11 September 2008
Unite members at Metrobus will be joining the 2,500 members from
First Capital East and First Centrewest who are out on strike from
this Friday (12th September).
In a ballot of the 1,000 Metrobus drivers, members voted by 90%
to reject a pay offer of 4% on the basic rate of pay.
First Capital East and First Centrewest, which cover North,
West, Central and East London, will be out on a 48 hour stoppage
from 3am on Friday 12th September, while Metrobus, which covers
South London, will be out for 24 hours also from 3am.
Strike ballots are now also being held in most other London bus
companies in similar disputes over pay with Metroline’s ballot
opening next week.
Unite submitted a London wide claim to all bus operators in
March of this year to challenge the current system whereby drivers
(and other grades) performing identical jobs within the TfL
regulated industry, receive hugely varying pay and conditions.
George Dodo-Williams, Unite regional industrial organiser for
First Centrewest and First Capital East Buses, said: "London bus
workers have consistently worked to achieve huge increases in
efficiency and performance since the return of local government to
London. Mayor Boris Johnson acknowledges that London has the
world’s finest bus drivers. Yet these workers are being forced to
take action to stake their claim for a share of the profits
generated by their hard work."
John Griffiths, Unite regional official for Metrobus, said: "Our
members are determined to achieve a fair settlement and unless the
company makes a realistic pay offer, strike action will continue
and cause significant disruption to bus services across south, west
and central London."
In a recent ballot of Unite’s 28,000 bus workers 99% voted yes
to the proposed single rate of pay across the network.
Unite is calling for a single rate of pay for drivers of £30,000
a year, based on a 38 hour week. Currently the eighteen London bus
companies all operate with different pay structures, with pay
inequalities of up to £6,000 a year. There is a startling disparity
between bus drivers pay in the capital, with rosters in some
companies seeing many drivers’ complete nearly 60 hours per
week.
-Ends-
Contact:
John Griffiths (for Metrobus queries) on 07739 921594
George Dodo-Williams (for First Centrewest and First Capital
East queries) on 07980 721431
Or Jody Whitehill, Unite Press Officer on 020 7420 8938 or 07768
693956
Notes to Editors:
Metrobus is a part of the giant Go-Ahead group
Metrobus depots based at: Crawley, Croydon and Orpington
Metrobus will be on a 24 hour stoppage commencing at 3am on the
12th September 2008 and the action will continue till 3am on
Saturday 13th September 2008.
Crawley:
Gatwick routes; 10, 20, 100 & 200
1, 2, 4 ,5, 6, 604, 696, 430, 435, 420, 460, 391, 273, 291, 82,
660, 271, 23, 84, 280, 270, 684, 24, 281, 648, 610, 692, 86, 636,
89, 638, 409, 411, 541, 542, 694, 391, 303, 595, 594, 911, 917 and
ASDA & Tesco routes.
Croydon:
64, 119, 127, 130, 202, 293, 405, T33 and X26.
Orpington:
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R11, N119, 138, 146, 161,
181, 246, 261, 284, 320, 336, 352, 353, 354, 464 and 654.
First Capital East Buses are based at - Lea Interchange,
Dagenham and Northumberland Park
East London
58, 67, 91, 150, 165, 179, 191, 193, 212, 215, 231, 236, 252,
259, 299, 308, 309, 323, 339, 341, 357, 365, 385, 389, 399, 476,
488, 498, D6, D7, D8, RV1, W6, W10, W11, W12
First Centrewest Buses are based at - Alperton, Greenford,
Hayes, Uxbridge, Westbourne Park, and Willesden
West London
9(heritage service only), 10, 18, 23, 28, 31, 79, 83, 92, 95,
105, 187, 207, 223, 224, 226, 228, 245, 282, 295, 328, 331, 414,
427, 487, 607, A10, E1, E3, E5, E7, E9, E10, PR2, U1, U2, U3, U4,
U5, U10
First Capital East and First Centrewest are both part of
Firstgroup and will be on a 48 hour stoppage on Friday 12th and
Saturday 13th September commencing at 3am on both days.
In the case of Night drivers starting shifts Thursday 11th
September they will complete their shift through to Friday 12th.
They will then join the action from the start of their shift on
Friday 12th and will continue to the end of their shift on Saturday
13th September 2008. The same applies to Night drivers starting
shifts on Friday 12th September they will complete their shift
through to Saturday 13th September. They will then join the action
from the start of their shift on Saturday 13th September and will
continue to the end of their shift on Sunday 14th September
2008.
