transport
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in transport and distribution around the world.
St. Louis bus wildcat to end
Two days into a wildcat walkout against the union they claim has misrepresented their interests, the drivers and monitors serving the St. Louis Public Schools have announced that they will return to their bus routes this morning.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports:
"We're going to try to get back to work tomorrow morning and bite the bullet on this until we can get a new union certification," said Andre LaGrand, a spokesman for the striking drivers.
Germany: train drivers strike over pay
Workers in the GDL union went on strike on Friday after refusing a pay offer.
In the first German rail strike since 1992, 8000 drivers from the smallest rail union went on strike between 6 and 9am. Deutsche Bahn, the german rail company, had previously obtained a court order preventing workers from striking on national or freight services.
France: rail and energy workers announce strikes over retirement reforms
A strike at the SNCF (French National Railway Company) has been called for October 18th.
An inter-union grouping composed of CGT, SUD-rail, FO, CFTC and CFE-CGC has called the action in relation to government attempts to change their retirement circcumstances. The other two recognised rail unions are awaiting the Government offer.
Tube workers prepared to fight staff cuts
Passenger safety will be put at risk at Hampstead and Belsize Park Tube stations if London Underground proposals to cut staffing levels go ahead.
Trade unions have called a public meeting yesterday (Thursday) to fight the plans, which will see travellers unable to seek staff assistance at crucial times of the morning and night.
1935: Battle of Ballantyne Pier
A short history and background of the 1935 dockers' strike and subsequent bloody confrontation with police in Vancouver that became known as the Battle of Ballantyne Pier.
The story of the Battle of Ballantyne Pier can be traced back to 1912 when the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), began organising amongst waterfront workers in Canada, and alongside the Lumber Handlers’ Union in Vancouver.
Atlanta cabbies in wildcat strike
Cabbies at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport went on a five-hour wildcat strike Monday that ended when airport officials agreed to consider a list of their grievances.
"There's only so much you can do to people. We can't take it any more," said D.O. Nwajei of the Atlanta Taxi Cab Association Inc., whose membership tops 1,500. "We've been pushed to the wall." The cabbies said they were frustrated with working conditions and what some labelled police harassment.
Israel: Unofficial action disrupts flights
An unofficial go-slow by airline workers has grounded a number of flights in Israel over the past week.
Workers at Eilat-based Arkia Airlines have been staging the work-to-rule as part of an on-going dispute with management. A number of flights have had to be cancelled recently owing to "technical difficulties".
In reality, airline staff have decided amongst themselves to make things as difficult as possible for the company to operate smoothly until demands over pay and conditions are met.
UK: Union claims victory as Metronet strike ends
The RMT has claimed victory over jobs and pensions defence following a solid strike of Metronet engineers.
Strike action by more than 2,300 Metronet maintenance workers was suspended late last night after more than eight hours of talks between RMT, the failed company, its administrator and TfL yielded progress on the issues involved in the dispute.
New York: Cab strike on the cards
Up to 7,000 taxi drivers in New York are scheduled to stage a two-day strike on September 5-6.
Cabbies opposed to plans to install credit card and video devices in cabs across the city’s fleet are planning to stage a two-day stoppage. The hi-tech video screens, which the city authorities want to have installed in every yellow cab, will allow passengers to watch TV, make payments with credit cards and watch the progress of their cab journey via a global satellite link.
UK: Tube maintenance workers begin six days of strikes
The first of two 72 hour strikes by more than 2,300 workers at failed private maintenance firm Metronet is to go ahead from 6pm tonight.
The strikes were called after the company and its administrator failed to give the unequivocal guarantees on jobs, transfers and pensions that the union is seeking.
"The letter we have received from Metronet and the administrator falls way short of the guarantees our members need and deserve," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today
