Transport workers to strike over pay

Frail and disabled passengers face being stuck in their homes once a month because of a strike by their drivers for better pay.

Transport for London (TfL) drivers and other workers based in Wimbledon and Orpington and three other bases will stage the first of a series of 24-hour strikes on Friday  in a dispute over a one per cent pay rise.

About 300 workers employed by Dial-a-Ride and 300 TfL revenue protection inspectors, road transport enforcement officers and compliance officers will strike.

Their union, Unite, claims TfL is trying to “bulldoze through a derisory one per cent pay increase” which they say amounts to a pay cut in real terms.

The workers are demanding parity with London Underground staff.

The union also claims Gareth Powell, TfL managing director of surface transport, was paid £305,649 – a 10 per cent increase on his previous year’s salary, plus he received performance-related pay worth £50,648.

They say Tricia Wright, chief people officer, was paid £236,005, plus she received performance-related pay of £35,640.

Unite regional officer Simon McCartney said: “TfL workers are fighting back against paltry pay. TfL bosses on six-figure salaries need to rethink their decision to impose a real terms pay cut on staff working in an expensive city like London.

“There is no good reason why a Dial–a-Ride workers who provide services to the elderly, vulnerable and disabled should get less than staff at London Underground.

“TfL workers also do crucial work to protect the travelling public and to recover lost revenue for TfL.

“Staff are regularly abused, threatened and have been assaulted while carrying out their duties.

“They have become sick and tired of the lack of support they receive from management, but TfL’s decision to impose a one per cent pay deal was the last straw and now they are fighting back.”

James Mead, general manager of Dial-a-Ride at TfL, said: “We have plans in place to ensure any disruption to Dial-a-Ride members will be kept to a minimum.

“We believe our package to increase our staff’s pay is both fair and responsible and also offers an increase to 30 holidays over the next two years.

“We remain open for further talks with Unite and urge them to work with us to resolve the dispute rather than disrupt Londoners.”