Bus drivers want more money (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Bus drivers want more money

7:47pm Monday 3rd March 2008 in News By Daniel Knowles

Bus drivers are pushing for a pay rise and fewer working hours in their first city-wide demands since privatisation.

The Unite union said wages varied from £20,000 to £28,000 from company to company.

Regional industrial organiser Peter Kavanagh said drivers wanted a pay rise to at least £30,000 and maximum driving shifts of 10 hours a day.

"Bus workers keep this city moving," Mr Kavanagh said.

"Our members carry six million passengers in the capital every day, more than all other modes of transport put together.

"They work in extremely stressful conditions, and many of them, especially those working for companies at the lower end of the market, cannot afford to live in our city.

"There can be no justification for the huge disparities that exist between workers performing identical jobs within our integrated transport network."

He said drivers were calling for: A maximum of 4 hour 30 minutes of continuous driving duty before a break A 38-hour week Drivers to be allowed a minimum of 20 minutes to carry out security and safety checks on their bus before beginning to drive A minimum of £30,000 a year or a 5 percent pay increase, whichever is the greater.