Patience wearing thin

Did you know that London’s bus drivers are employed across 17 different bus companies?

Do you know the name of the bus company that drives your route?

Do you think it’s fair that two drivers operating on the same bus route could earn a difference of as much as £2 an hour just because they work for different bus companies?

Or could even work for the same bus company and drive the same route but earn a different rate of pay?

This is exactly what is happening across our Capital. London’s 20,000 bus drivers, who work tirelessly to keep our city running, suffer huge disparity between their pay.

Tube drivers pay can be as much as ÂŁ30,000 more than that of a bus driver. They have one employer making negotiations on pay and terms and conditions simple and fair.

Yet they have no dealing with the public, which is sometimes the most challenging part of being a bus driver.

Bus drivers carry what is called a ‘spit kit’, which contains a swab for them to collect DNA from passengers who spit on them. Women bus drivers are subjected to rape threats and there are four assaults on London bus drivers every 24 hours.

“These ordeals our members face are horrific,” said Wayne King, Unite regional officer. “Yet their pay doesn’t always reflect the conditions they work under.”

A consultative ballot saw 96 per cent of bus drivers vote in favour of action as frustration mounts over the ‘farce’ of 17 separate pay negotiations.

The consultative ballot paves the way for a formal industrial action ballot of London’s bus drivers if bus operators continue with their refusal to establish a collective negotiating forum.

“It’s totally ridiculous that bus drivers pay must be negotiated on a company by company basis with 17 different bus operators,” said Wayne.

“It not only breeds inequality but is bureaucratic and inefficient. Our members are so fed up with this that they’re prepared to go on strike.”

The patience of London bus drivers is wearing thin. These pay disparities cause tension among the drivers and low staff morale.

In 1984 The London Regional Transport Act resulted in London Regional Transport taking control of London’s bus routes. The bus routes were then sold off to private companies in the mid-nineties.

Unite has been campaigning tirelessly for a single pay deal for bus drivers.

“What we want is a collective negotiating forum so that we can begin to harmonise and enhance the terms and conditions and pay of our bus drivers,” added Wayne.

“It’s so important that every bus driver from every bus operator is part of this strike as it’s the only way we can really highlight the solidarity of our drivers and how strong they are together despite having a wedge driven between them by the actions of the companies.”

The bus companies who serve Greater London are Arriva North, Arriva South, Selket, London General, Metroline, Metroline West, Metrobus, CT Plus, London United, Abellio South, Abellio West, London Sovereign, Stagecoach, Blue Triangle, Northumberland Park, Tower Transit and London Central.