UNIITED KINGDOM: London bus drivers stage a 24-hour walkout demanding an Olympic bonus for working in the capital over the summer Games

Record ID: 330972

  • Title: UNIITED KINGDOM: London bus drivers stage a 24-hour walkout demanding an Olympic bonus for working in the capital over the summer Games
  • Date: 23rd June 2012
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JUNE 22, 2012) (REUTERS) WEST HAM BUS GARAGE, WITH BUSES PARKED IN FORECOURT BUS GARAGE SIGN BUS DRIVERS ON PICKET LINE NEAR BUS GARAGE, WAVING FLAGS AND BLOWING WHISTLES UNITE UNION REPRESENTATIVE AND BUS DRIVER ISMAEL KANU, BLOWING WHISTLE PICKETING DRIVERS WAVING FLAGS DRIVER HOLDING PLACARD READING: FAIR PLAY FOR BUS PAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITE UNION REPRESENTATIVE AND BUS DRIVER ISMAEL KANU, SAYING: "This is all about the Olympics bonus award for the London bus workers, that's what we are asking for. We are not asking for that much. If the mayor and Transport for London can award other transport workers involved we deserve the same thing, as we are the more vulnerable front-line bus drivers, bus workers and we deserve it." KANU HANDING OUT FLAGS TO DRIVERS IN PICKET LINE
  • Embargoed: 8th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Employment,Sports,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA12O2PJE6YEK4F9WGBQOG4FFN
  • Story Text: London bus drivers began a 24-hour strike on Friday (June 22) in a dispute over Olympic bonus payments.
    The walkout by thousands of drivers, representing 85 percent of the bus workforce, is to demand an extra 500 pound payment for each worker during the London 2012 Games, in recognition of the extra passengers they will be inevitably carrying.
    At a main bus depot in the East End of London, the West Ham Bus Garage, drivers waved flags and blew whistles in defiance at their employers.
    "This is all about the Olympics bonus award for the London bus workers, that's what we are asking for. We are not asking for that much. If the mayor and Transport for London can award other transport workers involved we deserve the same thing, as we are the more vulnerable frontline bus drivers, bus workers and we deserve it," said Ismael Kanu, Unite union representative.
    Train drivers have already struck deals to get Olympic bonus payments, ranging from 500 pounds to 900 pounds per worker on the Heathrow Express, Network Rail and London Underground, which is also known as the tube.
    "We don't see why everybody else should the Olympic payout, you know, 500 pounds or more when we are not getting anything at all," said striking bus driver Joanne Tofts.
    Unite estimates it would cost £14m to provide a £500 bonus for every bus driver.
    The Mayor of London negotiated that the Olympic Delivery Authority earmark an extra 8.3 million to offer to bus drivers, but Unite rejected this sum.
    Drivers estimate their workload will increase dramatically during the Games, especially if there are problems on overcrowded tube trains.
    "Who is going to know actually how many people actually turn up during the Games and what our load and everything is? With the traffic and the passengers and everything we have to deal with on a daily basis....We have to deal with everything on the road and for that I reckon we should get paid a little bit more money during that time," said Nasimul Noorani.
    A few of the 17 bus companies were still running buses after winning an injunction banning drivers from striking. Transport for London estimated that a quarter of services were running.
    At London Bridge station some commuters had sympathy for the striking bus drivers.
    "The tube drivers are getting an increase and the bus drivers aren't, so it is a little but unfair. So in a way you do have sympathy for them, but it's still annoying," said one woman called Sonia.
    Others were cross that the bus drivers were holding the city to ransom.
    "I can't see the reason why they should get extra pay. I mean, the job is more or less the same day and day out....I'm not getting any extra pay and I'm travelling all they from Peckham to Queen's Park so I really can't see the reason why they're asking for more money," said Vivian.
    This is the first time bus drivers have been on strike city-wide in 30 years.
    Union leaders are not ruling out striking during the Olympics if their demands are not met.
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