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Thousands hit by bus walkout as workers strike over pay
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent09.11.09
Tens of thousands of bus passengers faced travel chaos today as staff walked out for 24 hours over pay.
The stoppage is expected to hit 58 routes and 750 buses serving huge sections of east London. Company bosses have imposed a pay freeze, blaming the recession. Union Unite has refused to rule out further strikes.
The East London Bus Group employs 2,600 workers of whom 2,400 are Unite members. Union bosses said the strike was sanctioned after the company refused any pay increase.
Further travel misery loomed as it emerged that busy London rail routes could be closed on Sundays as train drivers refuse to work overtime. Sunday services on many routes are operated by drivers on a voluntary basis.
Reader views (22)
thank you for todays strike.The buse company should go around and put posters up on the bus sheltters telling us what buses are running.Iam also sure that there are a load of people out of work,that are in the process of losing there home that would love your JOB! so stop your moaning and get on with your jobs, why you still have them.iam of now to try and get to work why trying to get two kids to collage and one to school,lets hope my boss understands!.
- K Owen, romford
2Hours and 40 minutes to travel 9 miles.This is a daily occurrance in london,a third world transport system at above first world prices.They might as well be on strike in Richmond as well.
- Dave, london
For all those that have no sympathy with the Unions and workers I suggest that they try learning some History...some attitudes here would guarantee these people jobs as Guards in Nazi Concentration Camps..at least they would get to feed their families and exposes a self interest that is all about ME rarher than what is fair and just.
Yes we could replace ALL the Train/ Tube / Bus workers//but there again we could replace ALL our workers with immigrants from other Countri9es, I am sure Chine would be happy to send us 10 million people if we asked...then where would the self serving people on here be...in Romania looking for work ??.
- Clif, London
These people HAVE JOBS whereas thousands have lost theirs during the recession. If the bus drivers don't want to work for the wages they get, then they should be sacked and others employed in their place.
- Judith, KIng's Lynn, Norfolk, UK
I think that bus drivers are UNDERPAID, UNDERAPPRECIATED! Afterall who is it we rely on to take the commuters to and from work on tube strike days, the trustee buses and drivers who regularly have to cope with verbal and sometimes physical violence. Good on them!!!!
- Shell, bow
Its strange that strikes are always between Tory administrations or Tory councils and businesses. Why do the Tories provoke or encourage strikes.
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
To Bus drivers, like every thing else in life: "If you don't like your job do something else". Stop your bleating
- Terry Brown, Richmond middx
To all who have commented on this page, why should bus drivers be subject to abuse, why should they be physically assaulted, why should they be spat at or even threatened, if we wanted this type of kinky session we would pay you, and since we are not paying you we command respect. When you look at the whole industry in London there is a 2 tier system running and some drivers between bus companies are earning a difference of pay £10k less than other drivers doing the same job. For all of you who think we are being paid very well why don't you all apply for a job? because none of you can handle it. It's cheap to talk.
- Elroy (24 Years Of Bus Service), Dagenham
Melvyn, we have a Government in the Unions' pockets, while Labour are in power expect strikes, it's pretty basic. Don't remember too many when the Conservatives were in charge, but I guess you can still cling to your defunct socialist ideologies while you walk home in the rain, hope they keep you warm!
- St, London
St.London- Buses are under control (or suppossed to be.) of your great leader NOGO BOJO so he is to blaim...
As for no informnation on Bus Stops again it is Boris and his side kick Ranger to blaim - odd thing is we have a bus strike here in Essex today and notification was shown on our more primitive Countdown system on Friday/Saturday.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
I concur with Smb of London. I don't know a single person still in the enviable position of being employed who hasn't been subject to a pay freeze and/or reduction. What makes these people think they have a right to an increase (and please don't start the nonsense that they're underpaid because they're on very good money).
- Geraldine, London
i suggest some of the people who made these comments try bus driving,having to work nights,evenings,early mornings,spat at,stabbed,verbally abused daily.since privatisation thier wages have been a pittance some 90% less than tube drivers.
- George, france
Too right Neil. I'm sure if they looked hard enough, they could get people to do the job for the minimum wage. That goes for teachers, police and doctors as well.
- Ted, London
If the drivers dont like the pay and the management wont give a pay rise, why continue to work as a bus driver?
Move on and get a new job!
- Rob, London
Why on earth do the authorities award franchises to companies that are unable to guarantee a satisfactory level of service? Relying solely on the goodwill of employees to deliver a service is simply not good enough and these companies should therefore never have been awarded their franchises under such circumstances; the necessary terms should be written into employees' contracts at the time they are signed, and therefore would be legally binding. The result of this cavailier approach has now been laid bare, with these London bus companies and a number of mainline rail services, as we saw yesterday.
- K Lynch, London
To everyone who voted Labour at the last election, thanks!
- St, London
owned by tfl?
- Terry Sullivan, morden england
The misery was only enhanced by the lack of information, as people stood around blissfully ignorant that services weren't running. Would it be too much for a message to be displayed on the "countdown" bus stop technology to say which routes were not running?
- Craig, Hackney, London
A pay freeze?!! - that would have been nice, but myself along with thousands of people across the country have had to take salary reductions this year, reduced hours and unpaid forced holidays - and those are the lucky ones still in employment! Don't expect ANY sympathy from me, as I reserve mine to those people desperate for employment this Christmas to be able to feed and house their familes. I have none left to give those who do not support the country through its reccession! What a joke!
- Smb, London, UK
Anybody who thinks that inflation isn't going to take off is in dream world. Where we have a problem, just like this bus strike and with the train service which did not run yesterday because they had no "volunteer's" to work. Is that the workers are now in charge, It should be "unthinkable" that 10's of thousands of people going to work could be so disadvantaged by people who are probably on a very good wage in the first place. Can it please be reported how much the wages are for these strikers.
- Ann Other View, England
5 million unemployed in Gremany; 2.5m here; 25 million in the US. I'm sure they can replace their entire fleet of drivers, if they're willing to take on the unions!
- Neil, London, London UK
No pay rise so where is all this money Boris is raising in higher bus fares going?
Oh yes it is for wasting on replacing perfectly good buses and designing a bus that will never run!!
Bus and Train passengers need to know that fare rises are not paying for fancy bike hire schemes or free rides for rolls royces in west london.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
