GLATUC has given its full support to the current battle by London bus workers in UNITE against attacks on their terms and conditions. Just weeks after praising the fantastic service given by bus workers through the Covid pandemic and the recognition of the heavy toll on those drivers (43 deaths, majority from BAME backgrounds), bus companies have rewarded them by attacking their pay and conditions. Trades councils have been supporting pickets and have held meeting addressed by bus workers in Brent, Cities of London & Westminster and on Tuesday March 9 at Harrow.
The industrial action involves French-owned bus operator RATP and its three London subsidiaries; London United, Quality Line and London Sovereign. In the region of 2,000 bus drivers are involved in the dispute.
Fresh strike action
The fresh strike action follows a number of strikes held on Monday 22 February, Tuesday 23 February and Wednesday 24 February. In a divide and rule approach, RATP is attempting to treat workers in each subsidiary differently and play one set of workers off against the other.
London Sovereign
The first round of the new strike action involved drivers employed on the London Sovereign subsidiary. The drivers, who operate routes in North West London, held one day strike on Wednesday 3 March. Further strikes at London Sovereign have been scheduled for Wednesday 10 March and Wednesday 17 March..
The London Sovereign dispute involves pay, with RATP offering the workers an increase of just 0.75 per cent, well below what other London bus operators have offered drivers.
London United strikes
Workers at London United renewed their strike action on Friday 5 March and Saturday 6 March. The drivers operate routes across South and West London. The dispute is a result of RATP seeking to use the Covid-19 pandemic as cover to slash the pay and conditions of drivers. The drivers face cuts in pay of £2,500 per annum, cutting pay to 2015 rates, with workers expected to work far longer for the lower pay rates.
Quality Line industrial action
Bus drivers on the Quality Line subsidiary, based at its depot in Epsom Surrey, also were on strike Friday 5 March in a pay dispute. The Quality Line drivers are among the lowest paid in the capital, earning £2.50 an hour less than drivers at the other RATP subsidiaries. The company has offered them a miserly increase of seven pence an hour (0.5 per cent).
Unite regional officer Michelle Braveboy said: “Bus drivers at RATP are resolved that attacks on their pay and conditions will be abandoned and that they will secure a meaningful pay rise. It is simply disgraceful that RATP is using the cover of Covid-19 to try to force through these cuts. London’s bus drivers have kept the city moving through successive lockdowns but have also suffered a terrible penalty, through very high numbers of Covid deaths, as a result of their dedication and sacrifice.”
