The view from the Clapham omnibus (not)

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/passengers-back-londons-bus-drivers-on-eve-of-london-wide-bus-strike/

As a worker in Lambeth I am often - literally - the man on the Clapham omnibus (whose views are an established benchmark of reasonableness!)

However.

No bus will form any part of my journey to or from today's meeting of UNISON's Greater London Regional Committee (of which - perhaps - more later). Anecdotal evidence of my own eyes attests to the effectiveness of today's 24 hour walkout which supports the legitimate demand for a single rate of pay to be paid across London by the various contractors who extract profits from our city's public transport network.

Solidarity and good luck to the UNITE members taking action.

This is precisely the sort of strike action which the Tories would seek to prohibit, on the grounds that not enough union members voted for the action in the pre-strike ballot.‎ On Planet Cameron in 2016, today's strike would entitle employers selectively to dismiss strikers without fear of legal repercussions and would enable any employer, or random reactionary to sue UNITE.

I've blogged before about how the unions should respond to such legal restrictions should they be imposed - today everyone who supports the bus workers needs to understand just how important it is that the Tories do not form the next Government.

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.