LONDON, January 13 (Sputnik) – Two-thirds of bus services in London have been disrupted due to a strike by bus workers over pay conditions, Transport for London (TfL) said in a press release Tuesday.
"I am very sorry that the leadership of Unite have chosen to disrupt the journeys of bus passengers, especially given that only 16 per cent of the bus drivers voted for strike action," TfL's Director for Buses Mike Weston stated in the press release.
The strike is led by Unite the Union, a British and Irish trade union, as well as a number of private bus companies. The dispute is over bus drivers' pay and working conditions. The protesters are demanding a collective pay deal which would set equal wages for bus drivers working in various bus firms across London.
"As the bus companies who employ the drivers have said, it makes no sense to pay all drivers precisely the same amount. As in all professions, bus drivers have different skills and experience and it is only right that this can be reflected in pay", Weston added.
According to Unite the Union, currently average wages for bus drivers vary from 9.30 pounds ($14) to 12.34 pounds (almost $19) per hour, depending on the company they work for.
