In the light of the recent smear campaign directed against the London Bus Workers Committee, we think it necessary to enlighten everyone connected to London Bus Network and reveal some basic facts.

Since last year 2009 many London Bus Workers unhappy, fed up, with the dysfunctional Unite union, started joining RMT. Currently Unite has the sole recognition by London Bus Companies.

The movement towards RMT gathered pace and resulted in the formation of the RMT London Bus Workers Committee. This Committee consisted of dedicated activists voluntarily shouldering the responsibility of recruiting new members, and organising in the London bus garages – (nominating representatives, electing North and South London Convenors and so on).

As the numbers joining the RMT grew (and in some cases RMT members became majority in London Bus Garages), a smear campaign towards our Committee and RMT London Bus Workers also began. The Committee eventually decided there was a need for setting up a fully funded branch for the London Bus Workers.

In order to realise this aspiration in February 2010 some members of the Committee visited the RMT General Secretary Mr Bob Crow in the RMT headquarters office.

During the meeting we were told by Mr Crow that the RMT Council of Executives had taken the decision not to organise London Bus Workers. Mr Crow conceded the RMT could not prevent new members joining , but Mr Crow now believed the appropriate union for London Bus Workers was and is Unite!

At the same meeting he clearly stated he would stand by his Council of Executives decision, but also suggested that the RMT London Bus Workers Central Committee should be represented at the RMT AGM where there would be an opportunity to overturn the Committee of Executives decision.

He asserted there was no M25 agreement between RMT and Unite but since both unions are affiliated to the TUC, he was facing suspension that would have paved the way to other unions to seek recognition in RMT recognised companies, and felt it was not in the best interests of the RMT for this to happen, ( i.e. suspension from the TUC.)

The RMT London Bus Workers Committee then agreed to attend the AGM thus complying with Mr Crow’s suggestion.

Also, after a short meeting following the meeting with Mr Crow, the Committee also decided to attend the RMT Bus Workers Consultative Committee meeting, and the National Bus Workers Annual conference, while also seeking additional support from the tube workers at branch level.

The most recent smear Campaign was initiated by a letter by Unite Assistant Secretary Mr Len McLuskey, who in his letter published on Unite notice boards in garages across London, quoted extracts from the Minute Book of the RMT Council of Executives.

In these extracts the RMT Council of Executives. affirmed RMT would not organise London Bus Workers, while also ruling out any attempt to seek recognition from London bus companies.

In the last paragraph of his letter Mr McLuskey wrote “ must understand (that) all RMT members should join or re-join Unite now and all Unite branches should welcome them back” – in our opinion a form of words implicitly threatening.and amounting to harassment.

This letter resulted in a response, also distributed in London garages, from RMT London Bus Workers Committee Chair Steve Blewitt who told Unite how in UK workers have a democratic and legal right to join any union they choose, and to be represented by the same union at any level, be it as an individual or as a group of members.

This response was last week countered by yet another letter sent to London s bus garages by Mr McLuskey, but this time it was not his letter but a copy of a letter of Mr Crow to Mr McLuskey dated March 3rd 2010.

In it Bob Crow accused the RMT London Bus Workers Central Committee’s elected Chair of sabotaging the policy of the RMT Council of Executives. Also in the same letter he dissolved the RMT Bus Workers Committee – or rather said it had never existed!

We would like to ask Mr Crow , if this is the case, that the RMT London Bus Workers Committee has never existed, who did he meet with in his own office in Unity House in February 2010?

The RMT Visitors Book at Unity House will verify the identities of the individual members of the RMT London Bus Workers Central Committee and officer holders who visited Mr Crow on that occasion.

We also point out to Mr Crow that it was he who suggested that the RMT London Bus Workers Committee SHOULD go to the AGM to OVERTURN the Council of Executives decision!

How can he accuse a decent RMT member of sabotaging the Council of Executives policy, when he blatantly sabotages the policy himself?

Is it ethically right to put the blame on an individual, to accuse him of sabotaging the Council of Executives when as a matter of fact this comrade shouldered so much responsibility in a very short space of time, demonstrating overwhelming dedication for the well being of all RMT London Bus Workers.

To top it all the RMT London Bus Workers Committee (allegedly now non existent), its members and elected officers are now BARRED from participation in the Bus Workers Consultative Committee, the National Bus Workers Conference, and the RMT AGM,

The RMT London Bus Workers Committee has the full support of RMT London Branches and members, but Bob Crow disregards the views of his subscription paying members.

While claiming to stand by his Council of Executives policy he has actually tried to sabotage it..

In addition we remind how some of his Council of Executive members have attended our committee meetings, in fact we have comradely photos taken with us at our non existent committee meetings.

Since Unite the union has been running the show in London’s bus garages they have displayed arrogance, a petit bourgoise mentality and actively aid the bus companies to coerce and harass workers, by e.g. by forcing them to drive unroadworthy and defective vehicles. In most garages Unite operates merely as an arm of management.

To increase company profitability London’s Bus Workers are forced to work in unrenovated garages in uncivilised conditions but most of them are scared of losing their jobs as they know that Unite branch secretaries and reps are generally useless in representing them at disciplinary hearings.

The top echelon of Unite has absolutely no control over most of their branches, and branch officials.

In some cases branches can’t even produce their accounts (e.g. at First Capital Northumberland Park garage).

Many bus garages indicate health and safety hazards. No wonder London’s Bus Workers are choosing to get away from Unite.

In the year 2010 , in one of the most democratic countries in the world , a worker can’t choose his own union,.

A union Assistant Secretary can tell workers they are owned by his union and they have no other option.

In this country a worker can be denied his most basic, democratic and legal right to choose the union he/she wants to be in.

As for Bob Crow, a respected leader of a major union, while defending his own members against bullying and harassment, he is actually bullied himself and harassed by Unite and the TUC.

RMT London Bus Workers Central Committee (dissolved or according to Mr crow never existed)

HERE IS WHO BOB CROW IS..HE IS ANYTHING BUT A LEADER,

The most infuriating times I can remember were when the service would grind to a halt half way home (always on the way home, never in the morning, it seemed!) and the mindless announcement would be issued: “Services are terminating here, please make alternative arrangements”. Aaaarghhhhh!!!