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Commuters have to queue as 5,000 busmen walk out
Dick Murray and Anna Davis10.10.08
Thousands of commuters faced chaos today as up to 5,000 bus drivers and supervisors went on strike over pay.
Transport chiefs warned the 24-hour walkout could affect 162 bus routes a quarter of the capital's bus network.
There were long queues at many stops and any available buses were so crowded that many passengers found they could not get on.
Transport for London warned all travellers to check before they set out and advised them to be prepared to use alternative methods of travel.
Unite, the UK's largest union, is preparing for an even larger strike on 22 October when thousands more workers are expected to join in.
Among commuters struggling to get to work was Josephine Rivera, a 64-year-old teacher from Stockwell. She said: "I had no idea the bus drivers were on strike today. It is going to take me about an hour longer to get to work and I will probably be late for lessons. I am quite angry about it,"
Julie Karlos, a 25-year-old administration assistant from Victoria, said: "I had no idea about the problems I was going to face today. I will have to take the Tube, which costs more and I will probably have to stand all the way."
Lisa McBurney, a 30-year-old doctor from Kensington, said: "I tried to take the 52 bus from Kensington to Victoria but after 20 minutes standing at the bus stop I saw the small sign saying it wouldn't be running. I then had to wait for a Tube to Victoria and pick up another bus to take me to work in Denmark Hill. I'm very annoyed because I left the house early today because I wanted to do some extra work now I'm going to end up late."
Unite is demanding a single pay rate of £30,000 basic for a 38-hour week across all the 18 bus companies in London. At the moment each negotiates its own pay rates.
Peter Kavanagh, Unite senior regional organiser, said pay rates varied by up to £7,000 and that many drivers were forced to work 60 hours a week to make up their pay. He blamed both the bus companies and Mayor Boris Johnson for their "failure to listen".
He said: "Unite will continue to ballot further bus companies until serious discussion has taken place."
Today's strike involves two of London's largest bus companies, First and Metroline. Metrobus last night won a legal challenge to stop the strike.
Adrian Jones, managing director of First bus company London and Berkshire, said: "The union is intent on dragging further bus companies into a strike in pursuit of its fruitless bid to standardise conditions of working and pay. First's bus drivers are already among the best paid bus workers in London."
Reader views (9)
An Arriva bus drivers flat wage is £30,500 pa. With overtime and working the odd rest day and bank holidays this rises to between £37,000 - £42,000. I know one driver that earned £56,000 in one year.
- Arriva Bus Driver, Thornton Heath
Perhaps if your country invested in proper funding for public transport, you would have a decent, reliable service staffed by content personnel. In my country we have always regarded public transport as central to the vitality of the nation, and as a result we enjoy the best and most highly developed system in Europe, and probably the world.
- Marianne, SW France
So unannounced lightening strikes are back. Sounds more like someone wanting a day off at the cost to the whole workforce of London, or maybe they're trying to push the PM over the edge! Can't see the Mayor sorting out Downing Street yet, or maybe he could!
- Tony Islander, Herts
So much for being able to rely on public transport. It just gets more expensive and less reliable. What real hope do we have of cutting our dependence on cars?
- Adam, London, UK
Josephine Rivera, a 64-year-old teacher from Stockwell. She said: "I had no idea the bus drivers were on strike today.
I live in South Yorkshire and even I knew days ago about this bus strike in London, what business does Ms Rivera have in being a "teacher" when she doesn't know what's going on in her own locality?
- Yvonne, Doncaster, UK
If I had known I could have picked up £30K a year driving a bus and clogging up the roads I wouldn't have bothered studying so hard at school and running up £10K of debts at Uni. And could they not have picked a better time to go on strike than when the country is grinding to a halt. I would not mind so much if most bus drivers were'nt rude, arrogant and saometimes down right dangerous. Sack them all Boris!
- Chris, Muswell Hill
What planet are these bus drivers and union on.£30,000 for opening and closing doors plus blocking other motorists?I m a qualified accountant and i m not yet earning that much.Teachers and Nurses dont even get that much after studying and incurring huge debts to qualify.
To add insult to this bus drivers are the rudest creatures you will ever meet.
If they are not happy why not retrain and get better paying jobs.Well saying that most cant read or write..
- Silus, London
To hell with it.Give the bus drivers everything they want and bail them out big time. This seems to be the trend these days--just combine it with a patronising talk delivered from a Downing Street lecturn and to really add fairy dust to the occasion, talk in global economic gobbledegook as well!
But seriously--GROW UP bus drivers.Just remember your jobs are not sacrosanct.
- William Grierson, Kimpton, UK
you can tell labour are coming to the end of their time in office!! Like night follows day, Public Sector workers go on strike, unemployment rises, taxes go up, crime through the roof, immigration unchecked, stock market collapsing - just like 1972, 1979 - history repeating itself! Just require another winter of discontent, and Mr Cameron will win by a huge landslide.
- Gary, wycombe
