London’s bus drivers strike over salary tiff

By OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

London

Oct. 10: Thousands of bus drivers in London went on 24-hour strike on Friday over salary leading to disruption in bus services across the city.

London is serviced by 18 bus companies and the workers are protesting against the disparities of salaries and work conditions within these firms. Unite union has called for a single rate of pay for drivers of £30,000 a year based on a 38 hour week as pay disparities of up to £7,000 a year exist at present.

Unite said that 6,000 bus drivers had gone on strike on from 3 am on Friday over the 2008 pay settlement. Unite members working at Metroline and First Group were on strike after the third company due to be affected by the protest won a legal challenge to stop its staff from walking out. Metrobus won a legal challenge against the strike and managed to prevent its drivers from walking out.

The strike has affected up to a quarter of London’s bus network, according to Transport for London. Most of the affected routes are in northeast and west London. Unite said it had submitted a London-wide claim to all bus operators in March to challenge the current system.