UNITE: No second class treatment for London’s bus workers, demands Unite
Unite members from every London bus garage have voted unanimously to press Mayor Boris Johnson not to discriminate against them during the Olympics.
Busworkers expect to have to carry up to one million more passengers during the Olympics, and deal with roads heavily congested by games-related traffic. City Hall has recognised that for tube and rail drivers, there will be significant upheaval and are compensating them with a payment.
Unite, the capital’s biggest union, says all it wants for the busworkers is equal treatment urging City Hall to ensure that the capital’s 28,000 busworkers receive the Special Olympic Payments already agreed for the tube and rail workers. Peter Kavanagh, Unite London and Eastern regional secretary, said: “City Hall is apparently talking up the benefits of securing industrial peace on the London underground, during what we all want to be a very successful London 2010 Games.
“However, the Mayor needs to recognise that far more people are carried on London’s buses than on all other public transport. It will be the bus drivers who will be critical in keeping our city moving during the busy Olympic period.” Unite has also written to London 2012 chairman, Lord Coe, insisting on early consultation on security issues, scheduling and the use of volunteers at transport interchanges.
Peter Kavanagh added: “At a time when London’s busworkers’ pay and conditions are squeezed, productivity and quality of service continues to improve, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our members.
“So it is only right that some of the money generated by the London 2012 Games goes towards rewarding those who will keep the show on the road. “City Hall is making a big mistake if it thinks it can treat bus drivers like second class citizens during the Olympics. Failure to do the decent thing by them will only fuel the rising tide of anger among this crucial workforce.”
ENDS
For further information contact Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 3371 2061 or 07980 224761.
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