The Socialist 16 September 2020

Our lives and livelihoods at stake

Our lives and livelihoods at stake

Sketch: The rule of six - some guidance from your government

Johnson's brinkmanship over EU deal deepens capitalist splits

Blame politicians, not workers and young people

Capitalist profit and the race to develop a vaccine

'Covid marshalls' must be accountable to communities

Under the microscope

Angry health workers demand 15% now!

NHS workers: "We deserve a fair wage" - 15% now!

National Shop Stewards Network lobbying for a lead from the TUC

PCS members in DWP reject unsafe extension of hours

Ireland: Debenham's occupier speaks out

London bus drivers begin strike ballot over remote sign-on dispute

Tate workers on indefinite strike hold march and rally

Reinstate Tony Smith

Reinstate Richie Venton

Dispatches from the front: schools need Covid tests!

Covid and the third sector: for public planning, not charity stopgaps

Non-fiction: Left Out - the inside story of Labour under Corbyn

Egypt: Support for al-Sisi dwindles as his regime increases repression

Nigerian police repress peaceful anti-government protest

Two weeks to donate: we need your help

Coventry: scrap 'profit before people' hospital parking charges

Covid generation says 'fund our future'

Why I joined the Socialist Party: Tories and Blairites only care about corporate greed

Selling the Socialist

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London bus drivers begin strike ballot over remote sign-on dispute

London bus, photo Graham Richardson/CC (Click to enlarge)

London bus drivers employed by Metroline are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute over the company's proposals to introduce a new remote sign-on system.

Metroline operates in North and West London, and around 16% of all bus drivers in London work for the company.

Remote sign-on means drivers do not report to a depot to start work, but meet their bus and begin work at an alternative location such as a bus stop. Remote sign-on forces drivers to start work away from the depot, reducing costs and boosting the company's profits.

But there is no benefit to passengers, and in fact, remote sign-on could well cause disruption to services used by the hundreds of thousands of people who use buses every day to get to work and school.

Anger about Metroline's proposals was highlighted by a consultative ballot at both its companies in London. Unite members at Metroline West recorded a 99% Yes vote, while the figure for Metroline Travel was 97.8%.

Ballot papers will be sent from 18 September and the ballot will close on 26 October with strikes across London in November should the members vote in favour of industrial action.

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