London bus drivers to go on strike for 4 days next week

4 extra days of strikes by London bus drivers are scheduled for early March, the Unite commerce union has confirmed.

Practically 3,000 bus drivers who function 80 routes in South West and North West London are presently on strike for 3 days between February 22 to 24.

The drivers, who work for 3 operators owned by French agency RATP Dev London, say the corporate needs to implement modifications that may reduce their salaries by a median of £2,500.

Companies have been severely affected, though some drivers are being coated by company workers (an inventory of affected routes and their operators is under).

Now the bus drivers are piling on extra strain, with 4 days of business motion additionally scheduled to happen throughout March 3, 5, 6 and seven.

Bus drivers worry the modifications will trigger their salaries to be reduce by a median of £2,500

It’s not but recognized which routes will probably be affected on these 4 days, however a Unite supply as we speak stated: “They [the operators] haven’t contacted us in any respect [about the dispute].

“It’s completely disgraceful, I’ve labored on this trade for 30 years and I’ve by no means recognized an organization treating its workers on this method.”

And extra strikes might happen via the spring and summer time.

“In the event that they don’t again down we’ll take extra motion,” the supply stated.

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A spokesperson for RATP stated: “We have now been in pay negotiations with Unite since September 2020, making an allowance for the very difficult enterprise atmosphere the corporate faces.

“RATP Dev London made a good and proportionate pay supply to Unite, together with an extra single fee to replicate modifications in phrases and circumstances.

“We entered negotiations in good religion, with the perfect, long-term pursuits of staff and passengers in thoughts. We apologise to passengers for the inconvenience and disruption to journeys.”

TfL’s director of bus operations, Claire Mann, apologised to Londoners for the disruption, and stated: “We urge all events to sit down down and discuss via the problems to attempt to resolve them as quickly as potential.”

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The controversial modifications that RATP hopes to herald embrace asking drivers to “log in” as soon as they sit behind the wheel of the bus, and log off on the finish of their shift.

The drivers say this may imply that they are going to solely be paid for the time they’re driving their buses, however not for break instances or when they’re at work however ready for his or her bus to develop into obtainable.

Moreover, the corporate needs drivers to cease arriving for work at bus garages, and as a substitute comply with directions on an app telling them to alter over with one other driver at a bus cease.

The drivers say it will make routine drug assessments unimaginable if drivers are beginning and ending their shifts at varied bus stops, slightly than the bus depots and garages.

The total checklist of bus routes affected by this week’s strikes is under.

Routes run by operator London United and which will probably be affected between as we speak and Wednesday are: 18, 33, 65, 70, 71, 72, 85, 94, 110, 111, 116, 148, 203, 216, 220, 223, 224, 265, 266, 281, 283, 371, 406, 411, 418, 419, 423, 440, 613, 662, 665, 671, 681, 696, 697, 465, N18, N33, N65, N72, N266, C1, H22, H32, H37, H98, K1, K2, K3, K4 and K5.

Routes run by High quality Line and which will probably be affected as we speak and tomorrow are: 293, 404, 413, 463, 467, 470, 633, S1, S3.

Routes run by London Sovereign which have been affected as we speak solely are: 79, 142, 183, 251, 258, 288, 303, 326, 395, 398, 642, N5, H9, H10, H11, H12, H14, H17, H18 and H19.

When you have a narrative about these bus strikes, please e mail [email protected]

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