The Birmingham section of the Workers Party wishes to express its solidarity with National Express engineers on our bus service, who have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

The bus company made £15.8 million in profits during the first half of 2022, and enjoys substantial support from public money pumped in to fund half price tickets. The Company need to offer all workers the same deal as that offered to drivers. Reports say engineers voted by 96 per cent in a consultative ballot to strike, the engineers are members of Unite the Union.

The Mail has reported that,

“almost 200 engineers at the Midlands’ biggest bus firm are set to strike – with the threat of services across the region being thrown into “chaos”. Unite members at National Express West Midlands voted in favour of a walkout after it was claimed they were being offered a lower pay increase than drivers.

The union said they were offered a 10.1 per cent rise, while drivers had been offered 14 per cent.”