RMT sounds “Big Society” jobs warning as bus service replaces paid staff with volunteers

Bus workers union RMT warned today that thousands of jobs are under threat from David Cameron’s “Big Society” programme as the Isle of Wight became the first area to use the threat of bus service cuts to replace paid staff with volunteers – a move which the union warns could now be rolled out across the country.

Wightbus staff pose for a final picture | Image from Isle of Wight radio

Wight Bus service had been due to be closed at the end of August as part of a £280,000 transport cuts package bulldozed through by the Conservative-led authority, now, in a move described by RMT as “deeply suspect, cynical and opportunist” they have found the money to set up a volunteer, “Big Society” operation under the umbrella of Southern Vectis.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“We have no doubt that the Isle of Wight has been chosen in a deeply suspect, cynical and opportunist fashion as a pilot for a Big Society drive to replace paid bus workers with unpaid volunteers.

“David Cameron has repeatedly denied that the Big Society is about dumping paid staff and replacing them with unpaid volunteers and yet that is exactly what is happening on the Isle of Wight buses in what we believe is nothing more than a testing ground for a policy ready for roll-out across the rest of the country. David Cameron has been caught lying to the British people about the true nature of his Big Society con trick.

“We know that bus services are under increasing attack from ConDem austerity cuts the length and breadth of the country and we now have the clearest evidence that the Big Society will be used as a battering ram to replace skilled and experienced staff with ad-hoc volunteers putting thousands of jobs at risk.

“RMT will fight this attack on bus services, and bus staff, with every tool at our disposal.”

RMT sounds “Big Society” jobs warning as bus service replaces paid staff with volunteers

This entry was posted on September 6, 2011 at 11:08 and is filed under Front page, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.