London bus drivers march for decent pay

London bus drivers' campaign, photo Judy Beishon

Demonstration for all London bus drivers to receive decent pay

By a London bus driver

Surprised tourists saw our hundreds-strong demonstration come up to the Houses of Parliament from Victoria station. Normally we’re more likely to be annoying other road users by driving buses along Victoria Street. Today we were waving Unite flags and banners, shouting: “What do we want? MORE PAY! How do we get it? STRIKE!”

Actually, we didn’t seem to annoy anyone. Drivers were tooting in support, especially bus drivers.

London bus drivers' pay campaign: Assembling for the demo, 11.9.14, photo Judy Beishon

Assembling for the demo, 11.9.14, photo Judy Beishon   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

The demo aimed to build awareness of our union’s Driving up Pay campaign. Transport for London (TfL) runs London’s bus network but services are provided by more than a dozen private bus firms. There are different pay rates, terms and conditions, even within single operators. So the capital’s 80 garages see huge variations.

Unite calls for equal rates of pay across London, for consolidated terms and conditions and consolidated policies and practices.

London bus drivers' pay campaign: Assembling for the demo, 11.9.14, photo Judy Beishon

Assembling for the demo, 11.9.14, photo Judy Beishon   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Drivers from all over London used their day off to take part in the march. Drivers from London United, Tolworth, said we do the same job all over the capital, so why aren’t we on the same pay? Willesden Metroline drivers were inspired by the march and hoped it would build the campaign.

Peter Kavanagh, Unite regional secretary, said we need to be ready for a hard fight to win our campaign. But the successful 2012 strike over the Olympic bonus showed we are up for that: ballots returned an average 93% vote for action.

London bus drivers' pay campaign: Assembling for the demo, 11.9.14, photo by Judy Beishon

Assembling for the demo, 11.9.14, photo by Judy Beishon   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey addressed the crowd outside the Houses of Parliament, saying: “The executive is behind you. Whatever your decision, we will support you. We will provide the resources necessary for you to win”. He stressed we’ll only get anything by fighting for it: “Everything working people have gained is because they stood up shoulder to shoulder.”

Socialist Party placard, London bus drivers' demo, 11.9.14, photo by Judy Beishon

Socialist Party placard, London bus drivers’ demo   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

James Mitchell, a London bus worker on the Unite executive said all the bus companies make huge profits from our hard work. TfL says it can’t tell these firms what to do on pay rates. But, argued James, if TfL can tell every firm they must all provide driver training to BTEC standard and it can tell them all to introduce cashless buses, why can’t it demand they all pay decent wages?

This inspiring start could be the prelude to industrial action across London this autumn if employers don’t concede.


This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 11 September 2014 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.