Take-over bid threat at Reading Buses

James Kell • Published 2 Oct 2009 10:00 Comments 1 Comment

See also:

BOSSES have warned that strike action could mean Reading Buses losing out to a big commercial rival - and even face a takeover bid.

As staff were balloted this week over industrial action, Reading Transport chief executive James Freeman urged them in a letter seen by The Chronicle to "think very hard" before voting - and Reading East MP Rob Wilson said a strike could prove a "deadly blow".

Mr Freeman said: "Do not think that the big bus groups are not aware of what is happening here. Any action that weakens us will simply bring closer the possibility that another operator will launch a competitive bid against our network.

"It is not possible to take industrial action without adversely affecting the company's interests."

The Chronicle's sister paper the Midweek reported exclusively this week that staff were being balloted on industrial action, which would take the form of 'work-to-rule' or a strike, and a company insider told the paper that "feelings were running high".

Ballots must be in by Thursday next week.

Yesterday (Wednesday) a second source told The Chronicle that staff had "absolutely no confidence" in the management of the company, which is wholly owned by Reading Borough Council.

Unite branch secretary Paul Barfield has also written to bus workers about industrial action in a letter seen by The Chronicle.

He writes: "Mr Freeman has only recently undertaken to communicate with the trade union and perhaps you should ask why has he only just decided to talk? Is it because he has no other option and the real threat of industrial action from the workforce has forced him to sit up and listen?"

Mr Wilson urged workers not to strike despite their "real concerns", saying: "I have also been critical of some decisions by Reading Buses recently, but in the current circumstances strike action could provide a deadly blow."

Despite the stormy relations between staff and managers, the bus company has been shortlisted for three top awards.

Keith Ward, 71, is up for Engineer Of The Year, its bio-ethanol buses on route 17 are up for an 'Innovation' award and even its Vitality routes - which have recently been cut back - have been shortlisted in the Bus In The Countryside category at the UK Bus Awards.

Mr Freeman said: "We are very pleased indeed to be shortlisted for these three top awards in what has been a difficult year."

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Vikki Osborne
Unregistered User
Oct 11, 23:17
Report comment

It is somewhat ironic that, following today's announcement of sales of local government assets, Unite's actions will almost certainly lead to the sale of Reading Buses to First or Stagecoach.

Reading Buses staff may well wonder where their union leaders are taking them. One imagines that Brian Souter or Sir Moir may well take a somewhat dimmer view of recent internal attempts to de-stabilise Reading Buses.

Reading bus drivers are, for now, spectacularly well-paid compared with drivers in other parts of the UK. There seems to be no proposal to reduce their pay or to enforce redundancies.

So why, one may ask, should Unite promote strike action? Perhaps The Chronicle should address these questions to Unite's Mr Danny Downes, a director of Reading Buses? I certainly don't want to be left standing at a bus stop: if that happens, I might just call Mr Souter and Sir Moir myself.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle