Bus drivers vote for action on heat

Almost 2,000 drivers working from 10 garages for Arriva North London have balloted (1 to 29 July) over working conditions relating to heat. During the first heatwave of the year many drivers were reporting over 35 degrees and many over 40, with ineffective, broken, or non existent air conditioning. In some instances on electric buses there was pressure to have the air conditioning turned down or off to conserve power.

The ballot results are now in. Eight of the ten garages have got over the line on the anti-trade-union turnout thresholds, and all have overwhelming yes votes. What action will be taken now remains to be seen. These mandates now last 12 months. Action can be taken now during the fourth heatwave of the year, and in any future heatwaves.

This has all taken place under attack, drivers and reps have faced victimisation, with a number being suspended. The labour movement must organise defence campaigns to have these workers reinstated.

The garages where there are now live strike mandates are: Stamford Hill; Wood Green; Edmonton; Enfield; Palmers Green; Barking; Grays; Tottenham

No strike dates have been announced as yet.

As we reported back in June drivers working out of some of the garages had already taken direct action over the conditions, refusing to take vehicles out where they had no, or broken, air conditioning. It has been Transport for London (TfL) policy since 2006 that all cabs should have air conditioning.

Unite the Union found one in six buses with faulty air conditioning units. Reporting from drivers suggests even more. At City Hall all 21 members of the GLA backed the Bill of Rights for bus drivers which committed them to improving the working conditions related to heat. Shockingly, this was not proposed by Labour or Green members but a Reform UK member.

Across Europe as the temperatures have soared drivers have been placed in dangerous conditions. In Paris and London accidents have happened that are directly attributable to the heat. Yet in late July a bus driver working for Transport UK (what was Abellio) reports that he has been docked pay this week for refusing to take his vehicle out because of extreme heat.

Conditions on London buses have deteriorated significantly in the last decades, with pay falling well behind that of Tubeworkers, and so has union density.

Serious sustained organising can start to shift the balance of forces. Heat Strike and the London Hazards campaign have already been out distributing workplaces bulletins across London depots. If the balloted depots move now, then getting out now and making the case to workers in other depots could spread the dispute. §