South West London geared for winter bus chaos following sacking of Unite steward at London United

Workers at Fulwell Garage balloted for industrial action

South West London is facing major disruption to its bus services this winter as members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed at London United, will be balloted for industrial action, following the company’s dismissal of a local shop steward.

The dispute involves 330 bus drivers based at the company’s Fulwell depot in Twickenham. The dispute arose after the depot’s shop steward was dismissed following the successful pay strikes at the company this summer.

The industrial action ballot will open on Monday 7 November and closes on Monday 5 December, if the drivers vote for industrial action, then strike action could occur throughout the winter.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite will never allow its workplace representatives to be victimised and the union will use all its collective strength to right this wrong. An injury to one is an injury to all.

“London United must accept our member should never have been dismissed and reinstate him immediately.”

London United is a subsidiary of the French state owned transport company RATP.

Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said: “This is trade union victimisation – clear and simple. Our members took strike action and won. Now the employer, in an act of spite, has decided to attack union organisation by attacking our rep.

“Our members who put their heads above the parapet, who provide leadership, and who stand shoulder to shoulder with workers day in, day out, must and will be defended by Unite using our strongest weapon – our collective strength.”