London was today threatened with widescale bus strikes in the run-up to the Olympic Games.
More than 24,000 London bus workers are to ballot for strike action in a row over bonus payments for working during the Olympics.
Unite the union is demanding £500 each but the private sector bus operators have not offered anything.
Nine out of ten staff voted to support a formal ballot for walkouts, in a pre-strike ballot result declared this afternoon.
Voting for the full strike ballot will begin in the coming weeks with the result at the end of the month.
Unite expects overwhelming support for the strike call which could see a series of 24-hour walkouts from next month.
The union will either target the individual 15 operators one at a time or order a London-wide stoppage.
Unite regional secretary, Peter Kavanagh said: "Bus workers have voted to overwhelmingly support an industrial action ballot. The London bus is an iconic symbol for London and bus workers will be on the frontline dealing with the extra congestion and helping passengers find their way around London.
"Despite the significant extra pressure, the operators are refusing to recognise the contribution bus workers will be making to the success of the Olympics.
"Every other transport worker in London is getting a payment, with the exception of the bus workers. London bus operators are doing passengers and their workers a huge disservice by refusing to engage with the union. It is a massive error of judgement."
The union warned that the equivalent of over 9,000 double decker busloads of extra bus passengers will descend on London for the Olympics which will run from 27 July to 12 August, putting a massive strain on London bus workers. The Paralympics run from 29 August – 9 September.
London Underground staff have been offered £850 for extra work and changed shifts during the Games; Network Rail staff £500 while Docklands Light Railway employees top the list with up to £2,500 each.
Unite wrote to London bus operators in December giving them a deadline of 29 February, to complete negotiations with the union to discuss an Olympic payment of £500. Unite said the operatrs are refusing to meet with the union.
The turnout was 49.6 per cent.
