ANOTHER LONDON BUS THREAT
Page 30
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ANEW and more serious threat to London's bus services emerged last week as it became clear that Christmas running, particularly on Boxing Day, will at best be patchy. The near-certainty of trouble over Christmas followed the breakdown of talks between London Transport Board and the busmen's negotiating committee over the men's claim for double pay and a shorter shift on Boxing Day.
London Transport refused to change its attitude on the question of pay, pointing out that the agreement provided for payment of time and a half for Boxing Day. But the Board agreed that the question of the allocation of duties among the staff of the whole bus fleet rostered for duty on December 27 should be discussed at local level. It was pointed out that this could lead to a shortening of shifts where there were stand-by crews.
But the immediate reaction of the men was that this was most unlikely, given the shot-Mee of staff and the previous refusal of management to alter the normal length of Boxing Day turns. The feeling, therefore, was that the unofficial strikes, voted for at 19 garages, would, almost certainly happen.
But even more significant was a decision made by Hendon garage where the 280 men voted to ban overtime and rest-day working from December 19 until further notice.
The protest action, according to the resolution they passed, is not only against the "poor rate paid for Boxing Day ", but against the area traffic schemes involving cuts in services and the failure of London Transport to attract and retain staff.