Drivers get revealing to stop London's buses racing to
the bottom
3 August
2009
WHERE: Marble Arch (call Peter Kavanagh on 07980 721 422
for directions on the day)
WHEN: 11am, Wednesday, 5th August 2009
Bus drivers get revealing about pay drops on London's
buses
Underwear protest in central London in call for end of "race to the
bottom"
Bus drivers will get revealing about London's buses this week
(Wednesday) in a bid to highlight the pay mess ruining the
capital's essential public transport service.
Fed up with bus companies cutting pay and conditions to win
contracts, yet refusing to talk to their union about a way forward,
London's bus drivers will make their concerns visible when they
gather in central London to unveil their boxer shorts declaring
"Stop the race to the bottom".
Unite argues that the huge disparity in wages, which can vary by
as much as £10,000 a year between companies, and variations in
other conditions of employment are leading to a damaging race to
the bottom in service provision where cut-throat practices win over
safeguarding employment standards when contracts are being
awarded.
Companies paying higher rates are cutting terms and conditions
in their bid to hold on to work while drivers are forcibly
transferred across London, hitting their pensions and wages as
lower paying companies win routes from their current employers.
Unite has submitted a claim to all London's bus operators for a
central pay bargaining mechanism as a means to streamline standards
and treat workers fairly. However, the mechanism has been flatly
rejected by all employers who have refused to even discuss the
matter with the union.
Unite has already conducted consultative ballots at a number of
companies over this year's pay round, and overwhelming strike votes
have been registered. If the employers fail to respond positively
to the central pay bargaining claim, Unite says there is a real
prospect of a London-wide ballot of all its 28,000 members across
all companies.
At the Marble Arch demo, Unite members will have placards and
will be wearing boxer shorts declaring "Stop the race to the
bottom".
ENDS
For further information contact Peter Kavanagh on 07980
721 422 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite Press Office on 020 7420
8914 or 07980 224761.
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