NEW ZEALAND: Bus drivers' fight escalates

Monday, May 23, 2005 - 10:00

On May 11, in a secret ballot, 92% of striking bus drivers rejected a company pay offer of $15 an hour in November, to be followed by an increase to $16 an hour in March 2007. The drivers are now demanding $16 immediately, and $17 by November. The drivers voted to go back to work, thanking passengers for supporting them so far, but will keep overtime bans on and resume strikes after the June long weekend. The mood among the bus drivers shows a militancy rare for the last decades — at the Auckland meeting, workers sang "We shall not be moved" for 15 minutes. To offer solidarity, email <gcm@actrix.gen.nz>.

From Green Left Weekly, May 25, 2005.

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From GLW issue 627

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In these days of growing media concentration, Green Left Weekly is a proudly independent voice committed to human and civil rights, global peace and environmental sustainability, democracy and equality. By printing the news and ideas the mainstream media won't, Green Left Weekly exposes the lies and distortions of the power brokers and helps us to better understand the world around us.

Green Left Weekly, launched in 1990 by progressive activists to present the views excluded by the big business media, is now Australia's leading source of local, national and international news, analysis, and discussion and debate to strengthen the anti-capitalist movements.