Now Bus workers are going on strike including during Notting Hill Carnival
After a slew of strikes across train networks, bus workers have now voted to go on strike in London – including on Bank Holiday Monday when Notting Hill Carnival is held.
Unite the union said 1,000 drivers, engineers and other workers are involved in a dispute affecting some 28 bus routes across London.
The stoppages follow mounting frustration among workers, who are angry over a lack of consultation over roster changes which they say are leaving them out of pocket, as well as a dispute over rest day working pay rates, the union said.
Read more: RMT announces new strike dates on Southern Rail
Members at bus operator Tower Transit will take industrial action on Friday and again on Monday after a 9-1 vote backing the motion.
Regional officer Simon McCartney said:
Tower Transit bus workers have reached breaking point over an increasingly belligerent management who have turned their back on constructive consultation and dialogue. Instead workers now face the imposition of changes to their rosters leaving them out of pocket and rearranging their family life.
To add insult to injury, bus workers have also found themselves short changed when doing overtime on a rest day. Our members take great pride in keeping London on the move 24 hours a day and deserve better.
Transport for London apologised for the likely disruption the strike is expected to cause.
Read more: Rush hour nightmare? The routes we complain about most
Mike Weston, TfL’s director of buses, said: “I’m sorry that some of our customers may face disruption to their usual routes.
"I would advise everyone to check our website for the latest updates and we’ll be working hard to ensure that customers have up to the minute information about which services are affected. We’re also encouraging Tower Transit and Unite to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible to avoid disruption to passengers’ journeys.”