Abellio bus company staff set to strike in south-west London

The staff who are set to strike at Abellio buses oversee the routes from a control centre

Some bus workers in London are set to begin strike action this week after rejecting an offer of a 5% pay rise.

About 40 staff who work in the control rooms for Abellio buses are set to walk out on 19 and 26 January and 2, 9, 16 and 23 February, the Unite union said.

Routes impacted were mostly in south and south-west London.

Abellio said the action was "disappointing", while Transport for London (TfL) said buses would run but routes might be busier.

Unite called the 5% pay increase for 2023 a "substantial real-terms pay cut".

The union said the workers "already earn approximately £10,000 per year less than similar staff at other bus companies" and had been offered "a smaller pay increase than that offered to members doing the same job at competitor companies".

The staff use satellite GPS systems to monitor bus routes across London and tell drivers about traffic jams or accidents.

'Buses available'

Those based at Battersea and Twickenham bus garages are due to take part in the walk out.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Abellio's poor pay offer will bring chaos to London as our members take strike action to fight for better pay.

"Abellio has hundreds of millions of pounds of revenue from lucrative London bus contracts and yet it is trying to short-change some of its most vital staff. It needs to understand our members won't stand for it."

Unite regional officer Maxine Loza said: "Abellio needs to come back to the table with an improved offer to avoid ruining the journeys of millions of Londoners."

A spokesperson for Abellio said it had been negotiating with Unite over the pay offer since April 2023.

It said drivers had been given an unconditional offer of a 5% increase in salary, back paid to January 2023, which was "in line with increases made to other groups of staff within the business".

Rosie Trew, of Transport for London, said bus services would be available during strike days, but routes might be busier than normal.

The routes impacted include: 24, 27, 111, 156, 159, 267, 285, 322, 344, 345, 415 , 490, 969, H20, H25, H26, R68, R70.

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