Woolwich ferry workers to strike again in row over pay

Woolwich ferry workers will strike again in February and March in an ongoing bid for better pay.

Unite members voted unanimously to down tools on the ferry for 24 hours on February 28 and March 13.

They claim not all staff are paid the London Living Wage, and object to changes to shift patterns that they say have normalised weekend working.

The free service carries more than 7,000 people and almost 3,000 cars across the river every day.

It is run by Scottish firm Briggs Marine Contractors, on behalf of Transport for London (TfL).

Unite claims the lowest paid workers receive less than the London Living Wage – currently £10.75 an hour.

This is mandatory pay for all staff, as both Briggs and TfL are Living Wage accredited employers.

The contractor denies the union’s claim, saying all staff were paid above the minimum.

Their dispute hinges on how the Living Wage is calculated – total pay for ferry staff meets the threshold, but a significant proportion of their salaries come from add-ons for extra duties.

A spokesman for Briggs said: “We continue to press for meaningful negotiations with Unite, and call on the union to suspend the reported strikes to prevent further disruption to the travelling public.”