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London bus strike: Staff walk out over pay differences London bus strike: Staff walk out over pay differences
(about 13 hours later)
Bus drivers in London are taking part in a 24-hour strike. A strike by London bus drivers protesting at differences in pay has finished.
Members of the Unite union walked out at 00:00 GMT over pay differences between the capital's 18 bus companies. Members of the Unite union walked out at 00:00 GMT on Thursday but Transport for London (TfL) said about 47% of routes had remained operational.
Transport for London (TfL), which said about 47% of routes were running, called it "totally unnecessary". It called the strike "totally unnecessary" but the Unite union said the pay system was in "chaos" and had to be changed.
The Unite union said the pay system was in "chaos" and had to be changed. Bus company Tower Transit said the union wanted them to "act as a cartel", which they legally could not. It said there were large differences in pay between London's 18 bus companies.
TfL warned there would be disruption to bus services across London and to night bus services operating into Friday morning. Bus company Tower Transit said the union wanted firms to "act as a cartel", which they legally could not.
'Totally unnecessary' The strike came to an end at 0400 GMT on Friday.
Tfl said 51% of buses were in service. About 390 bus routes are running a service, with 2,650 buses. Tfl said about 390 bus routes ran a service and some 2,650 buses had been on the capital's streets.
Bus services during the day on Friday should operate as normal.Bus services during the day on Friday should operate as normal.
It is the first of three 24-hour bus strikes planned this month. The next are scheduled for 13 and 16 February. The strike was the first of three 24-hour stoppages planned this month. The next are scheduled for 13 and 16 February.
Members of Unite want an end to salary differences between firms that can see staff salaries differ from £17,000 to £25,000. Members of Unite want an end to differences between firms that can see staff salaries differ from £17,000 to £25,000.
TfL has said that changing this could cost up to £100m a year. In an open letter in the Evening Standard, it called the strike "totally unnecessary".TfL has said that changing this could cost up to £100m a year. In an open letter in the Evening Standard, it called the strike "totally unnecessary".
However Metroline bus driver Steve O'Rourke, who was on the picket line in Archway, called for the bus companies to take action.However Metroline bus driver Steve O'Rourke, who was on the picket line in Archway, called for the bus companies to take action.
He said: "It is very simple really, we are doing exactly the same job.He said: "It is very simple really, we are doing exactly the same job.
"We drive up and down the roads with places that other companies are running as well and yet we are on different rates of pay.""We drive up and down the roads with places that other companies are running as well and yet we are on different rates of pay."
'Act as a cartel'
Pete Kavanagh, London regional secretary of Unite, said: "We've got a two-tier workforce in which people coming into the industry in recent years never get to the top rate of pay.Pete Kavanagh, London regional secretary of Unite, said: "We've got a two-tier workforce in which people coming into the industry in recent years never get to the top rate of pay.
"We've literally got hundreds of rates of pay and this has got to stop.""We've literally got hundreds of rates of pay and this has got to stop."
The bus companies affected are Abellio, Arriva, CT Plus, Go Ahead, London Sovereign, London United, Metroline, Stagecoach and Tower Transit. The bus companies affected were Abellio, Arriva, CT Plus, Go Ahead, London Sovereign, London United, Metroline, Stagecoach and Tower Transit.
John Traynor, from Go Ahead London, which runs a quarter of the capital's bus network, told BBC London 94.9 about 75% of its routes were running.
"I've said to the unions in by all if you want me to address pay disparity about minimum rates and to close the gap I can do that but they are unwilling to meet us locally," he said.
Tower Transit Chairman Neil Smith said the company was running double the services it had run in the previous strike on 13 January.
"There are disparities due to length of service and there are disparities due to geography," said Mr Smith.
"This is an attempt to force a group of competing operators who are delivering a very cost effective bus service for London to act as a cartel and our legal advice is we cannot do that."
Leon Daniels from TfL said: "It's not a matter for TfL to step in on.Leon Daniels from TfL said: "It's not a matter for TfL to step in on.
"For the last 20 years, we've run a brilliant bus service as a result of local pay negotiation between the local drivers and their employers.""For the last 20 years, we've run a brilliant bus service as a result of local pay negotiation between the local drivers and their employers."