Bus drivers strike across London
Dozens of routes are affected
Bus drivers across London are walking out today in a row over pay and conditions.
In total 53 routes are affected across the south west and north west of the city, including school service and night time services.
Bus drivers employed by operator London United, a company commissioned by Transport for London, will stage the industrial action until 6am on Friday April 2.
The strike is over what the Unite trade union has called a “downgrade” of bus drivers’ pay and conditions by RATP, a French company which owns London United and two other operators. Some bus drivers have feared losing £2,000 a year due to changes that would see them no longer receive pay for breaks or time spent waiting for their bus to arrive after clocking on.
A statement from Unite said:
“Following four days of negotiations last week, RATP made an offer for the outstanding pay increases for 2019 and 2020 and also sought to introduce new contract clauses.
“The pay offer fell well below the expectations of members and the proposed changes to conditions had not been previously discussed, and as such Unite was unable to propose the offer to members at this stage.”
RATP said its offer “includes the best possible pay rise above inflation and no changes to terms and conditions”, and that its London bus operators have made losses for the last two years.
Drivers from two other operators owned by RATP – Quality Line and London Sovereign – had taken industrial action over several days between February and March but pay deals have since been agreed.
London United drivers will hold another ballot on April 6 to decide whether to hold further strikes.
Unite regional officer Michelle Braveboy said:
“The forthcoming strikes will inevitably cause severe disruption to thousands of bus passengers.
“Unite members are taking this action as a last resort, as they will not allow RATP to use the cover of the Covid pandemic to downgrade their pay and conditions.”
The routes affected by the strikes include:
33, 65, 70, 71, 72, 110, 111, 116, 203, 216, 223, 224, 265, 266, 283, 371, 406, 411, 418, 419, 423, 440, 465, C1, H22, H32, H37, H98, K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S3
School and night routes:
613, 613, 662, 665, 671, 681, 696, 697, N18, N33, N65, N72, N266
24 hour routes:
148, 220, 281, 111, 85, 94