From the union's website today (MY RESPONSE IN UPPER-CASE):-


Unite submitted a London wide claim to all bus operators in March of
this year to challenge the current system whereby drivers (and other
grades) performing identical jobs within the TfL regulated industry,
receive hugely varying pay and conditions.

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD: DIFFERENT PEOPLE DOING THE SAME JOB IN
DIFFERENT COMPANIES GET PAID DIFFERENTLY. GET REAL AND GET OVER IT.

Unite is calling for a single rate of pay for drivers of �30,000 a
year, based on a 38 hour week. Currently the 18 London bus companies
all operate with different pay structures, with pay inequalities of up
to �6,000 a year.

�30,000 A YEAR!!!! I WENT TO UNIVERSITY FOR 4 YEARS, AND DID 2 YEARS'
TRAINING AFTER THAT, AND 20 YEARS LATER I STILL DON'T GET THAT MUCH!
SHOCK HORROR: SOME DRIVERS EARN �6,000 LESS THAN OTHERS!!!!! 38
HOURS A BLOODY WEEK AND �30,0000 - I AM GENUINELY INCREDULOUS!

Peter Kavanagh, Unite senior regional organiser, said: "There is a
startling disparity between bus drivers' pay in the capital, with
rosters in some companies seeing many drivers' complete nearly 60
hours per week.

WHAT'S "STARTLING" ABOUT PAY DISPARITY? OKAY, LET'S EQUALISE
EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE LOWEST CURRENT PAY AVAILABLE.

"Not only is this potentially unsafe, it is unfair to have bus workers
across London doing the same job for less money or having to put in
much longer hours.

WHAT IS "UNSAFE" ABOUT SOME DRIVERS EARNING MORE THAN OTHERS? OR DO
SOME DRIVERS ONLY BECOME "SAFE" WHEN EARNING OVER �30,000P.A.?

"Our members will continue to strike

AND TREAT THE REST OF US WITH UTTER CONTEMPT


and we will continue to ballot further bus companies until Boris
Johnson listens up

WHAT'S IT GOT TO DO WITH HIM?

and engages in serious discussions for equal pay for all London bus
workers."

THESE ARE PRIVATE COMPANIES, AND FREE TO PAY WHATEVER THE MARKET WILL
TAKE. TYPICAL THAT THE UNIONS SHOULD WANT TO INVOLVE CITY HALL
BUREAUCRATS TO SUPPORT THEIR SPURIOUS CLAIM - THE WHOLE POINT OF
PRIVATISATION WAS TO PREVENT THIS NONSENSE.

Marc.