No second class treatment for London's bus workers, demands Unite
19 May 2011
Unite members from every London bus garage have voted
unanimously to press mayor Boris Johnson not to discriminate
against them during the Olympics.
Bus workers 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
is compensating them with a payment.
Unite, the capital's biggest union, says all it wants for the
bus workers 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 bus workers' 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
