Transport For London 1 600 Bus Drivers Walk Off Pay Row As Tube Strike

1,600 bus drivers in London are to walk out later this month in a row over pay at the same time as the Tube strike, a union has announced. Drivers, members of the Unite union and London United workers are due to strike on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August. The strike’s first day coincides with strikes announced for London Underground and Overground staff, piling on commuters’ transport misery. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “RATP workers’ parent company is fabulously rich and can afford to pay our members a decent pay rise. “Unite members play a critical role in keeping London moving and they will not accept to see their pay eroded continuously.

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“Unite does what it says on the union tin and always stands up for the jobs, pay and conditions of its members.  Our members at London United will receive the full support of the union until this dispute is resolved and a fair pay offer is secured.”

The strike will affect workers based at Fulwell, Hounslow, Hounslow Heath, Park Royal, Shepherd’s Bush, Stamford Brook and Tolworth depots. The union said the company offered a pay rise of 3.6% in 2022 and 4.2% the following year, which it described as a real-terms pay cut due to the high rate of inflation. On the same day, August 19, London Underground and Underground rail workers are also due to go on 24-hour strike action in separate disputes. The RMT union said Underground workers are to walk out over a dispute over pensions, while Overground workers employed by Arriva Rail London will strike over pay. He said this means around 10,000 Underground rail workers will leave and nearly 400 workers will down tools at Arriva Rail London. Meanwhile, the TSSA union said thousands of its members in General Grades and Controllers at Network Rail will also strike on Thursday 18 and Saturday 20 August. A TfL spokesman said: “The strikes are bad news for everyone and we urge Unite and RATP to reach an agreement and avoid the need for industrial action.” RATP, London United’s parent company, has been contacted for comment.