These are difficult times for workers, so we should celebrate the wins when they arrive.
Yesterday we saw a huge, historic victory for striking Arriva bus drivers as an agreement was reached for an 11.1% pay rise. This agreement still needs to be voted through, but with the unions urging members to back the deal and buses back on the roads from 3am this morning, that feels like a formality. The battle has been won.
It's important to take stock of how they got to this point. Arriva bus drivers across the north west first walked out on strike back on July 20 and have held firm for the 29 days that have followed. Forget what anyone else tells you, that is not an easy thing to do for a whole host of reasons.
It's tough to go out on strike at any point, but particularly when you know the action is depriving ordinary people of a vital public service. Around 80% of public transport journeys in Merseyside are taken by bus and Arriva are one of just two major operators and the only operator for large areas. The drivers knew they were putting people under strain for a considerable period - their neighbours, their friends, their families, that is not something anybody wants to do.
READ MORE: Arriva bus drivers' historic pay win is ray of light in these difficult times
But they also knew their own value. It is the severe impact that the withdrawal of their labour has had that shows exactly why they should be respected and rewarded. Driving a bus is a really important job and those doing it should be able to afford a decent quality of life and to provide for their families, which is not easy during these times of soaring inflation and unthinkable energy bills.
There were times when it seemed like an agreement would never be reached. Drivers spoke of their anger and hurt as the company tabled what it claimed was an improvement on a roundly rejected 8.5% increase. In reality the offer was of 9.6% for workers with five or more years experience and just 7.5% for anyone with less than that. This was essentially the same increase divided up in a different way.
Others will have worried that the buses would never return to the streets of Merseyside when, on Monday, members resoundingly voted to reject an improved 9.6% increase. Some may have felt that was a decent offer - but the drivers remained firm, they held the line.
It is very telling that the agreement of 11.1% came within just eight hours of that strong no vote on Tuesday night. We can assume from this that Arriva had finally realised this was a united group of workers that simply would not back down. If they wanted to get their buses back on the roads, they had to give them what they were asking for - and they did.
This is not just a victory that will be celebrated across Merseyside - where support has remained strong for the bus drivers despite the difficulties many have faced - but all over, and particularly on the growing number of picket lines appearing across the country.
It's a symbol to the train workers, the postal staff, the barristers, the nurses and the many other workers taking part in difficult and wearing industrial action that a meaningful victory and a fair deal can be achieved if you stick together and fight for what you believe is right and fair.
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