London bus drivers to vote on 2012 Olympics strike action

[Rusty99]

Maybe not such a bad idea, would ease traffic congestion like the last strike did 

Thousands of bus drivers in London are to vote on whether to take strike action in a row over payments during the Olympic Games.

Unite said it had given 21 bus companies operating in London notice of its intention to ballot up to 21,000 of its members in the capital next week.

The union has asked for a £500 payment to recognise the "massive increase" in workload during the Games.

Transport for London has called for a resolution with minimal disruption.

The union said 800,000 extra passengers were expected to travel on buses during the Games.

It added that other transport workers, including those on London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railways, Network Rail and Virgin, would receive hundreds of pounds in extra payments during the Olympics.

More: BBC

[SgtAngel]

That reminds me, must get my PCV licence sorted.

[busterbloodvessel]

The union has asked for a £500 payment to recognise the "massive increase" in workload during the Games.

A bus driver sits at the front and drives the bus. Whether the bus is empty or there are people, goats and chickens hanging from the roof, his (or her, comrades) job is exactly the same: To drive the fucking bus. Someone please explain to me what extra workload is involved.

In other news:
Postmen vote on strike action during olympics

Blah blah extra workload blah blah everyone else seems to be blah blah loads of postcards blah blah revenue blah blah whine whine public sector blah because we can blah blah

[Waterford_man]

This is very much a jump on the band wagon, since Tube drivers made their fight.

What about the rest of use who will double or treble our commuting time, should we be getting extra too?

[busterbloodvessel]

No. You should be getting less because you'll probably be late most days.

[Rusty99]

Thousands of bus drivers in London will go on 24-hour strike next Friday, in a dispute over pay during the Olympics, the Unite union has announced.

The strike will start at 03:00 BST on Friday, 22 June and last until 03:00 BST on Saturday, 23 June.

The union has demanded every bus driver should get a £500 bonus in line with other transport workers.

Transport for London (TfL) said it was a matter for the bus companies but has called the action "reprehensible".

The union said it could not rule out further strikes during the Olympics.

Source:BBC

[SgtAngel]

So traffic should flow quite freely on Friday then.

[GymRat]

Apparently, the union have said every time they strike, their "demand" will increase by £100!

So, not blackmail at all then?

I just wish the public would wake up to the fact that Seb Coes sports day is NOT welcomed by an awful lt of Londoners, is putting a massive strain on the emergency services, who are NOT ready for it at all, and is being used by likes of Bob Crow to blackmail TfL and ultimately the taxpayers of London for more money for his his members when they are NOT doing anything to deserve it.

The whole thing is a farce.

[busterbloodvessel]

Speaking of Comrade Crow, he has decided that with all those extra people using the tube on bus strike days it won't be safe so he is advising his members to shut down the tube system for "safety" reasons.

Sorry Mr Crow, but aren't there going to be lots of extra people using the network during the Olympics that you've asked for extra money to work? You can't have it both ways, or does public safety only matter when you're not getting a big fat bonus out of it?

[GymRat]

Exactly. Crow doesn't give a toss other than "what can I get out of this?" it's blackmail, pure and simple. So many things about this overblown school sports day are an utter farce. Unions being paid thousands for no extra work at the threat of a strike, traffic chaos due to those poxy olympic lanes, emergency services already over stretched under even more strain, and now we have olympic officials being found out for corruption.

It's a complete joke. But no one's laughing.

[SgtAngel]

I was listening to Boris on LBC this morning. Nick Ferrari made him squirm a bit when he asked about TfL staff considering strike action as they want a bonus for the Olympics.

I'm sure that there are thousand of other people playing a part in the Olympics who are not demanding a bonus for doing their job.

[Rusty99]

It was lovely driving around London with no buses, even the cyclists looked happy 

[busterbloodvessel]

I've been thinking this through and I can't get my head around the basis for their claim. I mean I know there's no genuine substance to it, but they must have put some kind of grounds to justify the idea?

Every bus has a maximum number of passengers, when that is reached the driver doesn't let anyone else on, simples. The roads will be busier but they have bus lanes.

Same goes for tube drivers. They sit at the front, make the train go forward and open the doors on the correct side when necessary.

Station staff probably deserve a bonus, or more sensibly extra cover because of the station overcrowding, but not drivers.

And some people are going to be earning LESS money than they usually would because of people from all over the country on aid nicking all the overtime!!!

[GymRat]

Yeah...... Bloody county officers coming to London, nicking our overtime! Still, I will enjoy seeing our dopey leaders squirming at all those "scruffy paramilitary" coppers in the capital.....

[SgtAngel]

The same leaders who have come from forces who wear the black stuff.