Vote Gerry Downing for Rep I am a supporter of the

Socialist Fight group and have

fought for the working class
on Thursday 25 February and its socialist future all my
political life. I have held many

B
positions in the trade unions
rothers and Sisters: I am standing for election as Rep in and Labour movement. I am a
Cricklewood because I am the only candidate who has bitter enemy of capitalism and
its TU and Labour bureaucratic
really fought for the drivers against pro-management
defenders. The Tories are the
union Reps and Convenors since 1991. I have been main enemy of the working
sacked twice by the Company and there have also been a few class. Our slogan is; Vote
serious misconduct charges. There are many in Cricklewood who Labour but prepare to fight!

I
will remember the campaign fought by Hash Jiwa and me in
will not attend and will fight for the union to
2000, Hash’s removal from the garage after he was elected as
ban the annual Company Conference in the
Chair and my sacking in early 2001 for taking an internal petition
Eastbourne Unite Hotel. Here most big London
to the union seeking his return which many of you signed.
Bus Companies treat their Managers, Convenors

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and Shop Stewards to a weekend of good food and
he Branch has been run in a very haphazard fashion,
drink to discuss industrial relations and “respect”.
failing to meet monthly as is stipulated in the Rule
Book, failing to keep the drivers informed of what Our Officer (RIO) said that last year’s Conference was
affects them – some items on the notice board have the best ever and “a sight to behold”. I will buy my
been there for the last ten years it seems. It does not hold an own food, drink and hotel accommodation like the
AGM, as required in the rule book and by law. It accepted rest of the drivers. Those who take the Queen’s shil-
new schedules without consulting members and has not ling tend to become the Queen’s person.

even posted the candidates names for this election.
I believe the Branch should meet outside the garage in
the Railway Club, it should get outside speakers on current
affairs, disputes, strikes and whatever else take the mem-
bers’ fancy. There should be a proper functioning Branch
Committee. I believe the problems in this union go right to
the top. I will be supporting Jerry Hicks for Unite General
Secretary later in the year because he comes from industry
and is not a bureaucrat, and is a supporter of the rank and
file. He would build a Militant union like the RMT.
If we go on like this we will have decades of conflict
with growing numbers of the best militants leaving Unite for
the RMT, meaning we will never be able to get rid of the
management stooge Reps so common now. The London bus
workers should be one of the best organised and strongest in
the country but Unite’s half-hearted, unserious attempts at
unity have come to nothing because Unite union leaders are
unwilling to fight for an end to competitive tendering and for
public ownership of the buses lest this upset the big bosses.
I
t was with great shock and anger that I heard the
foul rumour that I had attempted to stop the Mus-
lim drivers using the prayer room in West Perivale
two years ago. This is a monstrous lie; the very op-
posite is the truth. Others questioned the use of the
prayer area, a furious row developed with several Mus-
lim drivers who thought the union and managers were
attempting to take their prayer area from them. They
fought to defend it. A Muslin driver then alleged he was
racially abused by the Rep who then resigned saying he
no longer felt able to represent Muslims.
I was the only one from the union to defend their
rights like I defended Hash Jiwa, I helped them to write
down what had happened and send it to the HR Depart-
ment and the Union to ask for the matter to be sorted.
The outcome was that the Rep withdrew his resignation
saying he never racially abused anyone, the driver who
alleged he was racially insulted asked to be transferred

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ll drivers should be paid the rate for the job, but Unite
have agreed to new rates for new starters in Metroline
and all over London in the last two years, as they did
during privatization from 1993. This sows disunity,
pitting one section of workers against another. The great Cener-
west strike in 2000 reversed this trend. The 13 different rates of
pay then in Westbourne Park alone must never return.
Drivers should respect picket lines, even if they do not
agree with the majority decision. I have never crossed a picket
line and never would; that is to betray your mates.
and is now a Willesden driver and I was given a written
warning because I believed the driver and called the Rep
a racist.
Not even my worst enemies thought of accusing
me of racism at the time. This is an act of real despera-
tion by those who are circulating these tales now be-
cause the truth can so easily be established. You can ask
West Perivale drivers, particularly the Muslims; many of
the 210 drivers came from that garage.