&G ACTS members quickly announced they would refuse to cross our picket lines, and our engineers announced they would refuse to give back-up to buses on the road driven by scabs. Meanwhile our public statements calling for massive peaceful solidarity on the picket line, and our highly visible planning of picket rosters outside the depot today clearly gave management the message we were not backing down.

Finally we spoke to the police and invited them to come down to the picket line on Monday, pointing out that we considered management’s actions inflammatory and urged them to contact First to call off their action.

You can imagine the roar of delight when this news was announced on the picket line by Colin Ellis Branch Chair through the loudhailer!

Somehow I think First has played all its Aces now! If they have any sense they will speedily call talks early next week to resolve the dispute.

A very big thankyou to T&G (and RMT) reps around the country for what they did back at their depots to stop managers and supervisors coming to Sheffield. It may seem a little thing, but that kind of speedy response to our urgent e-mail appeal yesterday, has I am sure had a crucial effect and is a tremendous example of solidarity!

Martin Mayer