London's bus drivers vote 85% for strikes

London’s bus drivers have overwhelmingly backed industrial action in a dispute over unfair pay disparities between the capital’s 18 bus operators, their union Unite announced today.
The vote in favour, which averaged 85 percent across the 18 companies, raises the prospect of a London wide bus strike in the new year if the operators refuse to enter talks about the formation of a single London wide agreement covering bus workers’ pay, terms and conditions. 

A widening pay gap
A refusal by the bus operators to address the issue has led to pay gaps of over £3 an hour for new starters opening up with pay varying from £9.30 to £12.34 an hour depending on the company. As well as strike action members also backed action short of a strike by 89 per cent.
Unite represents over 27,000 bus workers working for 18 bus companies who serve Greater London. These are: Arriva North, Arriva South, Selkent, London General, Metroline, Metroline West, Metrobus, CT Plus, London United, Abellio South, Abellio West, London Sovereign, Stagecoach, Blue Triangle, Northumberland Park, Tower Transit, Docklands and London Central.
http://www.unitetheunion.org

Arriva London strikes suspended for talks

Drivers at Arriva North and Arriva South buses in London were due to strike tomorrow over pay. This has now been suspended for talks at ACAS.

Arriva London drivers to strike on Tuesday

On Tuesday 16 December over 3,000 Unite members at Arriva North and Arriva South buses in London are set to strike for 24 hours over pay. They were offered just 1.85 percent by the operator.
The vote for action was a massive 86 percent. Please come and show your support on the picket lines. Here is the list of garages: http://www.arrivalondon.com/ourgarages
This action follows recent pay settlements at London United (5 percent over 18 months), Stagecoach (2.5 percent) and London Sovereign (£700 lump sum for the first year and 4 percent for the second year)

20,000 London bus drivers in strike vote over pay

Over 20,000 bus drivers across London’s 18 bus operators began voting today on whether to strike over pay disparities across the capital’s buses – in a campaign to secure a London-wide agreement covering pay, terms and conditions.
In contrast to London's metro drivers, there is not one collective pay deal for bus drivers in the capital, whose pay is negotiated on a company by company basis leading to pay inequality and disparities between drivers driving the same routes.
A refusal by the bus operators to address the issue has led to pay gaps of over £2 an hour for new starters opening up with pay varying from £9.30 to £11.46 an hour depending on the company.
The ballot of the members of Unite closes on Thursday 18 December, raising the possibility of strike action in the new year if London’s bus operators continue with their refusal to enter talks. A consultative ballot in November saw 96 per cent of members indicate they would be willing to strike.
http://www.unitetheunion.org