London bus drivers are taking part in a 24-hour bus strike until the early hours of Wednesday morning due to pay disputes.
Unlike tube drivers there isn’t one collective pay deal for bus drivers in the capital, whose pay is negotiated on a company-by-company basis leading to what Unite bosses brand ‘pay inequality and disparities’.
There are more than 80 different pay rates covering London’s bus drivers, doing the same job, even driving the same route but for different rates of pay.
Time to end the chaos on London’s bus network – one rate for all: http://t.co/fRCLv5FKXt pic.twitter.com/WWESxlbNI9
— Unite the union (@unitetheunion) January 13, 2015
Wayne King, London regional officer for Unite, said: “London’s bus operators have raked in millions in profits while driving down pay and refusing to tackle pay inequality on the capital’s buses.
“As bus company directors enjoy lottery style salaries, bus drivers doing the same job on the same route are being pitted against one another on different rates of pay.
“Strike action is the last resort. We’ve been forced into this position by the operators’ refusal to even meet with us.
“Passengers sitting side by side on the same route expect to pay the same fare, so why shouldn’t drivers expect to be paid the same rate?
“The bus operators need to stop pleading poverty in defending pay inequality and collectively start negotiating about a fairer deal for London’s bus workers.”
The strike affected services from around 4am and will affect night bus services operating tonight into Wednesday morning.
Bus services during the day tomorrow should operate as normal.
For more information about affected routes click here.
