Partial victory? - Bus strikes averted

IT must be welcomed that the threatened bus strikes will not now go ahead. The strikes were called off after early-morning talks concluded with an agreement that gave certain protections to workers in the event of routes being privatised.

However, plans to offer some routes operated by State transport companies to open tender will go ahead. New rules will be put in place to govern a new more liberalised bus market but the full extent of these rules is as yet unknown.

As we said previously, any worker would fight to prevent what might have been the spectacular reduction in living standards made probable by privatisation.